According to the EPA, environmental justice refers to the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Low-income and minority Americans tend to live and work in areas disproportionately exposed to pollution, therefore they suffer disproportionately from the effects of pollution.
Often, it is not only the disproportionate amount of pollution that negatively affects the health of low-income and minority Americans but the combination of that pollution layered on top of existing social disparities, such as access to healthcare.
African Americans tend to live closer to…