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The Need to Prioritize Environmental Justice Communities When Dealing with

Sea Level Rise

Earth, Equity and the Environment SeriesApril 20, 2015

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Our Research Question• How will sea-level rise impact contaminant cycling and mobility in soil and

water? Could this have an impact on environmental and human health?

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Southbridge Community-Legacy Pollution

• Brownfields surround Southbridge– “A total of 108 brownfield sites…

accounting for nearly 20 percent of the municipality’s [City of Wilmington] total land. Most of these brownfields are concentrated in South and East Wilmington, along the Christina and Brandywine riverfronts.”

• What’s a brownfield? – “Properties where the expansion,

redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, contaminant or pollutant.”

• Arsenic, lead, chromium, pesticides– Can flooding and sea level rise make these

pollutants mobile?

• How do people feel about pollution in the community?

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CEEP 2005 – Brownfields in Wilmington

CEEP 2005 – Brownfields in Wilmington

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CEEP 2005 – Brownfields in Southbridge

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Southbridge Community-Sea Level Rise (SLR)

• SLR, flooding and contaminant mobility risk remains

• How do people feel about sea level rise and flooding in the community?

• SWPN survey on flooding shows respondents identified these areas

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1 Meter Sea Level Scenario - DNREC

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SWPN Flooding Survey (2013)

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DNREC and Sea Level Rise Solutions

• How do the mitigation efforts and recommendations for the state impact Southbridge?– DNREC is leading the

way• Avoid • Accommodate• Protect • Retreat

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A Research Update: How Does the Community Understand and Perceive the Risk of Sea Level Rise,

Flooding, Pollution, and Health? Our survey measures levels of concern and knowledge about pollution, sea level rise, flooding, and human health in

Southbridge. Here are a few of the key questions we ask, and results of the survey, so far. (n= 89)

• Overall, how concerned are you about pollution in Southbridge?• How concerned are you about the effects of toxic pollution on:

– Air quality?– Drinking water?– Soil quality?

• How concerned are you about the following as a result of environmental pollution in Southbridge?– Cancer– Asthma– Headaches– Fatigue

• How would you describe your level of concern regarding health problems resulting from exposure?• How much of the soil, air, and water do you think is polluted?• How much do you know about sea level rise?• How serious of a problem do you think sea level rise is for the community of Southbridge?• How serious of a problem do you think flooding is for the community of Southbridge?• In your opinion, how prevalent are health problems caused by environmental pollution in Southbridge?

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Overall, How Concerned Are You about Pollution in Southbridge?

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How concerned are you about the effects of toxic pollution on air, drinking water, and soil quality?

Air quality Drinking water quality

Soil quality0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%60.7%

56.3% 53.6%

Greatly Concerned

Air qualityDrinking water qualitySoil quality

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How concerned are you about cancer, asthma, headaches, and fatigue?

Cancer Asthma Headaches Fatigue0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

100.0%

72.7% 74.1%68.2%

63.5%

Greatly Concerned

CancerAsthmaHeadachesFatigue

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How would you describe your level of concern regarding health problems resulting from exposure?

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How much of the soil, air, and water do you think is polluted?

Soil Air

Drinkin

g wate

r

Environmental

wate

rs0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%

54.7%60.7%

50.0%59.7%

A great deal to all of it

SoilAirDrinking waterEnvironmental waters

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How much do you know about sea level rise?

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How serious of a problem do you think sea level rise and flooding are?

Flooding Sea level rise0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

100.0%

76.5%

58.8%

Very to extremely serious

FloodingSea level rise

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How prevalent are health problems caused by environmental pollution in Southbridge?

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Some More Input from the Community – Sources of Pollution

• Discarded materials• Brownfields; particles from Diamond Material• Chemical companies; dumpsites; chemical disposal landfills• Companies don’t care - $$$• Peninsula Compost; particulate matter; lead; sulfur• Current/former industrial uses• Diesel fuel emissions; compost• Unconcerned citizens• Environmental waste sites; unconcerned individuals• Factories• Tankers behind oil site• Gravel plant and port• Historic contaminants in the soil• Landfill; port• Manufacturing• Tar place• Port runoff• Help us

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Creating a Baseline of Community Knowledge

• Though these results may not represent the entire community, we have a good cross-section of people from community events.

• One big finding is that the level of concern for sea level rise is there, but the community has little knowledge of it. – The next steps include developing sea

level rise awareness pamphlets (specific to Southbridge), and giving the community a report on the issue, complete with our survey results, in early Summer.

– Also, future research on sea level rise opinions.

• Also, we need to examine how sea level rise solutions from DNREC work with this urban community.

• Victor W. Perez, PhD– 302-831-6232– victorp@udel.edu