Massachusetts EJ Communities Disproportionately Burdened by Electric Infrastructure
”
The current process for siting power infrastructure places undue burdens on environmental justice communities across Massachusetts and proposed infrastructure could exacerbate those burdens, a new analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE), the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), and GreenRoots revealed. According to the report, more than 80% of existing fossil-fueled electricity generating units—and their associated health and safety risks—are located in or within one mile of where people of color, low-income people, and limited-English proficient speakers live.
“This analysis shows yet again that environmental justice communities in Massachusetts have suffered for decades from inequitably sited energy infrastructure, bringing unhealthy and unsafe conditions like air pollution to their neighborhoods,” said Paula García, lead author of the analysis and senior energy analyst and energy justice lead at UCS. “As our state builds toward a cleaner future, decision makers have a responsibility to prevent additional burdens on low-income communities and communities of color. We’re hopeful that Commonwealth leaders will take action to ensure our state is building toward a smarter, more just electricity grid that can benefit everyone.”
The analysis, “Siting for a Cleaner, More Equitable Grid in Massachusetts,” looked at the distribution of existing and proposed substations and electricity generating units, directly inside, within one mile, and within five miles of environmental justice populations in Massachusetts. An environmental justice population is defined by state law as Census block groups (neighborhoods in the analysis) where the annual median household income is well below the statewide annual median; the community’s overall average annual household income doesn’t far exceed the state average; Black, Latino, Asian, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander comprise a disproportionate amount of the population; and/or a significant number of households lack English-language proficiency. A more detailed definition is available here.”
Read more from Sanjali De Silva at the Union of Concerned Scientists.