Frank, T. (2022, December 2). Indigenous tribes in U.S. will get $75 million for climate relocation. Scientific American. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/indigenous-tribes-in-u-s-will-get-75-million-for-climate-relocation/

Three Indigenous tribes—two in Alaska and one in Washington—are each receiving $25 million from the Biden administration in a voluntary relocation program which seeks to move homes, buildings, schools, facilities, and more out of areas threatened by climate change. The two tribes in Alaska, Newtok Village and the Native Village of Napakiak, are facing coastal erosion and ocean storms, while the tribe in Washington, Quinault Indian Nation, is threatened by sea level rise, flooding, storms, and tsunami hazards. A few other tribes in Alaska, Louisiana, California, and Maine are also getting lesser amounts of money from the Biden administration as well. The total funding for this initiative is $115 million, but the Bureau of Indian Affairs has estimated that Indigenous tribes will need $5 billion total, much more than they’re being offered, for sufficient relocation efforts.

While I think it’s important that the government help fund these relocation efforts and preserve Indigenous communities, I still think this is a saddening “solution.” So many Indigenous cultures value the environment much more than post-colonial America does, and their practices often emphasize sustainability and harmony with the land. Moreover, for many tribes, their ancestral land is considered sacred and spiritually important. While relocation might be necessary to protect from the impacts of climate change, it’s heartbreaking that some of the most historically environmentally conscious communities have to move from sacred ancestral lands just to stay alive. In studying and striving for environmental justice, I think it’s important to recognize the history of different cultures and to appreciate their care for the land, especially as these communities become most impacted by climate change, a human-caused crisis that they often didn’t really contribute to.

Zamudio, M. I. (2023, January 20). Study finds disparities in states’ distribution of federal funds for water systems. The Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://publicintegrity.org/environment/natural-resources/study-finds-disparities-in-states-distribution-of-federal-funds-for-water-systems/

A study found that a $55 billion congressional fund to address issues with water infrastructure around the country disproportionately went to white communities. With every incremental increase in the proportion of white people in an area, the likelihood of receiving funds for maintaining water infrastructure increased as well. The money was distributed by state governments, advocates have pointed to a few possible explanations for the discrepancy, including that utility companies serving wealthier communities, which are often predominantly white, tend to have access to resources and consultants to help them strategically apply to grants and appeal to the government for aid. In contrast, many of the communities with the most need don’t have these resources and may never know about or apply to infrastructure maintenance funding programs at all.

The conversation around environmental justice often centers on air pollution, but water infrastructure issues are among the many other aspects of inequality in our environmental policy too. This article also referenced the water issue in Jackson, Mississippi, which another one of my articles wrote about too. This study just goes to show that Jackson is not an outlier, but rather, emblematic of larger, structural issues. Highlighting these inequalities is critical in the study of environmental science and policy, because the advancements we create need to be accessible especially to communities that are already facing the largest impacts of climate change and the least federal support to shoulder them.

Asma-Sadeque, S. (2022, December 30). Colorado: EPA investigates if pollution unfairly harms Hispanic residents. The Guardian. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/dec/30/epa-colorado-hispanic-minority-review

The EPA is investigating major polluters in Colorado, to determine if pollution in the state disproportionately harms people of color, particularly Hispanic people. The EPA cited Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans race discrimination in the allocation of federal benefits. The companies under review not only process much of the oil and energy in the state, but also have a history of expired permits, workplace accidents, and mismanagement. Malfunctions have caused the emission of toxic chemicals above the permitted level. These hotspots of pollution are also, as environmental justice advocates have pointed out, often in minority communities.

This seems like a classic example of irresponsible pollution in underserved communities. While it might be hard to point to one power plant or source of pollution and claim that it’s the result of environmental racism, these individual polluters are part of a larger trend that harms minority communities. This is not a standalone example in Colorado; there are too many similar situations all around the country. The disproportionate concentration of pollution in communities of color and low-income areas is egregious, but to me, just as upsetting is the history of mismanagement with so many of these entities. Not only are these communities impacted by greenhouse gas emissions and poor air quality, but they also face health and social impacts from being near institutions that leak other toxic chemicals due to poor maintenance.

