Navassa Superfund Redevelopment

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Yesterday evening, Dr. Jennifer Biddle, assistant professor, MCOP advisor, and Coastal Federation Board Member, led a group of Public and International Affairs graduate students in providing an original report to the local town, Navassa, on opportunities for redeveloping a Superfund sight.  

The group effort was highlighted in the local Star News yesterday.  Below is an excerpt,
The students' work on Navassa’s behalf is part of a collaboration between Navassa and UNCW, which is supported by the Environmental Protection Agency’s College/Underserved Community Partnership. The UNCW students working on Navassa’s behalf are earning their master's degrees in public administration or coastal and ocean policy. 
“It’s a great opportunity for the students to work with real-world clients,” said Jennifer Biddle, assistant professor in UNCW’s Department of Public & International Affairs. “And also, the goal is to really help the town. The town is our client. We’re giving policy and planning assistance.” 
The students’ assessment is a first step of a comprehensive policy analysis UNCW will give Navassa for the restoration and redevelopment of its contaminated land. A policy analysis is a tool to assess the merit and feasibility of redevelopment alternatives before the formal policy formation phase begins. 
A well-done policy analysis, which often undergoes several iterations, increases the likelihood that proposed legislation will be adopted, according to the report, “Exploring the Future of Navassa: An Integrative and Evaluative Framework,” Biddle and the students wrote. 

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