environmental justice

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Oregon DEQ fines Stella-Jones more than $1 million for environmental violations

Loew, T. (2025, September 9). Oregon DEQ fines Stella-Jones more than $1 million for environmental violations. Salem Statesman Journal.

https://www.statesmanjournal.com/

This article reports that the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality fined the wood-treating company Stella-Jones over $1 million for repeated violations involving hazardous waste handling, water quality, and spill response. Pollution from the facility threatened the South Yamhill River, a drinking water source for approximately 6,00 residents. It was found that the company likely mishandled hazardous waste, including the carcinogenic chemical pentachlorophenol (PCP), and illegally sent hazardous materials to landfills not permitted to accept them. In addition to the large DEQ fine, Stella-Jones also faced penalties from the Oregon Department of Justice and the U.S. EPA, including criminal charges and civil penalties. The enforcement action requires the company to upgrade monitoring systems, improve stormwater treatment, and revise operational plans to prevent future contamination.

 

The article reflects the themes of climate justice and environmental racism by showing how environmental harm disproportionately threatens local communities that rely on shared natural resources for survival. Pollution from Stella-Jones endangered the South Yamhill River, a drinking water source for thousands, illustrating how corporate negligence places public health at risk while companies benefit economically. Although the article doesn’t explicitly frame the affected communities in racial terms, it mirrors patterns of environmental racism in which marginalized or less politically powerful communities bear the most severe consequences of toxic industries. The case demonstrates a core principle of justice, namely the idea that those least responsible for environmental harm often face the greatest risks, reinforcing the need for accountability and equitable enforcement of environmental laws.

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Big Tech data centers compound decades of environmental racism in the South.

 

Dulani, J. (2025, September 20). Big Tech data centers compound decades of environmental racism in the South. Truthout.

https://truthout.org/articles/big-tech-data-centers-compound-decades-of-environmental-racism-in-the-south/

 

This article examines how the rapid construction of AI data centers by Big Tech companies across the American South intensifies existing environmental racism and harms predominantly Black, low-income communities. The author explains that data centers consume massive amounts of energy and water, often powered by fossil fuels, and are being sited in structurally disempowered areas with little oversight or community feedback. In Memphis, Tennessee, a data center near a historically Black neighborhood has significantly increased air pollution, contributing to asthma and other health problems, while multiple facilities in Louisiana and Georgia worsen pollution and divert public resources through tax breaks. The piece highlights how these developments follow a pattern similar to “Cancer Alley,” where industrial pollution has already inflicted decades of harm, and argues that economic incentives that benefit corporations often at the expense of the health and well-being of marginalized residents. It also describes growing community resistance to data center projects, showing how local activism is pushing back against environmental injustices rooted in race and class.

 

In this article, Jai Dulani argues that the expansion of AI data centers by companies such as xAI and Meta deepens environmental racism and undermines environmental justice in the U.S. South. He explains that these facilities consume enormous amounts of energy and water, are heavily reliant on fossil fuels, and are disproportionately located in Black and low-income communities already burdened by pollution. Dulani highlights increased nitrogen dioxide levels and respiratory illnesses near the xAI site in Memphis and connects these harms to a long history of environmental racism, including the much discussed “Cancer Alley.” He also emphasizes community resistance as a call for accountability, equity, and the right to a healthy environment.

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What is COP and why is this year’s meeting in Brazil so important?

Amnesty International. (2025, November). What is COP and why is this year’s meeting in Brazil so important? Amnesty International.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2025/11/what-is-cop-and-why-is-this-years-meeting-in-brazil-so-important/

This article explains the significance of COP 30, an annual UN conference that was held in Belem, Brazil, at a moment of heightened global urgency. The article emphasizes that COP 30 is the first conference held since the world surpasses the 1.5°C warming threshold, underscoring the need for immediate climate action. Amnesty International frames climate change as a human rights issue, highlighting how frontline and fenceline communities, often marginalized and racialized, are forced to face disproportionate harm from fossil fuel extraction, pollution, and climate disasters. The article also stresses the need from grant-based climate finance rather than loans, arguing that low-income countries should not be pushed deeper into debt for a crisis they did not cause.

 

This article strongly reflects the ideas of climate justice and environmental racism by showing how the impacts of climate change fall unevenly across the globe. An example of this is how indigenous communities in Brazil are facing direct threats from fossil fuel drilling in the Amazon without meaningful consultation, illustrating how economic interests override human rights. The discussion of Pakistan further demonstrates global inequity, as the country makes up a very small portion of global emissions yet suffers devastating climate disasters while receiving mostly high-interest loans for recovery. Overall, the article reinforces the idea that effective climate action should prioritize human rights, protect

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WE ACT joins over 100 environmental organizations in condemning Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to revoke a crucial climate pollution regulation provision.

