ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THROUGH POLICY ANALYSIS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND COLLABORATIVE GOVERNANCE: JUSTICE40 INITIATIVE AND THE SMURFIT-STONE SUPERFUND SITE

Author

• Courtney RosenbergFollow

Files

Graduation Date

Spring 5-2026

Document Type

Portfolio

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Name

Environmental Studies

School or Department

Environmental Studies

Abstract

This portfolio reflects my growing interest in procedural environmental justice and whether communities are truly able to influence decisions that affect their health, environment, and future. Throughout my graduate work at the University of Montana, I became increasingly interested in who is recognized as a legitimate participant in environmental decisions, whose knowledge is treated as credible, and whether regulatory institutions are accountable to the communities most affected by environmental harm. Across three sections, I examine the gap between environmental justice as a policy goal and environmental justice in practice. The first section analyzes the Justice40 Initiative and the challenges of turning a broad federal equity commitment into meaningful and measurable benefits for disadvantaged communities. The second section examines stakeholder perspectives on the cleanup of the Smurfit-Stone Superfund site near Frenchtown, Montana. Through interviews, Community Advisory Group meetings, transcripts, and public documents, I explore how access to information, different understandings of risk, institutional distrust, and uncertainty shape the cleanup process. The third section focuses on my internship with MontPIRG and my work to support public education, student involvement, and collaboration with the Smurfit-Stone Community Advisory Group. Through these experiences, I learned that meaningful participation requires more than inviting people to meetings. It requires accessible information, trusted relationships, organized outreach, and real opportunities for communities to shape decisions. Overall, this portfolio argues that environmental justice depends on transparency, accountability, shared knowledge, and community power.

Recommended Citation

Rosenberg, Courtney, "ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THROUGH POLICY ANALYSIS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND COLLABORATIVE GOVERNANCE: JUSTICE40 INITIATIVE AND THE SMURFIT-STONE SUPERFUND SITE" (2026). Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects. 589.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/grad_portfolios/589