Skip to Navigation | Skip to Content

» Back to: » Planning home » Healthy and Sustainable Communities Workshop

8. Goal: Environmental Justice

Provide equal protection from environmental and public health hazards for all people regardless of race, income, culture and social class.

[Jump to comment form]

Low income access to parks

Low income access to transit

Residents living near toxic sites

Source: Analysis of census data showing census tracts with average income of 80% of the median county income or less as “low income” and all others as “higher income” correlated with distance from parks, transit and registered Toxics Release Inventory sites.

Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people -regardless of race, ethnicity, income or education level - in environmental decision making. Environmental justice programs promote the protection of human health and the environment, empowerment via public participation, and the dissemination of relevant information to inform and educate affected communities.

Numerous studies have found that minority and low income populations are more likely to live near locations that release toxic substances, and consequently more likely to face health risks from exposure to environmental hazards. While Montgomery does not have a significant number of environmental hazards 1 , they tend to be located in the urban ring and the I-270-355 corridor, where the largest concentration of population is located. Available data seem to indicate that there is no significant difference between the percentages of the county’s residents that live within one mile of registered Toxic Release Inventory Sites maintained by EPA.

Environmental justice also monitors the extent to which different populations have equitable access to transit, parks, and green jobs. It is important that those who have less ability

1. Capek, S.M.  (1993). The “Environmental Justice” Frame: A Conceptual Discussion and an Application, Gee, G.C. & Payne-Sturges, D.C. (2004); Environmental Health Disparities: A Framework Integrating Psychosocial and Environmental Concepts; Metzger, R., Delgado, H., & Herrell, R. (1995).  Environmental Health and Hispanic Children. 

Comment on this indicator

(Comments will be posted on the site; view what others say)

1. Are access to parks and public transportation and proximity to sites that release toxic substances appropriate measures for gauging progress toward environmental justice?

2a. What is the story behind the trend lines for access to parks and public transportation and proximity to sites that release toxic substances? The "story behind the trend lines" should be a list, in order of priority, of those root causes that have the greatest influence, positive and negative, on the trend lines for the indicators.  Please bullet and prioritize the top 3-5 root causes.

2b. Assuming there is no substantial change in policy and factoring in any significant variables that might impact electricity and natural gas use, what will happen in the next several years?

3. Who are the key partners with a role to play? "Key partners" are those stakeholders (from all sectors and levels of government) with a role to play in addressing the root causes identified in the story behind the trend lines and, thereby, in "turning the curve" of the trend line for the indicators.  Please identify what you think are the top 3-5 key partners and the respective roles you think that they can play.

4. What will work to make a measurable difference? “What will work” means those strategies – actions and policy options – that would work best to change or accelerate the curve of the trend lines for the indicators.  Presumably, policymakers and other stakeholders will be interested in strategies that address the most important root causes identified in the story behind the trend lines, and therefore, will have the most impact on the trend lines of the indicators.  At the same time, they will consider the feasibility of each strategy.  Please bullet and prioritize the top 3-5 strategies.


(Email will not be displayed)

View comments

[back to top]