Unstable Ground: Exploring the Intersection Between Social Vulnerability and Access to Clean Air, Safe Water, and Environments Free of Toxic Chemicals.

Abstract:

The United States Environmental Protection Agency was created in December 1970 in response to public concern about polluted air, contaminated water, and defiled natural areas. Bedrock environmental statutes like the Clean Water Act served as important catalysts for protecting and preserving natural resources across the United States. Though environmental laws like the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act should protect all people in the United States, the landscape upon which these laws fall is not a flat one. Without specific mechanisms to correct for structural inequities centered on race and class, the benefits conferred by any law will be unbalanced and unfair. This presentation will highlight the disproportionate burdens faced by communities with high social vulnerability in accessing safe drinking water and clean air. We will also discuss potential opportunities for utilizing social vulnerability assessments to strengthen chemical evaluations under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act.