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Ecological Information Needs for Environmental Justice

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  • Joanna Burger
  • Stuart Harris
  • Barbara Harper
  • Michael Gochfeld

Abstract

The concept that all peoples should have their voices heard on matters that affect their well‐being is at the core of environmental justice (EJ). The inability of some people of small towns, rural areas, minority, and low‐income communities, to become involved in environmental decisions is sometimes due to a lack of information. We provide a template for the ecological information that is essential to examine environmental risks to EJ populations within average communities, using case studies from South Carolina (Savannah River, a DOE site with minority impacts), Washington (Hanford, a DOE site with Native American impacts), and New Jersey (nonpoint, urbanized community pollution). While the basic ecological and public health information needs for risk evaluations and assessments are well described, less attention has been focused on standardizing information about EJ communities or EJ populations within larger communities. We suggest that information needed about EJ communities and populations includes demographics, consumptive and nonconsumptive uses of their regional environment (for example, maintenance and cosmetic, medicinal/religious/cultural uses), eco‐dependency webs, and eco‐cultural attributes. A purely demographics approach might not even identify EJ populations or neighborhoods, much less their spatial relation to the impact source or to each other. Using information from three case studies, we illustrate that some information is readily available (e.g., consumption rates for standard items such as fish), but there is less information about medicinal, cultural, religious, eco‐cultural dependency webs, and eco‐cultural attributes, all of which depend in some way on intact, functioning, and healthy ecosystems.

Suggested Citation

  • Joanna Burger & Stuart Harris & Barbara Harper & Michael Gochfeld, 2010. "Ecological Information Needs for Environmental Justice," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 893-905, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:riskan:v:30:y:2010:i:6:p:893-905
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.2010.01403.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. de Groot, Rudolf S. & Wilson, Matthew A. & Boumans, Roelof M. J., 2002. "A typology for the classification, description and valuation of ecosystem functions, goods and services," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 393-408, June.
    2. Koenraad Mariën & Denise M. Laflamme, 1995. "Determination of a Tolerable Daily Intake of DDT for Consumers of DDT Contaminated Fish from the Lower Yakima River, Washington," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(6), pages 709-717, December.
    3. Stuart G. Harris & Barbara L. Harper, 1997. "A Native American Exposure Scenario," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(6), pages 789-795, December.
    4. Joanna Burger & Karen F. Gaines & Michael Gochfeld, 2001. "Ethnic Differences in Risk from Mercury among Savannah River Fishermen," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(3), pages 533-544, June.
    5. Jamie Donatuto & Barbara L. Harper, 2008. "Issues in Evaluating Fish Consumption Rates for Native American Tribes," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(6), pages 1497-1506, December.
    6. Joanna Burger, 2004. "Fish consumption advisories: knowledge, compliance and why people fish in an urban estuary," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(5), pages 463-479, July.
    7. Helen May & Joanna Burger, 1996. "Fishing in a Polluted Estuary: Fishing Behavior, Fish Consumption, and Potential Risk," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(4), pages 459-471, August.
    8. Joanna Burger & Kerry Kirk Pflugh & Lynette Lurig & Leigh Ann Von Hagen & Stanley Von Hagen, 1999. "Fishing in Urban New Jersey: Ethnicity Affects Information Sources, Pe ception, and Compliance," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(2), pages 217-229, April.
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