 

Guevara, S. (2025, October 17). WE ACT joins over 100 environmental organizations in condemning Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to revoke a crucial climate pollution regulation provision. Columbia Daily Spectator.

https://www.columbiaspectator.com/

With the growing impacts of climate change, environmental justice organizations are concerned about how federal policy decisions may make pollution even worse in already vulnerable communities. This article specifically focuses on how WE ACT for Environmental Justice and more than 100 organizations opposed the EPA’s proposal to revoke the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which legally requires at least some regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. The Endangerment Finding forms the basis for major climate regulations affecting vehicles, power plants, and industrial facilities. Some critics argue that rescinding it would remove the federal government’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, leading to increased pollution nationwide. The article highlights how neighborhoods such as West Harlem already have high levels of vehicle-related air pollution, disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic residents. Environmental Justice advocates warn the weakening these regulations would further endanger communities that already bear the greatest health burdens from climate change and pollution.

 

The article demonstrates how environmental racism is deeply connected to policy decisions at the federal level. Communities of color are often intentionally located near highways, industrial sites, and other major pollution sources due to historical housing discrimination and urban planning practices. Rolling back such climate regulations would allow industries to increase emissions, worsening air quality in these areas and likely increasing rates of asthma, heart disease, and other health issues. The article reinforces the idea that climate change does not impact all communities equally and that race and zip code often determine environmental risk. The article shows the importance of climate justice by emphasizing that effective enforcement policies must protect the communities most affected by pollution rather than prioritizing economic savings over public health.

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Environmental racism and the legacy of slavery in the American South

 Southern Environmental Law Center. (2025, Fall). Environmental racism and the legacy of slavery in the American South [Interview feature]. EBONY.

https://www.ebony.com/

The article examines how historical systems of slavery, segregation, and discriminatory land policies have directly shaped modern environmental racism in the southern United States. Through the work of the Southern Environmental Law center, the article connects plantation-era land use to present-day pollution, showing how Black communities are disproportionately exposed to toxic air, contaminated water, and various hazardous industrial facilities. Featuring voices from North and South Carolina and insights from SELC attorney Chandra Taylor, the piece explains how redlining, zoning laws, and industrial siting have concentrated environmental harm in predominantly Black neighborhoods. The article also highlights present-day examples, such as South Memphis, where methane-powered turbines tied to a data center release harmful emissions into a community already suffering from poor air quality.

 

The article powerfully illustrates that environmental injustice in the United States is not accidental, but rather the result of deeply rooted historical decisions that continue to affect marginalized communities today. I found it especially impactful how the article framed pollution as a form of inheritance, one passed down through generations just like land, but far more damaging. It made clear that the economic development and technological progress often come at the expense of African American communities, who are expected to bear the health consequences without consent. The discussion of the EPA’s environmental justice offices potentially being dismantled was particularly troubling, as it shows how policy decisions can reverse decades of progress. Overall, the article reinforces the idea that environmental justice is ultimately inseparable from racial justice, and acknowledging history is essential if the United States hopes to move toward healthier, more equitable communities.

 

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Indigenous peoples “caught between a rock and a hard place” in the energy transition.

Hillsdon, M. (2025, September 22). Indigenous peoples “caught between a rock and a hard place” in the energy transition. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/land-use-biodiversity/indigenous-peoples-caught-between-rock-hard-place-energy-transition–ecmii-2025-09-22/

 

The growing need for materials used for renewable energy technologies, such as lithium, copper, and other earth elements (for batteries, wiring, wind turbines, etc) has led to the expansion of mining operations and projects, and more than half of these mining projects end up being on or near indigenous lands because of the presence of minerals there. Because mining involves clearing large areas of land, soil erosion and runoff are increased, and toxins are ultimately introduced to rivers and groundwater around the area. Not only is the water contaminated, but soil fertility and habitats nearby are also negatively impacted, which indigenous people use for food and traditional medicines as well. Habitat fragmentation is also caused by the amount of roads, solar fields, transmission lines, and other infrastructure being built on these lands. This fragmentation disrupts the populations living there and also decreases the biodiversity of the area. Many of the mining companies do not consider or give indigenous people any say on projects on their land and don’t abide by the FPIC (Free, Prior, and Informed Consent). Although there are efforts for more fair consideration of the indigenous people and better mining standards, many challenges are still occurring.     

 

Altering the vegetation and land fragmentation can greatly affect the carbon stored as well as the water movement throughout the environment. This affects the populations in the area’s food sources and increases the flooding and drought risks as well because of erosion. Not only that, but the chemicals used in mining contaminate the water with toxic material that, in this case, affects animals and ecosystem health, but also the people who are relying on the groundwater for drinking and growing food. I do believe that renewable energy is essential in moving away from greenhouse gas emissions, but it is upsetting to see how it can still have negative environmental impacts on the indigenous communities that are living nearby and have been living in these places for a very long time. These communities have practiced cultural traditions and have interacted with the land in the places they are in for decades. I hope that we can find ways to practice renewable energy in the future without impacting these communities, and I think that would be true environmental justice.    

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“Are we safe?”: Living in the shadow of a refinery.

