Turning the Tide: Advancing Racial Justice in Federal Flood Infrastructure Projects
Flooding is a pressing environmental justice issue in the United States.
Black communities are far more frequently and severely impacted by flood events than white communities. What's worse, on average, Black households lose money while white households gain wealth from insurance and relief programs following a disaster - furthering the racial weatlh gap in the U.S.
Ensuring Equitable Flood Protection for Black Communities
This report represents a collaborative effort between the NAACP's Environmental and Climate Justice Program and the Columbia University Master of Public Administration–Environmental Science and Policy Program. Together, we sought to answer a series of pressing questions: Is the Army Corps of Engineers planning process equitable? Are community interests represented? And most significantly: Are Black communities inadequately protected from current flooding, and will they be protected as flooding exacerbates due to climate change?
This report serves as a tool to empower NAACP units in their advocacy efforts, both concerning the Army Corps and more generally in pursuit of racial justice in disaster preparedness and recovery.
Read the full report or check out a 2-page overview below.
Who gets protected? This is a matter of how much money you have, how big your company is, who your parents and grandparents are, what color you are, what nationality. Surely, we need to protect ALL citizens, we need to protect ALL life, we need to protect ALL property.
- Mike McClanahan, President, Louisiana State Conference NAACP