Environmental Justice in the Charles River Watershed
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” –– Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Across our watershed, stark disparities exist––low-income, non-English speaking, and communities of color face disproportionate exposure to harmful pollution, unequal access to the outdoors and green spaces, and outsized risk from impacts of extreme heat and flooding. Recent CRWA analysis found that approximately 25% of our watershed is classified as an Environmental Justice Population––meaning one-fourth of our watershed faces these hazards and lacks the environmental benefits they deserve for health, happiness, and overall wellness.
The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) has released an updated 2022 Environmental Justice Viewer––a valuable planning tool that visualizes environmental justice populations to prioritize future investments in tangible solutions for the communities that need them most. EEA and its agencies have also released a draft Environmental Justice Strategy to chart the path towards a more environmentally just future But, public feedback is needed to improve the accuracy and usefulness of the strategy––read our comments, submit comments yourself using our template comment letter, and share your thoughts using EEA’s survey. The comment deadline has been extended to February 17th, 2023, so make sure to make yourself heard!
