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Environmental Justice Chronicle In This Issue:
It is historically recognized that the environmental justice movement took off in Warren County, N.C., when residents demonstrated against another landfill in their county. In a moving show of civil disobedience, activists from both the civil rights and environmental movements laid down in front of trucks carrying PCB-contaminated soil into the largely African-American Warren County - already inundated with more industry than any of the other counties in North Carolina. The Warren County demonstrations did not stop the new landfill, but citizens thrust the issue of environmental racism into the national spotlight and onto the political agenda. In 1983, the United States General Accounting Office conducted a study of several Southern states that found three out of every four landfills were located near predominantly minority communities. In 1987, a Commission on Racial Justice report showed that the most significant factor in determining hazardous waste facility sites, nationwide, was race. The study also found that three out of every five African-Americans and Hispanics live in a community buttressing unregulated toxic waste sites. In 1992, a National Law Journal report alleged EPA discrimination in enforcement, pointing out that federal fines were not as strict for industries operating in communities of color, that clean-up of environmental disasters in these communities was slower than in wealthier, white communities and that standards for clean-up in communities of color were not as high. In response to these revelations, actions were taken toward a remedy of the reality of environmental racism in the United States. In 1991, the First National People of Color Leadership Summit met in Washignton, D.C., and forged the Principles of Environmental Justice. The EPA established its Office of Environmental Justice in 1992. President Bill Clinton issued Executive Order 12898 in 1994, designating that 11 agencies are accountable for environmental justice. Shortly thereafter, the Interagency Group on Environmental Justice was established. Regional Environmental Justice
Assessment-Annual Update Released The latest report updates and refines the quantitative methodology developed
in the first report. New demographic and quality of life factors are added,
including limited English proficiency, female head of household with child,
and the locations of day care centers. A new eight-factor degrees of disadvantage
analysis (including an alternative holding poverty as a constant) is compared
with the newly adopted FY 2003 Transportation Improvement Program. A sample
neighborhood analysis of TIP funding focusing on Southwest Philadelphia
is also included. Environmental Justice Public
Involvement Task Force Member Profile Intercultural Family Services, Inc. (IFSI) is a non-profit community-based health and social services provider for the immigrant/refugee population in Philadelphia and four other locations in Pennsylvania. IFSI provides an array of community-based health and social services, and a constant exchange of training, educational, artistic, cultural and civic experiences. In the year 2000, over 10,000 people benefited from IFSI direct service programs and over 20,000 from IFSI outreach programs. Wheels Inc. 1118 Market Street 2cnd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107. Mr. Reginald K. Knowlton, Executive Director WHEELS Inc. is a charitable organization founded in 1959 under the auspices of The Junior League of Philadelphia to meet an unmet community need: free, non-emergency transportation to health care facilities for the needy ill and handicapped of the Philadelphia community. Most recently, WHEELS of Wellness has been awarded the 2000-2001 Glaxo Smith Kline Community Health Impact Award and the Pennsylvania Association for Volunteerism's 2000 Distinguished Volunteer Service Award. Interesting Environmental Justice Websites: www.epa.gov/swerosps/ej/
-This website features major EPA environmental justice publications as
well as links to regional environmental justice offices. Letter From the Editor Environmental Justice and Title VI are not new concerns. Today, however, because of the evolution of decision-making, they are receiving greater emphasis. In 1994, a Presidential Executive Order clarified the mandates of Environmental Justice which encompass three basic fundamental principles:
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act states that "no person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color or national origin be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." Together these two laws establish a foundation for involving the public and make sure that every transportation project considers the human environment. DVRPC, as the MPO, serves as the primary forum where state departments of transportation, transit providers, local agencies, and the public develop local transportation plans and programs that address the region's needs. To meet the requirements of these laws, the Commission must:
DVRPC's mission is to proactively shape a comprehensive vision for the region's future growth. We will do so by developing regional plans and priorities; providing technical assistance and services; conducting high priority studies that respond to the requests and demands of member states and local governments; fostering cooperation among various constituencies to forge a consensus on diverse regional issues; determining and meeting the needs of the private sector; and continuing public outreach efforts that promote two-way communication and enhance public awareness of regional issues and DVRPC. Environmental Justice DefinedEnvironmental Justice stems from the fundamental concept that all individuals have a right to live in a healthy community. We all expect to live in a community where our families are safe from the harms of polluted water, polluted air, and polluted soil. Unfortunately, that is not a reality for some Americans. Environmental justice recognizes that, historically, minority and low-income communities have suffered from a disproportionate distribution of negative environmental impacts. The goal of achieving and maintaining environmental justice is to, as one society, recognize the mistakes of our past and ensure a healthful environmental future for all people. Environmental Justice is defined as "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair treatment means that no group of people, including a racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic group, should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, municipal, and commercial operations or the execution of federal, state, local, and tribal programs and policies." As we learn more about communities that have borne the burden of environmental degradation, we become more committed to ensuring that all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or socioeconomic status can expect to live in environmentally sound communities. At DVRPC we plan for the responsible growth of the Delaware Valley. As the metropolitan planning organization for the Southern New Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania region, we are committed to making environmental justice a part of our planning process. On the horizon, we see a Delaware Valley with an enhanced quality of life and a healthful environment for all of its residents. In support of this mission DVRPC has established an Environmental Justice Technical Committee and an Environmental Justice Public Involvement Task Force. If you would like more information about participating in the Environmental Justice Public Involvement Task Force, please contact Kendall Miller, Manager of Public Involvement at (215) 238-2871 or at kmiller@dvrpc.org. For more information on the Environmental Justice Technical Advisory Committee (EJ TAC), please contact Karin Morris at 215-238-2858 or at kmorris@dvrpc.org. Environmental Justice Chronicle
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