Silent Spill: The Organization of an Industrial Crisis (Urban and Industrial Environments)

In the Guadalupe Dunes, 170 miles north of Los Angeles and 250 miles south of San Francisco, an oil spill persisted unattended for 38 years. Over the period 1990-1996, the national press devoted 504 stories to the Exxon Valdez accident and a mere nine to the Guadalupe spill--even though the latter is most likely the nation's largest recorded oil spill. Although it was known to oil workers in the field where it originated, to visiting regulators, and to locals who frequented the beach, the Guadalupe spill became troubling only when those involved could no longer view the sight and smell of petroleum as normal. This book recounts how this change in perception finally took place after nearly four decades and what form the response took.Taking a sociological perspective, Thomas Beamish examines the organizational culture of the Unocal Corporation (whose oil fields produced the leakage), the interorganizational response of regulatory agencies, and local interpretations of the event. He applies notions of social organization, social stability, and social inertia to the kind of environmental degradation represented by the Guadalupe spill. More important, he uses the Guadalupe Dunes case as the basis for a broader study of environmental "blind spots." He argues that many of our most pressing pollution problems go unacknowledged because they do not cause large-scale social disruption or dramatic visible destruction of the sort that triggers responses. Finally, he develops a model of social accommodation that helps explain why human systems seem inclined to do nothing as trouble mounts.

In the Guadalupe Dunes, 170 miles north of Los Angeles and 250 miles south of San Francisco, an oil spill persisted unattended for 38 years. Over the period 1990-1996, the national press devoted 504 stories to the Exxon Valdez accident and a mere nine to the Guadalupe spill—even though the latter is most likely the nation's largest recorded oil spill. Although it was known to oil workers in the field where it originated, to visiting regulators, and to locals who frequented the beach, the Guadalupe spill became troubling only when those involved could no longer view the sight and smell of petroleum as normal. This book recounts how this change in perception finally took place after nearly four decades and what form the response took.Taking a sociological perspective, Thomas Beamish examines the organizational culture of the Unocal Corporation (whose oil fields produced the leakage), the interorganizational response of regulatory agencies, and local interpretations of the event. He applies notions of social organization, social stability, and social inertia to the kind of environmental degradation represented by the Guadalupe spill. More important, he uses the Guadalupe Dunes case as the basis for a broader study of environmental "blind spots." He argues that many of our most pressing pollution problems go unacknowledged because they do not cause large-scale social disruption or dramatic visible destruction of the sort that triggers responses. Finally, he develops a model of social accommodation that helps explain why human systems seem inclined to do nothing as trouble mounts.

In the Guadalupe Dunes, 170 miles north of Los Angeles and 250 miles south of San Francisco, an oil spill persisted unattended for 38 years. Over the period 1990-1996, the national press devoted 504 stories to the Exxon Valdez accident and a mere nine to the Guadalupe spilleven though the latter is most likely the nation's largest recorded oil spill. Although it was known to oil workers in the field where it originated, to visiting regulators, and to locals who frequented the beach, the Guadalupe spill became troubling only when those involved could no longer view the sight and smell of petroleum as normal. This book recounts how this change in perception finally took place after nearly four decades and what form the response took. Taking a sociological perspective, Thomas Beamish examines the organizational culture of the Unocal Corporation (whose oil fields produced the leakage), the interorganizational response of regulatory agencies, and local interpretations of the event. He applies notions of social organization, social stability, and social inertia to the kind of environmental degradation represented by the Guadalupe spill. More important, he uses the Guadalupe Dunes case as the basis for a broader study of environmental "blind spots." He argues that many of our most pressing pollution problems go unacknowledged because they do not cause large-scale social disruption or dramatic visible destruction of the sort that triggers responses. Finally, he develops a model of social accommodation that helps explain why human systems seem inclined to do nothing as trouble mounts. Author Examines The Organizational Culture Of The Unocal Corporation (whose Oil Fields Produced The Leakage Of The Exxon Valdez), The Interorganizational Response Of Regulatory Agencies, And Local Interpretations Of The Event. 1. Oil History, Oil Production, And The Guadalupe Oil Spill -- 2. Conceptual Footings -- 3. A Secret Spill: When Routine Work Becomes Criminally Negligent -- 4. The Agency Beat: Waiting For A Tanker On The Rocks -- 5. A Local Focus: The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back -- 6. Staring Blindly At A Problem: Incrementalism And Accommodation -- App. A. Methodological Remarks -- App. B. Event Chronology Of The Guadalupe Dunes Spill, 1931-1999 -- App. C. Regulators And Regulations Involved In The Guadalupe Spill. Thomas D. Beamish. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [199]-216) And Index. Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Introduction......Page 14 1 Oil History, Oil Production, and the Guadalupe Oil Spill......Page 30 2 Conceptual Footings......Page 44 3 A “Secret” Spill: When Routine Work Becomes Criminally Negligent......Page 64 4 The Agency Beat: Waiting for a “Tanker on the Rocks”......Page 92 5 A Local Focus: “The Straw That Broke the Camel’s Back”......Page 122 6 Staring Blindly at a Problem: Incrementalism and Accommodation......Page 144 Appendix A: Methodological Remarks......Page 158 Appendix B: Event Chronology of the Guadalupe Dunes Spill, 1931–1999......Page 164 Appendix C: Regulators and Regulations Involved in the Guadalupe Spill......Page 168 Notes......Page 196 References......Page 212 E......Page 230 O......Page 231 T......Page 232 W......Page 233 Underneath the Guadalupe Dunes-a windswept piece of wilderness 170 miles north of Los Angeles and 250 miles south of San Francisco-sits the largest petroleum spill in US history.