Brownfields and justice: Minorities more likely to live in polluted areas

As we reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., it is important to understand the racial inequities that persist throughout our society today. Systemic oppression reveals itself through disparities in our justice system, health care accessibility and outcomes, and even proximity to environmental contamination.

Across the United States, the decline of industrial production across many decades created a proliferation of unused, contaminated properties. Palm Beach County is no exception. These sites with known or suspected pollution — some with soil contamination — are referred to as “brownfields” in urban planning. And if you lay a map of high minority-population areas in South Florida over a map of these brownfields, you’ll find there is a direct relationship between communities of color and sites that may present significant environmental and human health hazards.

In neighborhoods where the annual median household income is equal to or less than 65% of the statewide median, or whose population is made up of 25% minority, foreign born or lacking English language proficiency, the correlation of race and poverty with polluting industries is well-documented. This phenomenon, known as environmental racism, surrounds these communities with poorer overall health outcomes, as they unavoidably experience much higher risks of environmental illnesses than predominantly white communities.

The federal Brownfields Redevelopment Act provides local governments with a wide array of incentives for eligible applicants to remediate and redevelop these sites, including low-interest loans and tax credits. In spite of well-intentioned incentive programs provided by the state of Florida, Palm Beach County and various community redevelopment agencies, these communities have a relatively low likelihood to benefit from redevelopment projects. Too often, “experts” swoop in with their answers, but fail to include the voices of local leaders, organizations and community stakeholders. Eventually, this leads to forced displacement of residents of those existing communities. It is vital that long-term residents, workers and small businesses are not forced to flee their historic neighborhoods due to tax increases, elevating property values and/or rising rents.

Race and poverty are interconnected with the history of land use and underinvestment in certain Palm Beach County communities. The impacts of this history must be factored into decision-making intended to benefit these affected neighborhoods. Dr. King pointed to the “comfortable vanity” of so-called allies who were unwilling to take the substantial steps in their own communities to close the racial disparity gap. It is our collective responsibility to work against the systemic injustice that creates this disparity, but also important that we shift away from paternalism and toward empowerment. Otherwise, we rob these communities of their decision-making power and contribute to a perceived sense of helplessness. The public and private sectors should invest resources in neighborhood-level relationship building that is sensitive, long-term and not only assists but prepares communities to engage in the redevelopment process themselves.

Rob Long is chair of the Palm Beach Soil and Water Conservation District. Research assistance and data visualization by Ashley Amian.