Urban Studies 515 Race, Poverty and the Environment

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Urban Studies 515Race, Poverty and the
Environment

• By Chris Jackson
• Public has permission to use the material herein,
  but only if author(s), course, university, and
  professor are credited.

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Environmental Injustice in Harlem

• The Placement of the North River Sewage Treatment
  Plant in Harlem
• Placement of Manhattan Bus depots in Harlem

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North River Sewage Treatment Plant

• Problem
• Ever since its construction, members of the
  community have complained about overbearing odors
  coming from the North River Sewage Treatment
  Plant.
• The plant processes over 1.4 billion gallons
  of raw sewage a day.
• In addition to the smell, after the opening of
  the North River Sewage Treatment Plant, many
  residents complained of itchy eyes
• Shortness of Breath
• Asthma
• other respiratory ailments

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The North River Sewage Treatment Plant

• Picture from
• www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dep/html/northri.html

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Background/History

• In 1962, city planners originally designated 2nd
  street along the Hudson River as the location for
  the North River Sewage Treatment Plant.
• - Due to technical problems and community
  resistance, the site was later rejected.
• The City Planning Commission decided to relocate
  the site up to 137th street in West Harlem.
• - The City did not seek input from the
  community and made it apparent that the local
  community boards would not have much influence in
  the location of the sewage plant.
• Finally listening to community concerns, the City
  promised a 28-acre state park to be built on top
  of the sewage plant.
• - The park to 23 years to be built, a full
  seven years after the sewage plant was opened.

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Community still unhappy

• The community continued to submit reports of
  smelly fumes seeping from the North River Sewage
  Treatment Plant.
• - In 1991, after 6 years of community unrest,
  city officials promised to devote 50 million-
  100 million to remedy the problem.
• The actually amount was 53 million

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Problem still unsolved

• However, in 19993, near completion of the 53
  million in improvements, a report was released
  stating that the improvements would only clear up
  75 of the odor problems. To eliminate all odor
  from the sewage plant, another 100 million would
  be needed, an investment the city was not willing
  to make.

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Demographics

• 72nd street
• White- 84
• Black- 8
• Asian- 2.8
• Avg. Income- 123,172
• Persons Below Poverty Line- 8.5

• 145th street
• White- 15.5
• Black- 60.6
• Asian- 1.3
• Avg. Income- 26,123
• Persons Below Poverty Line- 33.7

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Placement of Bus Depots in Harlem

• 6 out of 8 MTAs Manhattan Bus depots and several
  parking lots are located north of 96th street
  meaning that residents of these neighborhoods are
  disproportionately impacted by emissions from
  these buses.
• - Multiple studies have demonstrated the
  association between ozone and smog and emergency
  room visits foe asthma
• - It is estimated that 20 of Harlem residents
  suffer from asthma.

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Alternative Plans

• There are alternatives to sitting more diesel bus
  depots in Northern Manhattan
• - Keeping the Hudson Depot in lower Manhattan
  open
• - Using clean fuel buses and depots, such as
  natural gas buses in Harlem.

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The Fight!

• In 1997, in collaboration with local political
  leaders and the Transit Workers Union, WE ACT
  launched its public education campaign If you
  Live Uptown, Breathe at Your Own Risk
• - Campaign asked New York City and State to end
  the policy of buying diesel buses.

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Victory!

• The campaign resulted in the Governors mandate
  that
• All new MTA depots be compressed natural gas
  depots.
• That the MTA buy 300 new compressed natural gas
  buses in its upcoming 2000-2004 purchase plan.
• 3. One depot per borough be converted to natural
  gas.

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Bibliography

• 1.www.weact.org/pressadvisories/2000_nov_15.html
• 2.www.umich.edu/snre492/ny.html
• 3.www.ci.nyc.us/html/dep/html/northri.html