Izundu, C. C., Madi, M., & Bailey, C. (2022, September 4). Jackson water crisis: A legacy of environmental racism? BBC. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62783900
In a predominantly Black and low-income part of Jackson, Mississippi, tap water is brown and clearly unsafe to drink. Ever since a bout of freezing weather shut down the area’s water treatment facility in 2020, the city has struggled to recover and meet residents’ needs. Even though federal infrastructure laws have set aside money for these kinds of issues in underserved places like Jackson, activists argue that state legislators responsible for allocating the funding never prioritize Jackson and the communities that need it most. Contaminated water supply, activists maintain, is a continuing impact of bigotry and segregation. Redlining from the mid-1900s disproportionately placed people of color close to sources of pollution and contamination, and many of these communities are still facing that today, including, for example, in some areas close to the Mississippi River, like Jackson and parts of Louisiana, which now have many oil factories.
What’s happening in Jackson is reminiscent of the Flint water crisis, and is a reminder that crises like this are ongoing; Flint is not a fluke, but part of a larger pattern of society’s failure to support these communities. Water is a basic necessity, and the fact that some areas don’t have a reliable, safe water supply is an insidious example of climate injustice. This article not only explains the history and impact of this issue, but also powerfully humanizes the story by highlighting individuals in Jackson who are suffering as a result. Heartbreaking stories like this show the importance of studying environmental science and injustice, in hopes of creating equitable, sustainable policies and solutions going forward.
When I first saw the title I thought to myself, Jackson, WY? No. Of course not. Jackson, Mississippi fits much more into the env. justice story. You rightfully compare this to Flint, MI. Of course the striking similarity is that in both cases it’s largely black people bearing the burden. Does this go beyond mere env. injustice but blatant environmental racism? Do you think the fact that Mississippi is pretty conservative with politics plays into this narrative? Could the same thing happen in a predominantly black community in CA? Last question. Is this a place where the federal govt should be over-riding the state to protect the people of Jackson?
Thanks for all your good reporting on this important topic this year, Katie. You delivered some excellent posts. We will do more with this important topic as a class post AP exam.
Thanks for reading! I do think environmental racism is a big part of the problem in Jackson and in environmental injustice more broadly. Racist policies and practices throughout history have shaped the situation we see today, with POC disproportionally living near sources of pollution or in areas threatened by issues like dangerous water quality. I think the fact that MI is a conservative state is a contributing factor, as it definitely shapes the stakeholders the government is likely to be responsive too. Still, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that a similar situation would be impossible in a state like CA. Even in the liberal Bay Area, there are huge disparities in who is exposed to pollution. I do think the federal government needs to do a better job addressing environmental equity and protecting people from issues like toxic water quality.