Home

Our Unfair Share 3:

Race & Pollution in Washington, D.C.

African American Environmentalist Association

2000

The African American Environmentalist Association (AAEA), founded in 1985, is dedicated to protecting the environment, enhancing the human ecology, promoting the efficient use of natural resources and increasing African American participation in the environmental movement. AAEA is one of the nation's oldest African American-led environmental organizations.

AAEA’s main goals are to deliver environmental information and services directly into the black community. AAEA works to clean up neighborhoods by implementing toxics education, energy, water and clean air programs. AAEA includes an African American point of view in environmental policy decision-making. AAEA resolves environmental racism and environmental justice issues through the application of practical environmental solutions.

Our Unfair Share 3:

Race and Pollution in Washington, D.C.

Author

Norris McDonald

President

Sulaiman Mahdi

Contributing Editor

Research Assistant

Pamela Pittman

Administrative Assistant

Pamela Jones

Editing

Red Letter Group, Inc

Editing Assistance

Ronald Taylor

Contributing Scientists

Dr. Felix Nwoke

Dr. Gustave Jackson

© 2000 by the African American Environmentalist Association. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the African American Environmentalist Association. Funding for his report was provided by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Justice and Friends of AAEA. The views, recommendations and opinions expressed in this report are those of the African American Environmentalist Association and do not necessarily reflect the views, recommendations or opinions of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or Friends of AAEA.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Executive Summary

Introduction

Chapter 1. Race, Cars, and Lead

Chapter 2. Race, Dumping and Land Use

Chapter 3. Race and Facility Air Pollution

Chapter 4. Race and Toxic Sites

Chapter 5. Race and Water Pollution

Chapter 6. Race and Housing

Chapter 7. Neighborhoods

Chapter 8. Nutrition

Chapter 9. Race, Spills, Leaks, and RCRA

Conclusions and Recommendations

Endnotes

Charts (Links)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Our Unfair Share III: Race and Pollution in Washington, D.C. was prepared by the African American Environmentalist Association with funding provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA), Office of Environmental Justice and Friends of AAEA. Many people contributed to the preparation of this report.

Special recognition and thanks to Pamela Pittman, research assistant for Our Unfair Share III; she collected and analyzed the majority of the information contained in this report.

Special thanks to the consultants who collected and analyzed pollution data and assisted with community outreach: David Hahn-Baker, Dr. Gustave Jackson (geology), Dr. Felix Nwoke (chemistry), Pamela Jones, Pamela Jones, Karen Blagburn, Roger Small and John Rosenthal.

Special thanks to the late James Wilson for providing river tour services on the 65’ Bewildered. Thanks to Joe Fogle and Jim Williams for providing boat tour services. Thanks to Deeohn Ferris for partnering with AAEA to initiate Our Unfair Share I. Thanks to National Wildlife Federation and Friends of the Earth for cosponsoring OUS I and II, respectively.

Thanks to Seafarer’s Yacht Club, especially Commodore Billy Cobb and Past Commodore Howard Gasaway, for comprehensive river access services.

Special thanks to Howard University, WHUT Channel 32 TV, Kojo Nnambdi and Joe Madison for public outreach support. Thanks to Dick Gregory and The Washington Post for permission to reproduce nutrition and neighborhood information.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Race is the dominant factor in determining exposure to pollution in Washington, D.C. Caucasian Americans have congregated in Ward 3 (88% white) largely due to racism and African Americans almost completely occupy Ward 7 (98% black) due to racism (including red lining) and preference for self-segregation. Caucasian Americans live in the ward with the least amount of pollution due to power, money, and historical dominance. Although African Americans, as minority populations in other cities, are often disproportionately affected by pollution in those locations; blacks in Washington, D.C., as a majority population, are disproportionately impacted by pollution.

Racism can be as subtle as an off-hand joke. Environmental racism can be as lethal as cancer, disease, and death. Every day, citizens in this country are exposed to racism discharged into the minds, hearts and souls of the recipients. Every day, citizens are exposed to pollutants discharged into the air, water, and land by industry, government agencies, and municipalities. Racism divides us citywide, community-wide and block-by-block. Heavy metals, synthetic chemicals, and toxic residues are in the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. Every day, citizens are exposed to racism discharged from toxic minds.

Ward 1 is 57% black, 30% white, and 13% other races.

Ward 2 is 43% black, 50% white, and 7% other races.

Ward 3 is 6% black, 88% white, and 6% other races. Least polluted.

Ward 4 is 85% black, 12% white, and 3% other races.

Ward 5 is 90% black, 9% white, and 1% other races.

