Environmental Justice Opportunity Assessment and Analysis

CJTC Presentation to CIWMBApril 23, 2003

Introduce CJTC Review content and purpose of presentation What is Environmental Justice? Brief History of Environmental Justice (EJ)EJ as it relates to CIWMBGoals of the ContractIntroduce Community PerceptionsQuestions and Answers

The interdisciplinary research center works towards policy relevant research that addresses the concerns of community based efforts for social and economic justice. Our work is usually done in collaboration with community-based organizations (CBOs) that are rooted in low income, communities of color and is specifically focused on issue such as workforce development, affordable housing, and environmental justice.

What is Environmental Justice?Residents of poor communities and in communities of color in the United States bear a "disproportionate" burden of toxic contamination, both through the generation and release of hazardous chemicals in their neighborhoods, and via the location of waste management facilities. United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice, 1987Redefining environment to where we live, work, pray and go to school. Delegates to the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit October 24-27, 1991, Washington DC "Environmental justice [vs. environmental equity] demands more than mere exposure equity. It must incorporate democratic participation in the production decision itself."Michael Keiman, Antipode 28(2), April 1996

Brief History of EJ

Environmental Justice and CIWMB: Preliminary Data Analysis for CaliforniaPrepared by:

Manuel Pastor and Javier HuizarCenter for Justice, Tolerance & CommunityUniversity of California Santa Cruz

Databases:CIWMB Solid Waste Information SystemU.S. Bureau of the Census, Summary Files

What is the current pattern?There is an established pattern of inequity by race and income for various environmental negatives in California

Toxic release inventory sitesRespiratory risk indices from cumulative exposure layersIdentified risks for school learning and academic performance

The Location of Toxic Release Emissions in California Using the Most Recent TRI and Demographic Data

What is the current pattern?There is an established pattern of inequity by race and income for various environmental negatives in California

Toxic release inventory sitesRespiratory risk indices from cumulative exposure layersIdentified risks for school learning and academic peformance

The Public School Academic Performance Index and Estimated Cumulative Respiratory Risk from Ambient Air Toxics Exposure, LAUSD

Are there issues with CIWMB sites?To get at this, we downloaded the Solid Waste Information System Database, and

Geo-coded all solid waste disposal, transfer, and waste tire sitesMatched these at a block group level with demographic and income variablesConducted a preliminary analysis to see whether the patterns merit concern

Active and Permitted Disposal Sites, and the Population Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000, California

Active and Permitted Transfer Sites, and the Population Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000, California

Active and Permitted Waste Tire Sites, and the Population Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000, California

Active and Permitted Waste Disposal Sites, and the Population Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000, Northern California

Active and Permitted Waste Disposal Sites, and the Population Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000, Greater San Francisco Bay Area

Active and Permitted Waste Disposal Sites, and the Population Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000, Central Coast and the Central Valley

Active and Permitted Waste Disposal Sites, and the Population Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000, Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

Active and Permitted Waste Disposal Sites, and the Population Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000, Southern California

How do we go beyond visual pattern?Previous analytical efforts by the state seem to have relied on overly broad geography and problematic definitions or cutoffs for race variables. We:

Used a tighter geographic unit for a better focusSliced the geography to better capture sphere of effectImproved on race definitions Set up and ran a preliminary multivariate analysis

Visual view of the Census Tract Geography

Visual view of the Census Block Group Geography

View of the Census Block Groups with the Water Area Clipped Out

View of Active and Permitted Disposal Sites

Visual view of the Active and Permitted Disposal Sites with a One Mile Buffer Zone

View of Census Block Groups Intersected with Clipped One Mile Buffer Zones

View of One Mile Buffer Zone Intersected with Census Block Geography and with the Water Clipped Out

Analyzing the demographyWe decided to contrast each main site regulated by CIWMB disposal, transfer, and waste tire with demographics within one mile. We found that:

Landfills/solid waste disposal seem more equitably located but perceptions linger and have merit in a complex viewTransfers and waste tire sites are very unevenly distributed by race and income

Ethnic Chart on Solid Waste

Ethnic Chart on Transfers

Ethnic Chart on Waste Tire

Per Capita Income all sites

Chart Ranked on Solid Waste

Chart Ranked on Transfers

Chart Ranked on Waste Tire

Regression Analysis

Main ConclusionsWhile further analysis could be done, the notion that there is inequitable proximity finds support in the data

Even where support in the data is weaker, the data suggest why perceptions of inequitable proximity would exist and persist Better outreach and improved community voice could help with both the reality and the perception

Environmental Justice Opportunity Assessment and Analysis GOALSCoordinated, cohesive presentations on environmental priorities and concerns related to Board decisions, programs, and activities from community based environmental organizations at 2002/03 Board meetings

Advice on methods to increase effective communication between community-based organizations and the Board

Environmental Justice Opportunity Assessment and Analysis

GOALS (continued)Advice on methods of successful marketing of the Boards programs and activities for environmental justice achievement to identified community based environmental organizations, including a best practices study of environmental justice outreach and community relations strategies

A final report summarizing environmental community based concerns and priorities on environmental justice and recommendations to the Board about community based perspective consideration and effective approaches to address environmental justice.

Environmental Justice Opportunity Assessment and AnalysisWORKPLANCompleted Work Plan (November 2002)

A. Identifying Key OrganizationsB. The Organizing/Outreach of SpeakersC. Planning and Preparation of the PresentationsD. The Board MeetingsE. Best Practices Study and ResearchF. Final Report and Recommendations

Meetings with Contractors

Community Participation

SpectrumAn AfterthoughtCommunity InputSought After REACTIVE ROLEPROACTIVE ROLEIndustry /Government Community Involvement drivencontinually from the start

Process for Building Authentic Community Participation Awareness and Trust Building: With the intention of moving forward, address and acknowledge previous policies and decisions that did not seek out sufficient community input or where there were difficulties.Effective Communication through Educating and Listening: Administrators/staff share knowledge and goals in an accessible and genuine way. Decision making bodies listen to and recognize the value of community concerns.Community invests time and energy to learn about the issues and prepare presentations.Mechanisms for Community Input:Coordination between entities to simplify processesPolicy and RegulationOutreachInstitutional Support and RecognitionProvide resources and the space for community voice.Sustained Community InvolvementCommunity must see concrete results that they endorse to stay involved.

Desired Outcome

Goals, Concerns, Needs, defined with the community:

Community Buy-in and trustHigher level of awarenessMechanisms in place and functioningOngoing interest and participation

Questions????