But people of color and lowincome americans are disproportionately affected by pollution every day. Field and laboratory investigations of fish, streamflow, and water quality. Daniel faber is the director of the northeastern university environmental justice research collaborative. Peter graduated from unc school of law in 2009 with high honors. Peggy shepard brings to the tedxharlem stage a talk around environmental justice and surfacing the meme of sacrifice zones. Environmental protection agency, office of federal activities.
Technical assistance to help small disadvantaged communities develop eligible drinking water and wastewater projects. Environmental justice coalition for water technical assistance. One communitys story this area is only 25 miles north of san francisco, yet it is surrounded by 5 oil refineries, 3 chemical companies and scores of. Mario santoyo, california latino water coalition today, dr.
Who we are pdf the environmental health coalition is a group of environmental health professionals acting as a unified voice for environmental health. Water rights and access in detroits urban areas, usa. Working on environmental health and justice issues frequently requires working in coalition or collaboration with other communitybased organizations. Metro hall room 308 55 john street st andrew ttc november 25, 2019 7.
On the morning of january 9th, 2014, pam nixon was expecting a normal day of work at the west virginia department of environmental protection. Other epa resources, such as technical assistance, mapping tools, and training materials provide the public. With projected sea level rises for the area of anywhere between six and 15 feet, faber says the risk for catastrophic failures at sites like chelseas fuel storage tanks. All americans deserve to live in healthy environments, free from pollution and toxic waste. Environmental justice organizations and other supporters and their websites, if available. Authors interview with eveline shen, acrj, 28 october 2005. Ejcw works on the front lines of disadvantaged communities throughout california, helping their concerns and needs reach our regional, state, national and global partners. Michael alpert, chair little hoover commission 925 l street, suite 805 sacramento, california 95814 re. Environmental justice is 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.
Environmental justice ej is defined by california statute as the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the. Environmental justice since 2005 water plan update what we have learned about drinking water continued. Uec, one of the early successful efforts to link environmental and social justice concerns. Although it emerged as a public concern as early as 1820, 1 the notion of environmental justice was really born in the united states in the mid1980s, in the context of the struggle for racial equality. Drinking water management in california is divided mainly between the department of water resources, responsible for supply, the state water resources control board, responsible for water quality, and the department of public. The environmental justice coalition for water ejcw is a coalition made up of over 60 communitybased and nonprofit organizations throughout california, working on water issues impacting lowincome and people of color communities both urban and rural. Clean water action council is an environmental advocacy group that has fought for environmental protection in northeast wisconsin since 1985. Njdep environmental justice environmental justice at. We work in partnership with community leaders, nonprofits and government agencies so that we can work together to provide safe, clean, affordable water to everyone in california. The region 2 ej program works to integrate the consideration of environmental justice into all of our regional programs, functions and activities in new york, new jersey, puerto rico and the u. Help small, disadvantaged communities build and exercise local leadership and capacity to work in concert with technical assistance providers to identify, develop, fund, and implement sustainable, affordable. During law school, peter twice cochaired the annual conference on race, class. It first served to designate at once racial and ethnic inequalities in exposure to environmental risk pollutions.
As the definition that this blog uses for environmental justice describes that the injustice must fall upon disempowered people, the mexicali and calexico citizens fall under this category. Our organization is led by a board of directors and composed of hundreds of ecominded members. In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, tedx is a program of local. An alarming 54% of private wells tested positive for contaminants iron, coliform bacteria, and lead found to be the top three contaminants. According to a detailed report published by a coalition of environmental ngos in china, apples chinese supply chain has been identified as a serious threat to environmental health in china, with key suppliers such as meiko electronics being identified as having failed to address serious pollution issues caused by their manufacturing activities 1. Detroit water brigade, detroit water warriers, callem out coalition, detroiters working for environmental justice, peoples water board, go detroit. The environmental justice coalition for water co pacific institute 654 th street oakland, ca 94612 phone. The concept of ej recognizes that all people have the right to live, work, learn, and play in a healthy environment. Help small, disadvantaged communities build and exercise local leadership and capacity to work in concert with technical assistance providers to identify, develop, fund, and implement sustainable, affordable, and just, longterm solutions to meet each communitys waterrelated needs drinking water, wastewater, flood, sanitation, etc. Environmental justice coalition for water september 2, 2005 mr.
The environmental justice coalition for water, 2005. Tracie billington department of water resources division of planning and local assistance conjunctive water management branch 901 p street, room 2a. The state water resources control boardregional water quality control boards the water boards are establishing an environmental justice ej program to promote and ensure public outreach, participation and education regarding meetings, hearings and activities for all californians. This article adds to the growing number of case studies on proactive community action to address sewage overflows in an environmental justice context. After an overview of how low income communities and communities of color have been historically left out of california water management, we analyze political, economic and social trends that produce the current exclusionary system and emerging. On earth day 2010, the oil rig deepwater horizon exploded, flooding the gulf of mexico with crude oil and devastating the coastline. Environmental justice central coast regional water quality. Over the years, gjc has won a string of victories by growing the collective people power of communitybased. Environmental justice in your community environmental. For the 2nd month in a row, and only the 3rd month ever, electricity generation from renewables in the u.
