Abstract
There is a great deal of justified interest as to whether or not the action levels that are used by government agencies such as the U.S. EPA, as well as world-wide, to determine environmental protection and cleanup levels are really protective of human health. An action level is the level of concentration of a harmful or toxic substance or contaminant above which human health is threatened and warrants regulatory action. Exceeding the action levels is a potential threat to health. Action levels are an attempt to provide a quantifiable level of definitiveness to environmental decisions. The goal of environmental regulations, both in the US and elsewhere, is to protect human health and if the action levels upon which cleanups or protective rules and regulations are based are nonprotective, one could legitimately question the efficacy of such environmental regulations. Of particular concern is whether or not these actions levels, which attempt to quantify/measure environmental threats, are protective of environmental justice populations—low-income citizens and citizens of color. Environmental justice communities are more susceptible to the effects of exposure to environmental contaminants because of weakened immune systems, greater toxic overload, lack of access to adequate health care, poor housing and life style issues compared to non-environmental justice communities. One size does not fit all. An action level protective of non-environmental justice communities may not be protective of environmental justice communities. Equity would demand special consideration of environmental justice communities. This paper examines the protectiveness of action levels for environmental justice communities.
Presenters
John RayProfessor, Liberal Studies/Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Montana Technological University, Montana, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
ACTION LEVELS, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, PROTECTIVENESS, EQUITY
