More words of wisdom and justice from the esteemed father of the environmental justice movement Dr. Robert Bullard.
It has been little over two weeks since environmental justice leaders in the South delivered an eleven-point “Call to Action” plan for reform of EPA Region 4— eight states in the southern United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Leaders from all across the region called for targeted enforcement to address environmental racism and pollution “hot spots” that pose disproportionate environmental health threats to low-income communities and communities of color.
Clearly, healthy places and healthy people are highly correlated, with the poorest of the poor within the region having the worst health and the most degraded environments. Race and class map closely with vulnerability. One of the best indicators of an individual’s health is one’s street address, Zip Code, or neighborhood. More than 100 studies now link racism to worse health. More than 200 environmental studies have shown race and class disparities.
It is no accident that six of Forbes’ “Top 10 Unhealthiest States” in 2009 were found in Region 4. Mississippi was ranked the 50th unhealthiest state in 2009. Above Mississippi were Oklahoma (49th), Alabama (48th), Louisiana (47th), and South Carolina (46th), Nevada (45th), Tennessee (44th), Georgia (43rd), West Virginia (42nd), and Kentucky (41st).
He's exactly right on all points.
Another excerpt of the article details an upcoming meeting of the Environmental Justice Forum in Washington on December 15:
Another excerpt of the article details an upcoming meeting of the Environmental Justice Forum in Washington on December 15:
The EJ IWG agreed to hold monthly EJ IWG meetings, including assigning senior officials from each Agency to coordinate EJ activities; organize regional listening sessions in early 2011; hold follow-up EJ IWG Principals Meetings in April and September 2011; each Agency will be tasked to develop or update their EJ strategy by September 2011; and plan a White House forum for EJ leaders and stakeholders on Environmental Justice.The White House EJ Forum is set for December 15, 2010 at 10:00 am until 4:00 pm in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The event will bring together environmental justice community leaders, state, local and tribal government officials, Cabinet members, and other senior Federal officials for a discussion on creating a healthy and sustainable environment for all Americans.The Forum also will offer an opportunity for the environmental justice community to speak with officials from Federal departments and agencies who are engaged in this effort.While these federal EJ initiatives emanate from Washington, it is unclear how they will be implemented in EPA Region 4 and the other nine EPA regions.
We can only hope some good will come out of this. It's long overdue for Alabama and other states under the authority of Region 4. One of our previous entries on the problems with Region 4 and Dr. Bullard's thoughts can be found here.
If we have one issue with the "Call to Action Plan" it would be that there are many more sites in Alabama that could benefit from Dr. Bullard's attention, and we hope that he will expand his radar to more areas in the state.
His overriding theme is dead on: Prejudicial racism isn't the only form of racism that is alive and well in the Deep South--environmental racism (injustice) still reigns strong in the land of cotton.
If we have one issue with the "Call to Action Plan" it would be that there are many more sites in Alabama that could benefit from Dr. Bullard's attention, and we hope that he will expand his radar to more areas in the state.
His overriding theme is dead on: Prejudicial racism isn't the only form of racism that is alive and well in the Deep South--environmental racism (injustice) still reigns strong in the land of cotton.
ADEM are you listening?
Read more of Dr. Bullard's article:
"Environmental justice, at least, entails preserving the environment as a global entity, but also making those persons who feel, have felt, have been, or are victims of environmental crimes and atrocities feel as if they are part of the solution as full members of the human community and not just the environmental dumping ground for the well-off."
ReplyDeleteThe well spoken words of Bill Lawson.
Too often we hear this false argument of reverse racism from those who stand to gain the most from the entry of toxic entities into disparaged communities: "If you're against this, then you're against the people, because they need the jobs and their community needs the money."
If they would tell the whole truth about what the downsides, dangers and risks would really be, then the community as whole, could decide WITH ALL OF THE FACTS, if they want it or not. That is, providing they are given a voice, which they usually are not, because of dictatorial community government making back room deals with devils.
Dr Bullard, I must agree with the site's thoughts and urge that you expand your radar on what's really happening to the disadvantaged in Alabama, which is a multi-pronged issue involving not just Region 4, but the state agencies and the state government itself.
The shadow of Jim Crow still casts a large darkness over Alabama.
Very well said Rita!
ReplyDeleteRegion 4 is a bastion of corruption, ineptness and corporate enablers and they've done more harm to Alabama than ADEM, which is nothing to brag about.
ReplyDeleteIf they're are good people there, their voices are drowned out by the ones who are beholden to big business first and foremost. They should clean out that nest of snakes and bring in new blood at all levels. It's way past time.