As a result, the coalition for environmental justice cej was created. The environmental justice coalition for water ejcw writes in support of its member, comite civico del valle, inc comite civico with reference to the administrative liability complaint against national beef, california. Environmental justice coalition for water home facebook. Barriers to access to safe and affordable water for. These communities lack of access to safe, affordable drinking water and healthy. He has been active in labor, antiwar, and environmental justice since childhood. The big concept here, that i want to write down is the concept of environmental justice. Over the years, gjc has won a string of victories by growing the collective people power of communitybased organizations, organized labor and. Severe water pollution by meiko electronics plant in wuhan. Filmmaker jon bowermaster returns to the shores of louisiana five years after the disaster, interviewing a rich crosssection of local denizens fishermen, scientists, politicians, environmentalists, and oilrig workers to uncover the enduring impact of. Real id waiver authority compromises our borderlands. Issues in environmental justice within the european union. The city adopted its environmental justice element in 2012, five years before brown signed anything into law. And what this concept really looks at is that there is a fair distribution of the benefits and burdens, of the environmental benefits and burdens within society, across all groups.
Through the support of a 20 environmental justice small grant, water samples from private wells and local creeks were tested for arsenic, lead, copper, iron, calcium, e. Many communities, particularly those of lowincome and communities of color are underserved. We were using this water for over 100 years and we developed the economy that depends on the seepage, rene acuna, a mexicali civic leader, explains. Bullard we will use a number of case studies to help elaborate a coherent theory of environmental justice in canadian law and policy. Final guidance for incorporating environmental justice concerns in epas nepa compliance analyses.
The epa has set this as a goal for all communities and persons across this nation. A peoples blueprint for california water, the environmental justice coalition for water, 2005. When people can afford to live near where they work particularly in transitrich, walkable urban areasthere is an aggregate reduction of sprawl and greenhousegas emissions 7. Download california environmental justice resources pdf. The environmental justice coalition for water ejcw is a statewide coalition of grassroots groups and intermediary organizations building a collective. An industry stakeholder, citing numerous types of government decisions with environmental justice impacts, echoed the sentiment, permitting has a role, but its not a onestop answer to environmental justice.
Environmental justice embraces the principle that all people and communities are entitled to equal protection of environmental and public health laws and regulations. Water rights environmental justice in the southwest. Dozens of federal laws protecting land, air, water, wildlife, public health, religious freedom and more have been cast aside across huge swathes of border. Responding to an ehc community survey in 2005, residents were already voicing their concerns about the lack of affordable healthy food in otnc and its impact on their daily lives. Njdep environmental justice is 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. Central valley regional water quality control board. The coalition works to create healthier communities for all through partnerships, informationsharing and elevating environmental health. Education and public outreach state water resources. Environmental justice in europe health and environment alliance. Environmental health coalition american public health. Creating a new generation of environmental justice leaders to address water pollution new haven, ct 2012 with a 2012 environmental justice small grant the new haven ecology project nhep inc.
Parsons, 2008, and san franciscos bayviewhunters point community the environmental justice coalition for water, 2005. Ejcw team environmental justice coalition for water. Climate justice proponents consider climate change, or global warming, to be a central issue of environmental justice because it amplifies existing social and economic inequalities and disproportionately affects vulnerable groups. Jan 26, 2016 the harm that comes with rising seas and contaminated water systems isnt evenly distributed.
He was a union organizer for the ufcw campaign to win unions at smithfield from 200506. New toolkit connects city planning and environmental justice. Environmental justice coalition for water allow agencies to track the effectiveness of the programs, and the extent to which they provide equitable benefits to disadvantaged communities. Water quality across the state environmental justice screening methodology, drinking water layer balazs, morellofrosch, sadd, pastor draft 2014 largest fraction of mcl violations across the state, including. Water justice is the ability of all communities to access safe. The environmental justice coalition for water ejcw is a statewide coalition of grassroots groups and intermediary organizations building a collective, communitybased movement for democratic water allocation, management, and policy in california.
After an overview of how low income communities and communities of color have been historically left out of california water management, we analyze political, economic and social trends that produce the current exclusionary system and emerging policies and technologies that could further. For over a decade, environmental health coalition ehc has worked with residents in old town national city to address food insecurity. Environmental justice 471 industrial facilities, and crime, the second aspect. Environmental justice activist predictions about the effects of coal ash dumping near water sources and residential communities proved true after coal ash spills contaminated lakes, rivers, and water sources for lowincome communities during hurricane florence. Environmental justice coalition for water po box 188911 sacramento, ca 958188911 tel.
Environmental justice is an important part of the struggle to improve and maintain a clean and healthful environment, especially for those who have traditionally lived, worked and played closest. Environmental justice leadership forum on climate change. To educate, empower, and nurture a statewide, communitybased coalition that will serve as. Education and public outreach environmental justice. Environmental justice coalition for water guidestar profile. Environmental justice news, research and analysis the. Advancing environmental justice environmental justice activities at niehs 8 environmental justice activities at niehs the environment is a central determinant of human health and wellbeing. The struggle for environmental justice in california began decades ago and. Environmental health coalition blog for environmental. Clean water action was honored to attend todays firstever congressional convening on environmental justice to fight for environmental justice now. Lewis is the executive director of the ct coalition for environmental justice which promotes.
