Our Mission: A Step Towards Justice

We expect laws and regulations that protect public health and quality of life to be applied fairly to all people.  No one should have a greater risk of being poisoned because of the color of his or her skin or because of his or her income.  But research studies support the findings of the US Environmental Protection Agency.  As US EPA Office of Environmental Justice Director Barry Hill has said, “There's no question that minority and low-income communities have suffered disproportionately.”

Right now, there is no effective legal remedy for the problem of environmental racism. We need to apply civil rights and justice to environmental protection. 

Michigan is especially vulnerable to environmental racism.  A variety of examples exist throughout the state in both rural and urban areas.  For example, Detroit, our largest city is 80% African American, 5% Hispanic/Latino, part of the most segregated metropolitan area of the nation, and suffers from high unemployment.  These factors and dependence on heavy industry explore Detroit and similar communities to environmental dangers.  Factories provide employment but can also be sources for pollution.

Rural areas suffer as well.  Many low income rural communities become dumping grounds as sites for landfills.  Additionally there are the health and safety risks for farm workers who are mostly low income and Latino. The nature of their work demands great exposure to toxic pesticides and other chemicals exacerbated by poor living conditions.

People in both rural and urban communities are often forced to make choices between jobs and health.  They have the right to both.

We seek an end to environmental racism.  A crucial step in that struggle will be made when the Governor of Michigan signs an executive order supporting environmental justice.  The executive order will:

• Have the state gather information and data on those communities and report that information to the Governor.

• Make Environmental Justice a priority of all state agencies where these issues arise from the DEQ to the DOT.

• Give those residents more of a say in the types of facilities that go into their communities if those facilities affect their health.  There will be a mechanism for petition of grievances to any and all relevant state agencies.

• Sanction the Precautionary Principle: Guide decision-making when considering a new technology or facility that is being proposed by prioritizing public health and the environment for any area of the state. 

The executive order will result in fair application of law and policy.  The government of Michigan will serve all the people by providing equal protection and ensuring economic opportunity without endangering health.  It will effectively establish that all people, regardless of race, ethnicity or income have the right to clean land, air and water. 



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Newsworthy..

12.6.05 The Ann Arbor News, "Group seeks environmental justice initiative" by Tracy Davis
A town hall meeting on environmental justice was held in Ypsilanti on December 5, hosted by State Representatives Chris Kolb and Alma Wheeler Smith.  To read the full article, click here.

12.2.05 New Mexico signs Executive Order, A Step Towards Healthier Communities
New Mexico recently took a step toward healthier communities when Gov. Bill Richardson signed the executive order on environmental justice. This order affirms the right to live in a clean and healthy community. The Executive Order recognizes the existence of environmental injustice within the state of New Mexico which disproportionately impacts people of color and low-income communities. The executive order will establish a task force comprised of representatives of various state government departments.

12.1.05 State Representative Alma Wheeler Smith talks to WEMU Radio about environmental justice  
Click to listen



For more information

Michelle Lin
Campaign Coordinator
ACCESS
(313) 216-2229
mlin@accesscommunity.org

Created and maintained by Michelle Lin.