Ward 6 is 72% black, 26% white, and 2% other races. Serious pollution.

Ward 7 is 97% black, 2% white, and 1% other races. Serious pollution.

Ward 8 is 91% black, 8% white, and 1% other races. Serious pollution.

Ranking of Pollution Sources By Ward in Washington, D.C.

Ward	Air	Water	CERCLIS	RCRA	SPILLS	Rankings by Ward and Pollution Type 1 Worst 8 Best Wards 1 and 7 contained the least amount of RCRA waste. Source: AAEA
1	6	No Permits	No Sites	8	5
2	3	3	2	2	4
3	7	1	No Info	5	2
4	5	4	3	4	7
5	8	No Permits	6	1	3
6	2	6	5	3	6
7	1	5	4	8	1
8	4	2	1	6	8
Note: Chart does not include undocumented sources of pollution.

BLACKS ON THE WATER: A Tribute to Seafarer’s Yacht Club –1945 to 2000

Mr. Lewis T. Green, Sr. organized the Seafarer’s Yacht Cub, originally Seafarer’s Boat Club, in 1945. Mr. Green was a teacher at Brown, Shaw Junior High, and Armstrong Senior High Schools in Washington, D.C. He taught woodcarving at these institutions for a number of years. Mr. Green, a gifted craftsman, also built a boat.

Mr. Green loved the waterways and began a search to find a home for his boat. In his search, he found an isolated swamp. Looking over the swamp, he thought about how it could be used. He inquired about the land and was informed that it belonged to the Department of the Interior. He decided to pay a visit to the Department.

Upon his arrival at the Department, Mr. Green met with one of the Deputy Secretaries and told him of his quest. The Deputy Secretary informed Mr. Green that if he could establish a boat club, he would try to help him get the land. Mr. Green met with some of his boating colleagues who shared his dream. The dream would offer African Americans the opportunity to engage in the enjoyment of the waterways through safe boating and gentlemanly sportsmanship. Henceforth, the Seafarer’s Boat Club was born. They returned to the Department of Interior with the hope of obtaining the swamp as the future marina.

After waiting patiently for months, with no response from the Department, they presented their vision to Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune, an educator of the people. Mrs. Bethune, who was an aide to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on African American affairs, interceded by arranging a meeting with Mr. Harold Ikces, then Deputy Secretary, Department of Interior. Mrs. Bethune informed Mr. Ikces about the plight of the boatmen, who in turn, contacted the National Park Service Land Leasing Department. The National Park Service advised the Seafarer’s that the land would be rented to them for $13 a month. However, the club would be responsible for clearing the land. Their dream had come true and the marina was initially called Green’s Boat Yard.

Concurrent with this history, the D.C. Mariner’s Boat Club was founded in the early 1950’s. This club also practiced safe boating and gentlemanly sportsmanship. In 1964, Mr. Green decided to move on and the D.C. Mariner’s Boat Club held discussions on what to do about the boat yard (marina). The decision was made, and elections were held in 1965. The D.C. Mariner’s Boat Club merged with the Seafarer’s Boat Club. Prior to this merger, a group of Seafarers left to form the Seafarer’s Yacht Club of Annapolis, Maryland. Now, fifty-five (55) years later, the original Seafarer’s Yacht Club (D.C.) headquarters are still located on the original site, 1950 M Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003.

The Seafarers have a strong commitment to boating safety and community services. They are constantly finding different ways to share with others the pleasures they reap from the banks of the Anacostia River and surrounding waters. Club members (Captains) have given their time and vessels for a variety of charity and community events. One of the events, the Seafarer’s Yacht Club Annual Anacostia River Clean-Up, begun in 1985, has expanded into the Anacostia River Clean-Up Day, with participation from various Anacostia groups, businesses, District of Columbia government agencies, Federal government agencies and the community.

Seafarer’s leadership over the past fifty-five (55) years has included the following Commodores: Mr. Lewis Green, Mr. Harold Putman, Mr. Bob Martin, Mr. George Stockton, Sr., Mr. Howard Gasaway, and Mr. Billy Cobb.

INTRODUCTION

On April 16, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill ending slavery in the District of Columbia. Passage of this act came 9 months before President Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation. (National Archives and Records Administration, 1997)

Black and white Americans are overexposed to pollution. According to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Toxic Release Inventory in 1991, U.S. industry reported dumping 3.39 billion pounds of toxic chemicals into air, water, and land nationwide.¹ Our calculations indicate that the Nation’s capital is exposed to at least 362,374 tons of pollution per year. The information in this report will show that most of the serious pollution in Washington, D.C. is located in predominately African American communities.