Jul 11, 2017 epa administrator gina mccarthy said in the executive summary that environmental justice was now at the core of the epas mission. Nov 11, 2014 water quality across the state environmental justice screening methodology, drinking water layer balazs, morellofrosch, sadd, pastor draft 2014 largest fraction of mcl violations across the state, including. Environmental health coalition environmental justice. It used to be where you could take a white wash rag and put it in the sink and water would run on it about 10 or 15 minutes, and it would actually turn brown. Unlike other groups, these communities lack access to safe, affordable water for drinking, subsistence, cultural, and. Environmental justice is the right of all people and communities to live, work, and play in a clean and safe environment.
The coalition is building a communitybased movement to advocate for clean, safe, and affordable water in california. The oaklandbased environmental justice coalition for water released its report. Mar 24, 2020 collecting water from a street pump in dhaka, bangladesh, jan. The supreme court ruled to keep the clean water act intact, dealing a major loss to the trump administration and its propolluter agenda. Environmental justice coalition for water, sacramento, california. Ejha is a grassroots alliance dedicated to chemical safety and supports healthy and toxicfree communities where we live, work, play, pray and go to school. Water issues have recently emerged as a hotspot for environmental justice in colorado for many reasons including the relative scarcity of water in the arid southwest, the extremely complex system of water rights in the region, and the history of extractive industry mining and fracking polluting drinking water supplies, among others. Environmental health coalition fights against environmental racism which is defined as. Environmental justice coalition for water technical.
In the past, cchcc has participated in the community organizing campaign that resulted in the closing of a medical waste incinerator that was emitting toxic pollution into a lowincome. Federal actions to address environmental justice in minority populations and lowincome populations. To all the people who have turned out for demonstrations in front of the legislature or anywhere else. A peoples blueprint for california water by the environmental justice coalition for water 2005 birth of the movement. Environmental science instructor 2005 06 teaching interests aquatic ecology. Fighting alongside a large coalition of groups against the crandon mine, flambeau mine, gogebic taconite. Border walls, barriers and roads have been built without regard for the rule of law. Friends of the earth foe foe pushes for reforms that are needed, not merely the ones that are politically easy. This paper examines the intersectional, coalition politics forged by activists in us environmental justice and womens. Cleo woelfleerskines research focuses on ecological and social dimensions of human relations to rivers and their multispecies inhabitants. Like morgenstern, cole says the water at his unit was brown until a federal judge ordered the texas department of criminal justice tdcj to provide the prisoners safe drinking water. Environmental justice coalition for water guidestar. According to the environmental justice and climate change initiative, with rising temperatures, human livesparticularly in.
The environmental justice coalition for water idealist. She brings a decade of experience in organizing to end racism in environmental issues, and justice for all people. The primary purpose of epas environmental justice grant programs is to support and empower communities as they develop and implement solutions that significantly address environmental andor public health issues at the local level. We look forward to a great year under her collaborative leadership modeling. To educate, empower, and nurture a statewide, communitybased coalition that will serve as a public voice and be an effective advocate for environmental justice issues in california water policy. This coalitional politics articulates environmental and. Environmental justice in housing and transportation the bay chapter supports affordable housing throughout the bay area. Jul 30, 2012 peggy shepard brings to the tedxharlem stage a talk around environmental justice and surfacing the meme of sacrifice zones.
The courts decision solidifies the clean water acts place as one of the nations most effective environmental laws. Fair treatment means that no group of people, including a racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic group, should bear. Environmental health champaign county health care consumers. The three main utilityscale renewable sourcessolar, wind and hydropoweralso produced enough power to beat out coal for the first time on a quarterly basis. Team ejcw environmental justice coalition for water.
Access to clean, safe, and affordable water is a fundamental human right essential for a healthy population, environment, and economy. To educate, empower, and nurture a statewide, communitybased coalition that will serve as a public. Alpert, the environmental justice coalition for water ejcw is a coalition made up of over 60. Welcome michelle martinez as the new coordinator for the michigan environmental justice coalition. Clean water action has served since 2008 on the steering committee of the green justice coalition gjc, a partnership between labor and grassroots justice groups across massachusetts, convened by our good friends at community labor united. The reports first chapter analyzes the origins of environmental discrimination in california water policy. Wright and her colleagues at the dscej provide legal assistance and run classes to help people learn their rights in dealing with climate and environmental disasters, and they also train people in skills needed to cope, such as mold and asbestos mitigation, weatherization, and. Unlike other groups, these communities lack access to safe, affordable water for drinking, subsistence, cultural. A 2014 report by the environmental justice and health alliance for chemical policy reform found that more than 4 million americans live dangerously close to a toxic facility. Ejcw is a statewide coalition of grassroots groups and intermediary organizations.