Environmental Justice
What is justice?• Brainstorm:– Right– Moral– Legal– Balance– Restoring Order– Fair – Compensation– Proper punishment
• Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity. It is also the act of being just and/or fair.
Environmental Justice• The fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, or income with respect to development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
An Example:
• Oak Park in Kerrville, TX– Location of the city
landfill, city pound, and the city wastewater treatment plant.
Sierra Blanca, Texas
• Small town in west Texas near El Paso.• 16 miles from Mexico• 2/3 Hispanic• Very poor community• Proposed site for the 3rd low level nuclear
waste storage site in the US
Why is it Environmental Injustice?
• The community seems to have been targeted due to:– High percentage of Hispanic residents– High percentage of households living below the
poverty level– Low education level.
