Thesis Abstract

Abstract
Environmental justice, particularly in relation to toxic wastes and race, continues to be a pressing issue in the United States two decades after the seminal work on the topic. This research project seeks to explore why race still matters in the context of toxic waste disposal and its disproportionate impact on minority communities. By examining case studies, statistical data, and policy analyses, this study aims to shed light on the persistence of environmental racism and its detrimental effects on marginalized populations. The intersection of race and toxic waste disposal is a complex and multifaceted issue that requires a nuanced understanding of historical, social, and political factors. Despite progress in environmental regulations and awareness, communities of color continue to bear a disproportionate burden of toxic waste sites and their associated health risks. This research project will delve into the underlying reasons for this persistent disparity and explore potential solutions to address environmental injustice. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, this study will analyze the spatial distribution of toxic waste sites in relation to race and socioeconomic status. By mapping out these patterns, the research aims to identify areas of concentrated environmental injustice and highlight the need for targeted interventions to mitigate the negative impacts on affected communities. Additionally, this project will investigate the role of corporate practices, government policies, and community activism in perpetuating or challenging environmental racism. The findings of this research project are expected to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on environmental justice and race, providing insights into the ongoing challenges faced by minority communities in the United States. By highlighting the ways in which race continues to shape environmental outcomes, this study aims to raise awareness and stimulate action to address the underlying causes of environmental inequality. Ultimately, the goal of this research is to advocate for policies and practices that promote environmental equity and justice for all communities, regardless of race or socioeconomic status. In conclusion, this research project aims to examine the enduring significance of race in the context of toxic waste disposal and environmental justice. By investigating the underlying factors contributing to this disparity, the study seeks to advance our understanding of the complexities of environmental racism and inform efforts to achieve a more equitable and sustainable future for all.

Thesis Overview

In 1987 the United Church of Christ’s (UCC) Commission for Racial Justice published its landmark report Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States. The report documented disproportionate environmental burdens facing people of color and low-income communities across the country

. The report sparked a national grassroots environmental justice movement and significant academic and governmental attention. In 2007, the UCC commissioned leading environmental justice scholars for a new report, Toxic Wastes and Race at Twenty: Grassroots Struggles to Dismantle Environmental Racism in the United States. In addition to commemorating and updating the 1987 report, the new report takes stock of progress achieved over the last twenty years. ∗ Robert D. Bullard directs the Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University. His most recent book is entitled

GROWING SMARTER: ACHIEVING LIVABLE COMMUNITIES, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND REGIONAL EQUITY (2007). ∗∗

Paul Mohai is a Professor in the School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He has been a major contributor to the growing body of quantitative research examining disproportionate environmental burdens in low-income and people of color communities. ∗∗∗ Robin Saha is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Montana and affiliated faculty with its School of Public and Community Health Sciences.

He is among the leading scholars conducting quantitative studies of environmental inequality using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). ∗∗∗∗ Beverly Wright directs the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice at Dillard University. She is one of the nation’s leading environmental justice scholars and is a Hurricane Katrina survivor.

GAL.BULLARD.W FIGURES AND TABLES 5/29/2008 3:21:07 PM 372

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

[Vol. 38:371 Although Toxic Wastes and Race has had tremendous positive impacts, twenty years after its release people of color and low-income communities are still the dumping grounds for all kinds of toxins.

Using 2000 Census data, an updated database of commercial hazardous waste facilities, and newer methods that better match where people and hazardous sites are located, we found significant racial and socioeconomic disparities persist in the distribution of the nation’s hazardous wastes facilities. We demonstrate that people of color are more concentrated around such facilities than previously shown.

People of color are particularly concentrated in neighborhoods and communities with the greatest number of facilities and racial disparities continue to be widespread throughout the country. Moreover, hazardous waste host neighborhoods are composed predominantly of people of color. Race continues to be the predominant explanatory factor in facility locations and clearly still matters.

Yet getting government to respond to the needs of low-income and people of color communities has not been easy, especially in recent years when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has mounted an all-out attack on environmental justice principles and policies established in the 1990s. Environmental injustice results from deeplyembedded institutional discrimination and will require the support of concerned individuals, groups, and organizations from various walks of life.

The Toxic Wastes and Race at Twenty report condensed in this Article provides dozens of recommendations for action at the federal, state, and local levels to help eliminate the disparities. The report also makes recommendations for nongovernmental organizations and industry. More than one hundred environmental justice, civil rights, human rights, faith based, and health allies signed a letter endorsing these steps to reverse recent backsliding, renewing the call for social, economic, and environmental justice for all. Congress has begun to listen and take action.