🌼Environmental History Unit 11 – Environmental Justice: Unequal Risk Distribution

What's Environmental Justice?

• Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental decision-making, policy, and enforcement
• Seeks to address the disproportionate environmental burdens faced by marginalized communities (low-income, communities of color)
• Aims to ensure equitable access to clean air, water, and healthy living environments for all
• Recognizes the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental issues
• Advocates for the right of all individuals to participate in decisions that affect their environment and health
• Challenges the unequal distribution of environmental risks and benefits
• Promotes sustainable and inclusive development practices that prioritize the well-being of vulnerable populations

Historical Context

• Environmental justice movement emerged in the 1980s in response to the unequal distribution of environmental hazards
• Grew out of the civil rights movement and grassroots activism by communities facing environmental discrimination
• Early cases include the Warren County PCB Landfill protest in North Carolina (1982) and the Love Canal disaster in New York (1978)
• United Church of Christ's Commission for Racial Justice released the groundbreaking report "Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States" (1987)
  • Documented the disproportionate placement of hazardous waste facilities in communities of color
• First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit held in 1991, resulting in the adoption of the 17 Principles of Environmental Justice
• Executive Order 12898 signed by President Clinton in 1994, requiring federal agencies to address environmental justice in their policies and programs

Key Concepts and Principles

• Distributive justice: fair and equitable distribution of environmental benefits and burdens
• Procedural justice: inclusive and meaningful participation in environmental decision-making processes
• Corrective justice: addressing past and present environmental harms and providing remediation
• Intergenerational equity: ensuring a healthy environment for present and future generations
• Precautionary principle: taking preventive action in the face of uncertainty to protect human health and the environment
• Polluter pays principle: those responsible for pollution should bear the costs of prevention and cleanup
• Environmental racism: the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on communities of color

Case Studies

• Flint Water Crisis (Michigan): lead contamination in the water supply disproportionately affecting low-income, predominantly Black residents
• Cancer Alley (Louisiana): high concentration of petrochemical plants and refineries leading to elevated cancer rates in predominantly African American communities
• Navajo Nation Uranium Mining: legacy of uranium mining on Navajo lands resulting in widespread contamination and health impacts
• Kettleman City Toxic Waste Dump (California): proposed expansion of a hazardous waste facility in a predominantly Latino community
• Bronx River Restoration (New York): community-led efforts to restore and revitalize the polluted Bronx River in a historically underserved area
• Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers: advocated for the rights and protection of farmworkers exposed to pesticides

Environmental Racism

• The disproportionate exposure of communities of color to environmental hazards and pollution
• Rooted in historical patterns of racial segregation, redlining, and discriminatory zoning practices
• Examples include the siting of toxic waste facilities, landfills, and industrial plants in predominantly minority neighborhoods
• Contributes to health disparities, such as higher rates of asthma, cancer, and lead poisoning in affected communities
• Intersects with other forms of systemic racism, such as housing discrimination and lack of political representation
• Perpetuates cycles of poverty and environmental injustice by limiting access to clean and healthy environments

Policy and Legislation

• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs receiving federal funding
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969: requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of their actions and consider alternatives
• Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act: set standards for air and water quality, with provisions for public participation and enforcement
• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) or Superfund: provides for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites and holds polluters accountable
• Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice (1994): directs federal agencies to address disproportionate environmental impacts on minority and low-income populations
• State and local environmental justice policies and initiatives, such as California's SB 535 (2012) and New York's S.2385/A.1564 (2019)

Activism and Movements

• Grassroots organizing and community-led campaigns to fight environmental injustices
• Environmental justice organizations, such as the National Black Environmental Justice Network, Indigenous Environmental Network, and Asian Pacific Environmental Network
• Collaborative partnerships between communities, academics, and policymakers to advance environmental justice research and solutions
• Youth-led movements, like the Sunrise Movement and Zero Hour, advocating for climate justice and a just transition
• Intersection with other social justice movements, such as Black Lives Matter and the fight for affordable housing
• Use of litigation, public education, and direct action to hold polluters accountable and demand policy change
• International environmental justice solidarity and advocacy, such as the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)

Current Challenges and Future Outlook

• Addressing the cumulative impacts of multiple environmental stressors on vulnerable communities
• Ensuring meaningful community engagement and decision-making power in environmental policy and planning processes
• Incorporating environmental justice principles into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies
• Strengthening enforcement and accountability mechanisms for environmental violations in overburdened communities
• Investing in green infrastructure, renewable energy, and sustainable development in historically underserved areas
• Advancing just transition strategies that support workers and communities in the shift away from fossil fuels
• Integrating environmental justice education and training into academic curricula and professional development programs
• Building diverse, inclusive, and equitable environmental organizations and movements