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Watts, Richard Arthur

Natural Resource Planning Program

2006

Ph. D.

Concerns about the cost, availability and environmental impacts of the generation and distribution of electricity have grown sharply in recent years. In Vermont, decisions about the state's energy future are imminent, as contracts for two-thirds of the state's electricity from Hydro-Quebec and Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant run out in 6-9 years. Vigorous debates about additional transmission lines, energy efficiency and wind towers on ridge tops mark the state's energy discussions at the time of this study. This case study explores the planning for and conflict around the Northwest Reliability Project (NRP), the siting of 63 miles of new high voltage transmission line in Vermont. It focuses on the construction of knowledge by citizens, elected town officials and utility energy planners. This dissertation examines what citizens, town officials and VELCO planners constructed as their understanding of the NRP, how they came to that understanding and how it informed their actions. The study includes a comprehensive review of citizen participation literature, planning theory and energy planning. In addition, a history of electric transmission infrastructure and energy planning both nationally and in Vermont is presented. Data sources for the case study include extensive comments at public hearings and town selectboard meetings, a comprehensive survey of general audience print media, relevant industry documents and 32 interviews with town, agency, industry and advocacy participants. Annual reports covering fifty years by the state planning agency in Vermont are also reviewed. To assist in examining the construction of knowledge, the researcher used a frame analysis model developed by Gamson (2005) to measure how frames dominate media discourse; cultural resonance and narrative fidelity, sponsorship activities and media standing.
Findings highlight the constraints of the energy planning process, both in the types of decisions that can emerge and in the choices available to policy-makers. The study shows how expert knowledge is privileged over local knowledge and how issues raised by citizens were not addressed in the regulatory process. The frames sponsored by the utility planners resonated with culturally available themes and achieved "full response" media standing. Frames sponsored by citizens were diverse and, for the most part, did not achieve media standing. While the case study highlights the importance of a more participatory planning process, significant challenges lie ahead for engaging citizens in Vermont energy planning and decision-making. In the context of national energy policy, this study shows the significant limitations placed on citizen participation and the need for more locally generated energy policy discussions. Key Words: Citizen participation, energy planning, transmission lines, electric infrastructure, decision-making, frame analysis, media studies.