beverly l. wright, ph.d. executive director dillard university deep south center
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The Experience of Fenceline Communities:. History, Context and Evolution o f the Refinery Rule. Beverly L. Wright, Ph.D. Executive Director Dillard University Deep South Center for Environmental Justice New Orleans, LA. EPA Workshop for Environmental Justice Communities - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Beverly L. Wright, Ph.D.Executive Director
Dillard University Deep South Centerfor Environmental Justice
New Orleans, LA
The Experience of Fenceline Communities:
History, Context and Evolution
of the Refinery Rule
EPA Workshop for Environmental Justice CommunitiesOn Proposed Updates to Emission Standards for RefineriesJune 26, 2014
The Birth of the Modern Environmental Movement
Events that Led to Its Genesis…
A Response to…Fires and Oil Spills and Smog Oh My!
Killer Smog in New York City November 24, 1966Santa Barbara, CA Oil Spill January 28, 1969 Cuyahoga River Fire June 22, 1969
On Nov. 24, 1966, a killer smog blanketed New York City, spurring emergency anti-pollution measures into action.http://www.businessinsider.com/manhattan-smog-photos-1966-2013-1#ixzz2xeV837Zp
Historical photo from June 22, 1969, when an oil slick and debris in the Cuyahoga River caught fire and burned high enough to destroy bridgeshttp://www.treehugger.com/clean-water/1969-cuyahoga-river-catches-fire.html
An estimated three million gallons of oil, over 10 days, was released into the Pacific Ocean during the Santa Barbara "blowout." The resulting damage to the surrounding water and beaches took weeks to clean.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/14/the-santa-barbara-oil-spi_n_112605.html
The Political Landscape
Hippie and flower child cultureFlower power was a slogan used during the late 1960s and early 1970s as a symbol of passive resistance and non-violence ideology Protests against the Viet Nam WarLeaded gasolineGas guzzling V8 enginesIndustries released smoke & sludge with little fear of consequences or bad pressAir pollution commonly accepted as the smell of “progress and prosperity”
In the United States 1960’s and 1970’s
America remained oblivious to environmental concerns until…
The Silent SpringRachel Carson wrote…
1962
New York Times Best Seller
A watershed moment for the Modern Environmental MovementSold more than 500,000 copies in 24 countriesRaised public awareness and concern for :
living organisms the environment and public health
1962
Earth DayThe Establishment of…
April 22, 1970
U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-WI)
Sen. Nelson established Earth Day in response to a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, CACreation inspired by student anti-war protestersInfusing the energy of young protesters with an emerging consciousness about air and water pollutionForcing environmental protection onto the national political agenda
Founder of Earth Day
Senator Gaylord Nelson(1916 – 2005)
National Teach In…
Sen. Nelson (D) presented to the media the idea for a “national teach in” on the environmentPersuaded Sen. Pete McCloskey (R) conservative, to serve as Co-ChairAnd Denis Hayes, an environmental lawyer by training, as national coordinatorHayes built a nationwide staff of 85 workers across the country to promote “Environmental Teach In” events throughout the U.S.
Became Earth Day
In 1970, with nine staff members (pictured: Judy Moody and Denis Hayes on April 22, 1970) and a
$125,000 budget, a Washington, D.C.-based group organized the Environmental Teach-In.
The First Earth Day
20 million Americans “took to the streets” in organized protests against the deterioration of our environmentThousands of college students and groups fighting against:
Oil spillsPolluting factories & power plantsRaw sewerage & toxic dumpsPesticidesFreewaysThe loss of our wilderness areas and The extinction of wildlife
Suddenly realized they shared common values
April 22, 1970
The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, drew crowds of thousands in cities, on campuses, and in public parks,
such as this one, around the U.S.Photograph by Lambert/Getty Images
Earth Day…
Received support from Republican and Democratic leadersRich and PoorUrban city dwellers and Rural farmers
Most notably led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
A Rare Political Alignment
Earth Day…
Led to the passage of:The Clean Air Act of 1970 The Clean Water Act of 1972Endangered Species Act of 1973
A Rare Political Alignment
Unequal ProtectionLegislation, Legislation & More Legislation
But many communities remained unprotected
Who Isn’t Protected?
New and improved legislation to protect the environment and public healthThe benefits of these laws did not accrue to all citizens
While great strides were made:
The Rise of the Environmental Justice Movement
Laying It All on the Line…In Wilmington, NC
The Beginnings of the EJ Movement
The Environmental Justice Movement was started by primarily people of colorTo address the inequity of environmental protection in their communities
A Necessary Response…
The Congressional Black Caucus
AcademicsSocial scientistsPolitical activists
Met with EPA to discuss the following:Findings that environmental risk was higher for minority and low-income populationsThe fact that EPA inspections as carried out were not addressing their communities’ needs
A Bipartisan Coalition of:
The EPA Response
EPA Administrator, William K. Reilly created this working group in July of 1990To address the allegation that:
“racial minority and low-income populations bear a higher environmental risk burden than the general population”
The Environmental Equity Working Group
Reducing Risk for All Communities
1992 Report from the Environmental Equity Workgroup
Environmental Equity Workgroup
This report supported the allegation and made 10 recommendations for addressing the problem
The most important recommendation:“To create the Office of Environmental Justice to address these inequities”
As a result:The Office of Environmental Equity was established in 1992It was changed to the Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) in 1994
June 1992 Report Released
The Fight for Equal Protection
New environmental laws did not protect minority and poor communitiesPeople of color organized to fight for equal protection
The Question is “Why?”
Unchecked Development
The Mississippi river chemical corridor
A Perfect Example
Louisiana Toxic Releases and Transfers
1985 700 Million Pounds
1995 185 Million Pounds
1998 186 Million Pounds
2002 121 Million Pounds
2008 140 Million Pounds
2012 102.4 Million Pounds
Learn More
About the Work of The Deep South Center for
Environmental Justiceat Dillard University
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