Anschuetz, N. (2026, January 9). “Are we safe?”: Living in the shadow of a refinery. Phys.org. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-safe-shadow-refinery.html#google_vignette

 

Families of Commerce City who live next to the Suncor oil refinery are constantly exposed to toxic chemicals and emissions that are released during fuel processing. These chemicals can be turned into acid rain as well as smog that cause major health effects. Some of those include heart disease, asthma, and cancer. This is especially dangerous for the children in the area, as their lungs are still developing and their immune systems are significantly weaker than adults. A teacher even said that the effects of the refinery are clear in class, as 80 percent of her students need an inhaler in class often. These neighborhoods in Commerce City are also majority low-income communities and people of color who have limited access to healthcare and lack the ability to move away from the refineries, as they don’t have the resources to do so.

 

Many of the pollutants that come from oil refineries aren’t just affecting those immediately in the area. They can be carried across large amounts of land and air and affect many who live within a few miles. It’s so upsetting to see that families are forced to raise their children and live in places where the air quality is a constant health threat and the fact that they are often in these marginalized communities with the least economic power displays clear environmental injustice. It upsets me that we utilize fossil fuels so much for energy that we need on a daily basis, but that people are getting diseases and serious health problems because of this, something they don’t have the resources to fight.  

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Clean Drinking Water for Millions of People at Risk as Trump Administration Targets National Monuments.

Miller, M. (2025, December 4). Clean Drinking Water for Millions of People at Risk as Trump Administration Targets National Monuments. Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/clean-drinking-water-for-millions-of-people-at-risk-as-trump-administration-targets-national-monuments/

 

This article goes in depth on how the Trump Administration’s efforts to reduce protections for national parks/monuments could open these valuable areas to drilling and mining. These areas play a big role in protecting the aquatic ecosystems and clean drinking water, so removing the protections placed on them could contaminate groundwater with chemicals and increase the risks of erosion as well. This would ultimately affect many local communities that depend on that water, and it is also mentioned that the impacts would disproportionately affect nonwhite communities. The Trump administration isn’t only threatening the recreation and cultural aspects of these national monuments, but it is most importantly threatening the availability of clean water to millions of Americans.

 

When water moves through rocks and layers of soil, it is actually getting naturally filtered as the pollutants are being reduced before it reaches aquifers, where people get their drinking water. Vegetation also absorbs excess nutrients, which stops them from spreading downstream. When drilling or mining occurs, pollutants can spread much faster because there is less soil and vegetation to absorb these pollutants. This then leads to groundwater contamination, which is detrimental to the people who need it for healthy drinking water. I think it’s extremely concerning that the Trump Administration is prioritizing economic or political interests over protecting these places in nature and the health of those that depend on them (humans and animals). The idea that people who depend on watersheds that may be affected are being put at risk for economic gain doesn’t sit well with me. 

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The G20 was built to stabilize the world’s economy – but it’s failed on climate, debt and inequality

Maharajh, R. (2026, January 11). The G20 was built to stabilize the world’s economy – but it’s failed on climate, debt and inequality. https://doi.org/10.64628/aaj.xnfacj4vk

 

After the collapse of the Thai currency in 1997, a group called the Group of 20 (G20) was put together of the world’s most powerful economies in hopes of stabilizing the global economy. This article explains how the G20 has failed to address climate change and the debt and inequality that come along with it. Many of the wealthy countries are the ones who are causing mass pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, but the less developed countries and marginalized communities are the ones who are having to deal with the poor weather, food insecurity, rising sea levels, lack of drinking water, etc. It is especially emphasized that the G20 has been lacking when it comes to climate mitigation efforts and that these communities across the world are left without the right resources (or any at all) to prepare and deal with this environmental damage. 

 

It is clear that humans often have negative environmental impacts and don’t think about the effects of what they are causing, especially if it isn’t directly affecting their wellbeing, health, or quality of life. Places that don’t contribute anywhere near as many carbon emissions are having to find ways to deal with flooding, heat waves/climate, lack of food and drinking water, etc, even though they don’t have the available resources to do so the majority of the time. It is really troubling to me to think that the wealthier nations can have these impacts on the environment that affect the whole world, and they aren’t supporting any of the people they are affecting in this way. It seems unjust that those without economic power are the ones who need protection the most, as they aren’t getting proper economic justice, and the G20 isn’t allocating the proper resources. 

 

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Last pristine watersheds in Texas are threatened

Walters, E. (2025, April 28). As Texas grows, wastewater from new developments threatens rivers and springs. The Texas Tribune. Retrieved August 24, 2025, from https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/28/texas-development-wastewater-rivers-pollution/

 

A ranch owner in Texas rallied her town to fight against the construction of a wastewater treatment facility which would dump waste into the pristine water that flowed through her ranch. After a legal battle the parties settled with the wastewater plant not dumping water into the waterway. Similarly some Texans are pushing for a bill which would not allow wastewater to be dumped back into the last 21 pristine watersheds in all of Texas. However large development companies are lobbying and blocking the bill from being passed. The bill would not stop construction in such areas it would just require different disposal of wastewater.

Reading the article I am frustrated that development companies have the power to block such bills. I believe that it is important not to contaminate what little untouched water is left. Disposal of waste and preservation of natural resources is deeply intertwined with environmental science as it has a focus on sustainability and nature.