Increased awareness about pollution, environmental injustice and environmental racism has led citizens to demand the right to know about the risks and hazards associated with pollution originating in their communities. In addition, they are demanding that industry and government take an active role in reducing and eliminating pollution and in developing progressive, long-term solutions to environmental problems.

The city of Washington coexists with the District of Columbia, which is the seat of the federal government of the United States. Benjamin Banneker, a distinguished black architect and astronomer, completed the official map and design of the city. As African Americans moved to Washington, D.C. during the migration from the South, Caucasians moved out of the city. As construction of federal, municipal, commercial, and residential facilities increased, population and pollution increased. African American home purchases and residency were limited until about the 1960s due to segregation and redlining. The rate of black migration into Washington was moderated only by the rate of "white flight" out of the city. Although whites live throughout the city (minimal in Ward 7), Ward 3 became the natural location of choice for the white population.

Although blacks make up 13 percent of the nation's population, African Americans are currently 66 percent of Washington's population. Blacks dominate Washington, while whites rule the District of Columbia. Real estate firms, homeowners, and purchasers all benefited from the sale or rental of three-fourths of all Washington homes during the white flight period. Rural and suburban living has imposed long commutes on Caucasians working in the District of Columbia and deposits millions of pounds of additional automobile pollutants to the air of the predominately African American residents in Washington.

The l963 March on Washington and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 accelerated access to jobs and public accommodations for African Americans. Congress enacted the D.C. Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization (Home Rule) Act on December 24, 1973. The Home Rule government took office in January 1975. Until then, the federal government exercised control over all District activities since it moved to Washington from Philadelphia in 1800. The federal government maintains oversight and veto power over District affairs. Thus, blacks have exercised planning authority over Washington, D.C. affairs for about three decades. Home rule authority has had limited to non-existent impact on pollution sites, particularly federally owned toxic sites. Hopefully, the next 30 years will provide opportunities for the application of practical environmental solutions.

The combination of air and water pollution with potential superfund sites, generators of hazardous waste and leaking underground storage tanks makes a toxic soup. District residents, daytime workers and visitors are consuming this broth on a daily basis. Extremely hot weather exacerbates the effects of these pollutants. Storms move pollutants through the streets and the sewer pipes to southern city inhabitants.

A child in Anacostia with asthma can be exposed to multiple sources of pollution through: eating PCB-contaminated fish, breathing fumes from power plants, auto exhausts from commuter vehicles along neighborhood highways, eating lead paint chips and drinking lead contaminated water, playing in lead-contaminated dirt, exposure to nightly killings, burglaries, rapes and robberies, living next to abandoned mass-burn incinerator ash, being surrounded by potential superfund sites and generators of hazardous wastes, and living on ground soaked by leaking underground storage tanks.

Gasoline service stations provide the fuel that causes the smog and other vehicle exhaust pollutants in the city. These same service stations are the largest documented source of leaking underground storage tanks in the District. These stations service 300,000 District registered vehicles and some percentage of the 2,841,745 registered vehicles in the Washington Metropolitan Area. (COG) These vehicles provide approximately 70 percent of the District's air pollution. These cars and trucks, which represent two percent of all cars and trucks in the U.S., also represent two percent of all oil used in the transportation sector in the country. The District, with only 11 percent of the registered vehicles in the metropolitan area, is exposed to disproportionate quantities of mobile source air pollution.

The District of Columbia is disproportionately impacted by pollution from federal facilities. Within the District portion of the Anacostia watershed, approximately 30 percent of the total acreage is federally owned.²

Finally, in addition to documenting types and amounts of pollution by race and income, this report examines this information by census tract.

How This Report Can Help

Recognizing sources of pollution and the proximity of these toxics to people of color communities is a crucial first step in assessing environmental racism and pollution risks. The African American Environmentalist Association developed this report to identify relationships between the racial composition of our nation’s capital and point sources and nonpoint sources of pollution in the air, water, and land. Point sources of pollution are regulated by the government and include commercial and industrial facilities (e.g., electrical plants), federal government facilities (e.g., heating plants, military complexes), and municipal facilities (e.g., sewage treatment plants). In order to discharge pollutants, some point sources of pollution are required by federal environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Solid Waste Disposal Act, to obtain permits from the government. The permits, specific to each discharger, identify particular pollutants that may be emitted, are valid for a specific amount of time, and must be renewed and updated periodically by the polluting facility. These permits do not address the racial composition of the surrounding communities.

