ABSTRACT

This chapter lays the historical foundations and social context of the environmental justice movement in the US. The landmark Houston case occurred three years before the environmental justice movement was catapulted into the national limelight in rural Warren County, North Carolina, an area populated by mostly African American families. Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class, and Environmental Quality chronicled the convergence of two social movements' social justice and environmental movements into the environmental justice movement. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to prepare a detailed statement on the environmental effects of proposed federal actions that significantly affect the quality of human health. Zoning laws and regulations influence land use and in turn have important environmental justice implications. African Americans and other people of color continue to be disproportionately and adversely impacted by environmental toxins in their communities. Much of the Environmental Justice Movement energy over the years has been spent fighting for 'toxic-free' neighborhoods.