Benjamen, K. (2023, January 12). EPA announces $100M in environmental justice grants. The Washington Informer. Retrieved January 19, 2023, from https://www.washingtoninformer.com/epa-announces-100m-in-environmental-justice-grants/

On January 10th, the EPA announced $100 million worth of funding for environmental justice grants, which is the largest amount of environmental justice grant funding the EPA has ever offered. Congress’ 2022 Inflation Reduction Act set aside $3 billion for climate justice grants, so while this month’s announcement is certainly monumental, it is only a fraction of what may be to come. Local, state, and Tribal governments can apply for grants for climate justice projects, and the EPA emphasized that this funding is meant for under-resourced communities that have historically lacked federal support for environmental initiatives. Still, some have expressed concerns that federal grant programs usually allocate the most money to large and well-established organizations, and have feared that these grants won’t reach the communities that need it the most.

It’s great to hear that the EPA is making environmental justice a priority and beginning to allocate the funding dedicated to it under the Inflation Reduction Act. If successful, these grants and other funding in the future could transform the environmental justice efforts of communities that rarely get the federal support they need. However, I wonder about some advocates’ fears that these grants won’t really reach the communities they’re intended for. While I believe that the federal government needs to take action in the face of climate injustice, I’m not sure that it can fully appreciate the challenges of so many small, local communities. I hope that this grant program will be able to reach community-based organizations that know the struggles facing their area the best, and will be able to make use of this money for pollution cleanup, green energy initiatives, waste reduction efforts, and more.

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.

Fears, D. (2022, May 25). Block-by-block data shows pollution’s stark toll on people of color. Washington Post. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/05/25/aclima-bay-area-pollution-racism/

A study collected data on air pollution in every block in parts of the San Francisco Bay Area. Their analysis revealed large disparities even within neighborhoods or just across a couple blocks—they found, for instance, that nitrogen dioxide concentration can vary 800% between neighboring blocks. Racial disparities were prominent: in Alameda County, for example, 70% of Black residents faced more nitrogen dioxide pollution than what World Health Organization guidelines deem safe, compared to 40% of white residents facing that level of pollution. Overall, the study found, communities of color faced 55% more nitrogen dioxide pollution than predominantly white communities.

While I’m certainly not surprised by the racial disparities in exposure to pollution, I did not expect there to be so much variability within areas as small as the stretch of a couple blocks. This article really shows the ubiquity of environmental racism and its impacts, so much so that two neighborhood blocks—and likely one with predominantly residents of color and one with predominantly white residents—can have very different experiences with pollution, despite being so close together. This is also important to understanding environmental science as it helps show the behavior of air pollution and how it can significantly vary even in relatively small spaces. This article also makes me wonder about the disparities that might be present in our own communities: the area that makes up our school district or where M-A students live may be relatively small in the grand scheme of geography, but it also has significant racial segregation. I wonder what air pollution disparities between neighborhoods could be present in our own M-A community, and how that would correspond to race.

Rampell, E. (2022, July 16). Indigenous and Japanese American activists unite to fight the power. The Progressive Magazine. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from https://progressive.org/latest/indigenous-japanese-activists-fight-power-rampell-220716/

Starting in the 19th century, Indigenous people were forcibly relocated from ancestral lands and into Manzanar, California; later, during World War II, the site became the first internment camp for Japanese Americans who were seen as a national security threat and incarcerated through a racist internment policy. Beginning in the early 20th century, water was drained from Manzanar’s Owens Lake and sent to communities hundreds of miles away, causing dust, water shortages, and health issues for the people in Manzanar. As this article talks about, both then and now, Indigenous and Japanese Americans have been at the forefront of conservation efforts and environmental activism in the area. Now, a team of researchers and filmmakers are creating a documentary on Manzanar’s history and the ongoing activism there.

The story of Manzanar brings multiple levels of injustice: settler colonialism from the forced relocation of Indigenous people, racism against Japanese Americans in WWII, and environmental injustice from the irresponsible draining of the lake. These three issues are also importantly connected, as it was the Indigenous and Japanese American populations that suffered the consequences of unsustainable environmental policy. This clearly relates to environmental justice and the history of people of color and certain minorities facing the brunt of unsustainable practices. In studying environmental science, I think it’s important to be conscious of this history—and the ongoing injustices as places like Manzanar continue to face issues with things like dust—as we consider solutions and environmental reforms. Indigenous and Japanese American activists should be commended for their ongoing work in Manzanar, but they should not be responsible for remedying the impacts of government racism and mishandling of the environment.

