High-risk chemical facilities and other hazardous industrial sites are disproportionately located near communities where Black, Brown, and low-wealth families live, learn, and play. In 2012, floodwaters from Superstorm Sandy submerged some of these facilities, carrying chemicals and heavy metals into people’s homes.
On CPR's October 20, 2020, webinar, participants learned about a collaborative, stakeholder-led research project to prevent chemical releases during storm surges and flooding in one New York City neighborhood, and how this community-centered approach can be replicated in other communities throughout the country. The discussion also covered the public health risks of exposure to fugitive chemicals, the federal and state laws that determine how hazardous chemicals are stored, and efforts to advocate for climate resilience policies.
CPR's Darya Minovi moderated the webinar. Speakers included:
- Rebecca Bratspies, CPR Member Scholar and Professor at CUNY School of Law
- Ramya Chari, Policy Researcher, RAND
- Shahela Begum, Climate Justice Resilience Coordinator, UPROSE
- Jalisa Gilmore, Research Analyst, NYC-Environmental Justice Alliance
Watch the video at right, or view it on YouTube.