Nonpoint sources of pollution are not discharged from a pipe, smokestack, or other specific, stationary "point." Typical unregulated sources include urban water runoff, and sewer overflows, which are caused by rainfall, and vary constantly. Although nonpoint sources of pollution cover large areas, racial factors can still be factors in the distributions and exposures to various toxic substances.

Instructions for Using This Report

This report can be used as a working document by researchers, students, government officials, environmental and civil rights organizations, and the general public. The quantity of information is organized for convenient cross-referencing. Information on race and income of residents near pollution sites can be examined by census tract or by zip code. Information on types and amounts of pollution is also included for these sites. The general demographic information is at the front of the report. The zip code section also includes the census tracts.

The demographics for Spill dischargers and RCRA sites were characterized by Ward due to the large number of listed sites. Demographic information for Leaking Underground Storage Tank sites should be obtained by locating the site on the census tract map. RCRA sites can also be cross-referenced by using the zip code to obtain demographic information.

Limitations of the Report

This report is limited to Washington, D.C., which has unique environmental, racial, political, cultural and economic characteristics.

The data in this report is based on information obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Headquarters in Washington, D.C., the EPA Region III Office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs in Washington, D.C., Landview II CD database, U.S. Census Bureau and observations and research by AAEA. Most of the information on point sources of pollution in this report is limited to permit information provided by the above agencies.

AAEA research also indicates that, although specific types and amounts of pollution are identified, different databases sometime contain conflicting data. Moreover, racial category data is based on 1990 Census information and is subject to change. Information from the Landview II CD database does not always match Census Bureau data.

This report does not examine the interactive effects of environmental racism, black-on-black crime, behavioral practices, nutrition, health, self-reliant remediation, Brownfields redevelopment, alternative technologies, and sustainable development. This report emphasizes comparative analyses of black/white racial categories and does not provide commentary on other minority groups. A future report should supplement AAEA’s existing information with an examination of these interactions.

CHAPTER 1: RACE, CARS, AND LEAD

Although pollution from the point sources outlined in this report significantly contributes to the degradation of the environment in the District of Columbia, non-point sources of pollution contribute equal or greater adverse effects to the environment.³ The most serious forms of non-point sources in the District include: (1) automobile and truck air pollution, (2) urban water runoff, (3) combined sewer overflows, (4) illegal dumping, (5) spills, (6) leaking underground storage tanks, and (7) business activities. This survey provides the first comprehensive examination of the combination of sources of pollution and racial characteristics in the District of Columbia.

MOTOR VEHICLE AIR POLLUTION

William Kruvant's "American Energy Consumer," study of spatial patterns of air pollution and residence showed that poor and black Washington, D.C. residents had the greatest chances of being exposed to poor quality air. They were not, however, the only ones so exposed; members of Congress also lived in areas with heavy air pollution.⁴

Smog includes several dangerous chemicals: carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and fine particulates. Carbon monoxide impairs functioning of the central nervous system. Nitrogen dioxide weakens the lungs and decreases resistance to infection. Ozone inflames lung tissue, and fine particulate matter acts as a carrier for other cancer-causing agents that lodge in the lungs.⁵ Especially sensitive to air pollutants are children under 10 years of age; adults over 65 years; persons with asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, or coronary heart disease; and pregnant women.

Like metropolitan areas across the nation, motor vehicle usage is high in Washington, D.C. In "The 1982 Air Quality Plan for the Metropolitan Washington Region," the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) identified vehicle emissions as the largest single source of air pollution in the area.⁶ According to MWCOG, the 2,841,745 registered vehicles in the metropolitan Washington region emit 369 tons of hydrocarbons, 1,693 tons of carbon monoxide, and 161 tons of nitrogen oxides every day. There are approximately 300,000 registered vehicles in the District of Columbia.⁷ In addition, the number of motor vehicles used in the area is rising as the combined Washington, D.C./Baltimore metropolitan area becomes the fourth largest metropolitan area in the U.S. The District violates federal health standards set by the EPA for ozone levels and is listed in the "serious" category of ozone violation areas. During summer months, the amount of ozone pollution in the air in metro Washington region exceeds EPA limits an average of 11 days (Code Red-Unhealthful). ⁸

MOBILE SOURCE POLLUTION CHART

Data Source	Amount
Number of Vehicles	Tons/Year
Metro Wash Regis Vehicles 2,800,000	811,395
DC Registered Vehicles 243,000	70,417
Rush Hour into D.C. 800,000	231,827
Source: MWCOG
600,000 D.C. Residents (Approximate)
234 pounds of air pollution per resident per year from vehicles.
580 pounds of air pollution per car per year of from vehicles.
154 pounds/black resident...80 pounds/white resident
Source: AAEA