Pandemic shutdowns give window into environmental racism in California’s air pollution policy. (2022, April 7). Yale School of the Environment. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://environment.yale.edu/news/article/pandemic-shutdowns-give-window-environmental-racism-californias-air-pollution-policy

This article explains findings from a study about how the greatest reductions in pollution during the pandemic in California came from less transportation as people were less likely to travel or leave their homes. Based on data on where pollution declined the most, researchers found that communities most affected by pollution from transportation, such as those near highways, were disproportionately communities of color, particularly Asian and Hispanic communities. Low-income communities were also more likely to be in highly polluted areas, but race proved to have a greater correlation. 

Despite California having some of the strictest air pollution policies in the country, these lasting inequalities point to environmental injustice in California’s policy. While the reduction in transportation and subsequently air pollution in these communities may be good for health in the short-term, this is not a long-lasting change, and disproportionate air pollution in minority neighborhoods is only continuing. From an environmental justice perspective, California needs a more equitable way of addressing air pollution so that regulations can protect these communities too. This article makes me wonder how we can change pollution regulations or infrastructure planning so certain groups are not disproportionately breathing polluted air and suffering from the health issues that causes. This is an important consideration for the field of environmental science; human development has led to pollution that devastates not only the natural world, but communities of people as well. As we consider scientific ways to improve our technology or reduce our environmental impact, it’s critical to consider how to amend the harms done to minority communities too.

Romero, E. D. (2022, July 5). For these Black Bayview-Hunters Point residents, reparations include safeguarding against rising, toxic contamination. KQED. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.kqed.org/science/1979614/for-these-black-bayview-hunters-point-residents-reparations-include-safeguarding-against-rising-toxic-contamination

Bayview-Hunters Point in San Francisco is one example of a Californian community of color facing polluted places—in this case, a shipyard—in their community. In the state, communities of color are more than five times more likely than the population as a whole to be within half a mile of one of these hazardous polluting sites. The article focuses on Arieann Harrison, an activist whose own family has faced health issues as a result of living so close to a dangerously polluting source, and who has led cleanup and reform efforts. Many Bay Area environmental activists of color, like Harrison, have advocated for reparations for certain racial minorities, in part because of the disproportionate pollution they face. They argue that previous racist housing policies have forced people of color into certain parts of San Francisco—and California writ-large—and caused these pollution disparities.

As environmentalists look towards conservation and cleanup efforts, I think it’s critical to emphasize the disproportionate harm communities like this one in Bayview-Hunters Point have faced. This article does a powerful and heartbreaking job humanizing communities’ struggles with pollution and the lives it has taken. This relates to environmental science as it explores the relationship between human development, pollution, and health issues. It also speaks to the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science: the way that different communities are affected by pollution is as much a question of history and political affairs as it is a question of science. For example, the article talks about how historical racist housing policies, such as redlining, impact where people live today, and have forced people of color into places that are now next to major pollutants or toxic abandoned sites. I’m curious to learn more about the trends with redlined communities and pollution, especially because this seems like one of the less talked about impacts of our racist history.

James, I. (2022, May 26). Delta water crisis linked to California’s racist past, tribes and activists say. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-05-26/california-delta-water-policy-tied-to-racist-past-tribes-say

The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is a major water source for much of California, but Indigenous tribes and environmental activists have submitted a petition objecting to how California manages the delta, saying it is not only unsustainable, but rooted in a history of racism against certain racial groups, particularly Indigenous people. The petition argues that modern management policies are still influenced by older laws about Indigenous land rights, and that they favor big agricultural corporations who have unsustainable practices but who are established in the area due to benefitting from more than a century worth of laws. Activists are asking for the state to change its standards to make sure adequate water flows in the delta to protect water quality and endangered species, and to recognize tribal uses of water.

This article shows the connection between laws from more than a hundred years ago to modern environmental practices. Given what I know about large corporations and agricultural practices, it’s unsurprising how unsustainable some of their water management methods are to the environment; I also found it interesting to learn about the impact this has on Indigenous groups, not only by limiting their own ability to make use of the water they need, but also by harming and endangering species that some tribes consider sacred. It was also saddening to read about some of the policies that still have a lingering impact. For example, one interviewee said, “from 1913 to 1945, California’s racist Alien Land Law prevented Filipinos from owning property, which is a prerequisite for acquiring water rights.” Now, there’s clearly a need for harms like this to be amended; even if the laws on paper have been reformed, the wealth that certain groups were never allowed to accrue decades ago impacts who has and doesn’t have water rights today. Issues like this are essential to understanding environmental science and justice, as they shape the environmental practices we use and the impact they have on surrounding communities.