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CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Thesis
BREAKING THE CYCLE: WASHINGTON ECOLOGY AND THE SPOKANE RIVER REGIONAL TOXICS TASK FORCE’S APPROACH TO PCB CONTAMINATION
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2025
Abstract
This study investigates the Washington State Department of Ecology’s decision to diverge from conventional regulatory frameworks by adopting a collaborative governance model to address PCB contamination in the Spokane River. Rather than initiating a traditional Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) process, the agency launched the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force (SRRTTF), which operated from 2012 until its formal conclusion in 2022. Supported by both Ecology and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the initiative was framed as a participatory process intended to move beyond the procedural constraints of the Clean Water Act. It marked an early application of the Direct to Implementation (DtI) approach, where collaboration was pursued in cases where the TMDL model was seen as insufficient to manage diffuse or complex contamination.This research explores the internal motivations, institutional dynamics, and regulatory considerations that shaped Ecology’s choice to pursue this path. Drawing from interviews and document analysis, the study assesses whether the SRRTTF represents a unique deviation or a broader shift toward adaptive and flexible governance within state environmental agencies. The findings suggest that while collaborative governance was embraced as a strategic alternative, its success was conditional and ultimately constrained by legal frameworks, limited enforceability, and unclear closure mechanisms. The Taskforce's collapse into litigation underscores the risks of collaboration when not institutionally reinforced. By applying insights from Organizational Theory and Structuration Theory, the study offers a layered analysis of agency behavior and contributes to broader conversations about the potential and limits of participatory innovation in environmental regulation.
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Details
- Title
- BREAKING THE CYCLE: WASHINGTON ECOLOGY AND THE SPOKANE RIVER REGIONAL TOXICS TASK FORCE’S APPROACH TO PCB CONTAMINATION
- Creators
- Nathan Edward Enos
- Contributors
- Kara Whitman (Advisor)Matthew Carroll (Committee Member)Julie Padowski (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- School of the Environment (CAHNRS)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 120
- Identifiers
- 99901296781801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis