Chapter 7: Environmental Justice

The Environmental Justice office of US Environmental Protection Agency defines Environmental Justice as: “…the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” Environmental Justice areas were identified to determine what neighborhoods could be impacted by capacity and preservation projects being proposed. In order to determine what areas are considered low income or minority in the Metropolitan Area, The Demographic Indicators in the Environmental Protection Agency’s EJSCREEN were used. The EJSCREEN uses the following definitions:

Percent minority: Percent of individuals where minority is defined as all but Non-Hispanic White Alone. Calculated from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2008-2012. Percent low-income: Percent of individuals whose ratio of household income to poverty level in the past 12 months was less than 2 (as a fraction of individuals for whom ratio was determined). Calculated from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2008-2012.

Maps of the identified locations follow, along with a summary table identifying capacity projects are located in an Environmental Justice area. KATS, through its Consultation Process, contacted all known neighborhood associations including those in the identified Environmental Justice areas, requesting feedback on proposed projects. No adverse impact is foreseen on the target low income or minority locations within Kalamazoo County. All projects are planned to be contained within existing right-of-way. KATS will encourage the local road agencies to inform residents of upcoming projects through various sources, including public meetings, newsletters, and website information. Preservation projects are not considered to be an adverse impact to Environmental Justice areas based on the definition of a preservation project. A preservation project is a project that will operate within the current right-of-way for the existing infrastructure. As such, a preservation project does not infringe on the area outside of the right-of-way, thus should not have an adverse impact on the Environmental Justice area. KATS also reviewed the public transportation fixed route service to determine if adequate coverage of the populations are being serviced. Maps showing the fixed route bus routes and the Environmental Justice target areas are following. In addition to fixed route services, demand response public transportation access is available throughout the Environmental Justice areas and the entire metropolitan planning area. Based on the current fixed public transportation system, areas that are typically used by these identified populations have access to the public transportation system.

1

Environmental Justice Finding Summary

The following table shows the capacity projects in the identified environmental justice areas. The 2045 Transportation plan expenditure on transit operations and capital will directly benefit the environmental justice areas. There have been no negative comments received from the environmental justice areas or others on the 2045 Transportation Plan impact on the target population areas. This 2045 Transportation Plan does not disproportionately impact the environmental justice areas and satisfies the environmental justice requirements.

Capacity Projects within Environmental Justice Areas

Project ID

Project Limits Description Year

5 I-94 E. of Portage Rd. to W. of Sprinkle Reconstruct 2020 6 Whites Road Parkview to Westnedge Resurface 2021-2025 9 Howard St. Gar Lane to W. Michigan Facility 2021-2025

31 US-131 BR I-94 BL to Kalamazoo North City Limit Resurface 2017 32 Portage Road Osterhout Ave. to Centre Ave. Reconstruct 2041-2045

2

M 40

M 43

E I 94W I 94

26th

St

E Red Arrow Hwy

33rd

StCo

unty

Road

653

Coun

ty Ro

ad 65

7

County Road 375

Coun

ty Ro

ad 65

2

Front St

25th

St

E 3rd St

E McGillen St

72nd Ave

M 40

E I 94 W I 94

N US

131

S US 1

31

W U Ave

W D Ave

N 6th

St

S 8th

St

Gull Rd

S 12th

St

Porta

ge R

d

Oakla

nd D

rDo

uglas

Ave

W W Ave

W Q Ave

N 12

th St

E G Ave

S 4th

St

Ravine Rd

W Main StE Main St

Stadium Ave

Sprin

kle R

d

N Riv

erview

Dr

Shave

r Rd

W K L Ave

E S AveN

24th

St

S 9th

St

E D Ave

E N Ave

King Hwy

E Michigan Ave

I 94 BL

S Wes

tnedg

e Ave

Portage St

Texas D

r

E W Ave

E V Ave

N 2n

d St

W N Ave

S 11th

St Stadium DrAlmena Dr

N 28

th St

Love

rs Ln

E P Ave

Qr Ave

Richplain RdNazareth Rd

S Burd

ick St

N 25th St

N We

stned

ge Av

e

S 6th

St

N Bus US 131

S Bus US 131

S 29th

St

N 26

th St

E V W Ave

W P Ave

E Kilgore Rd

N 27

th St

N Dr

ake R

d

Howard StN

9th S

t

S Van

Kal

St

W Milham Ave

9th St

W O Ave

Mount Olive

t Rd

N 10

th St

Parkview Ave

W V W Ave

E U V Ave

Vanderbilt Ave

N Pa

rk St

Alamo Ave

E T U Ave

Bron

son B

lvd

E T Ave

S Mills

St

Mandigo Ave

Angling Rd

N Nic

hols

Rd

E Centre Ave

W H Ave

E R Ave

Bacon Ave

Zylman Ave

5th S

t

Mall Dr

E Cork St

Lake St

E Osterhout Ave

Romence Rd E

E Eliza St

Porte

r St

E P Q Ave

W Michigan Ave

W Main St

N 2n

d St

E W Ave

Ravine Rd

E D Ave

S 6th

St

S 29th

St

W W Ave

43

18

31

27

1

Capacity Projects & Environmental Justice Areas

0 2.5 51.25 Miles

´Legend

Capacity ProjectsFederal Aid RoadsEnvironmental Justice AreasBlock Groups

Source: MiGDL, KATS, ACS 2008-2012January 2016

Environmental Justice Areas include block groups that are either percent minority or percent low-income. Please refer

to the Environmental Justice chapter of the plan for moreinformation regarding these deomographic indicators.

(Blocks in the 80 - 100 percentile)

3

Metro Transit Routes & Environmental Justice Areas

Source: 2010 Census, MCGI, KATS, OEI, OEJ´3 0 31.5 Miles

LegendTransit RoutesEnvironmental Justice Areas

Environmental Justice Areas include both percent minorityand percent low-income calculated from the CensusBureaur's American Community Survey 2008-2012.Please refer to the Environmental Justice chapter

of the plan for more information.80-100 percentile

January 20164