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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
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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.
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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
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Brief History of EJ
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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
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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
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The Location of Toxic Release Emissions in California Using the
Most Recent TRI and Demographic Data
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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
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The Public School Academic Performance Index and Estimated
Cumulative Respiratory Risk from Ambient Air Toxics Exposure,
LAUSD
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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
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Active and Permitted Disposal Sites, and the Population
Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000,
California
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Active and Permitted Transfer Sites, and the Population
Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000,
California
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Active and Permitted Waste Tire Sites, and the Population
Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000,
California
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Active and Permitted Waste Disposal Sites, and the Population
Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000,
Northern California
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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
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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
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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
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Active and Permitted Waste Disposal Sites, and the Population
Percentage of the Census tract that is Non-Hispanic White in 2000,
Southern California
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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
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Visual view of the Census Tract Geography
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Visual view of the Census Block Group Geography
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View of the Census Block Groups with the Water Area Clipped
Out
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View of Active and Permitted Disposal Sites
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Visual view of the Active and Permitted Disposal Sites with a
One Mile Buffer Zone
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View of Census Block Groups Intersected with Clipped One Mile
Buffer Zones
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View of One Mile Buffer Zone Intersected with Census Block
Geography and with the Water Clipped Out
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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
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Ethnic Chart on Solid Waste
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Ethnic Chart on Transfers
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Ethnic Chart on Waste Tire
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Per Capita Income all sites
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Chart Ranked on Solid Waste
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Chart Ranked on Transfers
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Chart Ranked on Waste Tire
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Regression Analysis
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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Community Participation
SpectrumAn AfterthoughtCommunity InputSought After REACTIVE
ROLEPROACTIVE ROLEIndustry /Government Community Involvement
drivencontinually from the start
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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.
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Desired Outcome
Goals, Concerns, Needs, defined with the community:
Community Buy-in and trustHigher level of awarenessMechanisms in
place and functioningOngoing interest and participation
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Questions????