Imperative to address environmental racism

While listening to NPR several weeks ago, I heard a phrase that struck me: environmental racism. The NPR reporter addressed environmental racism from the point of view of one who is affected by environmental policy and environmental catastrophes.

In Albany, we have examples of lives negatively affected by government and big-business decisions.

In the 1960s, Gov. Nelson Rockefeller developed a plan to replace neighborhoods, churches, small businesses and schools with what we have today: the Empire State Plaza.

The construction of Interstate 787 was part of the project. Apartment houses for the dislocated poor were built next to the highway. Soon, many apartments were vacated because of loud traffic noise and air pollution from the highway.

Who was most affected by Rockefeller’s expansive

project? Poor people, both white and of color.

Freight trains pulling into the area around the Port of Albany exude an oily exhaust. These trains are parked while waiting for the tanker cars to be moved to other destinations. Residents of nearby housing frequently breathe polluted air.

St. James Parish in Louisiana suffers air pollution from local oil refineries. Sharon Lavigne, an environmental activist there, calls it “Cancer Alley” because of the large number of people, mostly poor people of color, with cancer.

Poor people of color pay a huge price for environmental decisions made by government and big business, and many times are powerless to fight back. What is our responsibility?

Mary Perrin Scott

Delmar