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NAACP Water Distribution - Jackson, MS

Environmental & Climate Justice

Environmental injustice, including the proliferation of climate change, systematically impacts communities of color and low-income communities in the U.S. and around the world.

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The challenge

Environmental and climate justice is a civil rights issue. We all depend on the physical environment and its bounty.

Toxic facilities, like coal-fired power plants and incinerators, emit mercury, arsenic, lead, and other contaminants into the water, food, and lungs of communities. Many of these same facilities also emit carbon dioxide and methane — the No. 1 and No. 2 drivers of climate change. But not all people are equally impacted. Race — even more than class — is the number one indicator for the placement of toxic facilities in this country hit by climate change.

advocate for a lead-free future

The EPA has made a great first step in elevating community health, but now, we must ensure that steps are in place to prioritize communities that likely have lead service lines. There will be close to $15 billion allocated to fixing issues with lead in water systems, however, states will play a big part in which communities get that funding unless there are changes made.

While the EPA has created a plan to remove lead from many pipes in the next ten years, we need filters to ensure we are safe. The EPA must provide water filters for our community while we wait for lead pipe removal. Black youth are especially vulnerable since they have a high chance of lead exposure. 

The EPA must prioritize Black youth in Lead and Copper Rule implementation across the country. No community should be left behind in replacing lead service lines in ten years. You can share these concerns with the EPA through the public comment period that ends on February 5, 2024. 

The Lead Problem is Real

The EPA must prioritize Black youth with how the rule is implemented across the country. You can share these concerns with the EPA through the public comment period that ends on February 5, 2024.

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The Fight For Clean, Safe Water

Black communities continue to bear the brunt of environmental injustices and safe drinking water violations. The NAACP has led efforts with local branches and units regarding the need for clean and safe drinking water in many Black communities across the country.

We're continuing the conversation on the need for safe water to continue to draw attention to places like Jackson, Mississippi, which have faced decades of disinvestment.

Equity in Every Frame

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Environmental Justice

Carbon Dioxide Management in Louisiana

The NAACP Center for Environmental and Climate Justice and the Louisiana State Conference and its branches and units are deeply concerned by the steps that Louisiana has taken regarding the proposed permit for carbon dioxide management and its potential implications on water quality and historically excluded communities.

The NAACP offers recommendations regarding the proposed Class VI Program Revision Application submitted by the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Office of Conservation, Underground Injection Control (UIC) to the EPA for primacy and to include Class VI geologic sequestration. 

Advocacy in Action - Jackson, MS

Jackson NAACP Water Crisis
Jackson, MS Water Distribution
NAACP Water Distribution - Jackson, MS
NAACP and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. - Water Distribution in Jackson, MS
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NAACP Water Distribution - Jackson, MS
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NAACP Water Distribution - Jackson, MS
Pile of Water - Water Distribution - NAACP
NAACP Youth and College - Jackson, MS Water Distribution
Jackson NAACP Water Crisis
Jackson, MS Water Distribution
NAACP Water Distribution - Jackson, MS
NAACP and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. - Water Distribution in Jackson, MS
NAACP Mississippi State Coordinator - Water Distribution
NAACP Water Distribution - Jackson, MS
NAACP - EPA Meeting - Jackson, MS
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NAACP Water Distribution - Jackson, MS
Pile of Water - Water Distribution - NAACP
NAACP Youth and College - Jackson, MS Water Distribution
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Toxic to Our Communities

Black communities continue to live close to natural gas facilities and will continue to have a higher cancer risk without pollutant levels being mitigated through the operation of this proposed rule. Air in many Black communities already violates various air quality standards and at least 6.7 million Black people live near oil refineries.

headshot of Abre Conner

Communities must continue to have the ability to monitor pollution in their communities. The timeline is too long between the notification of a high level of pollution within a community and responsive action. Nothing is normal regarding high levels of emissions and more defined language is required to explain the documentation of emissions.

- Abre Conner, Director, Center for Environmental and Climate Justice
Smoke and pollution coming out of a factory

The Fuming Impact

The EPA has an obligation to ensure and strengthen the operation of community monitoring of methane and other emissions. For every hour of emissions, the atmosphere is harmed and neighboring communities are at risk of an explosion. Defining the language for documenting emissions and rewarding notifiers for protecting communities gets us one step closer to prioritizing Black communities.

Protecting Black Communities

Environmental injustice is about people in Detroit, Ohio, Chicago, Memphis, Kansas City, and elsewhere who have died and others who are chronically ill because of exposure to toxins.

Climate change is the new normal of more severe storms, like hurricanes Sandy and Isaac, which devastated communities from Boston to Biloxi. Our sisters and brothers in the Bahamas, and Inuit communities in Kivalina, Alaska, and communities in Thibodaux, Louisiana, and beyond, will risk property losses to rising sea levels in the next few years.

Climate change and environmental injustice: we work to address the many practices that are harming communities nationwide and worldwide. We fight for the policies needed to rectify these impacts and advance a society that fosters sustainable, cooperative, regenerative communities that uphold all rights for all people in harmony with the earth.

What we're fighting for

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Reduce harmful emissions, particularly greenhouse gases

We combine action on shutting down coal plants and other toxic facilities, as well as the building of new toxic facilities, at the local level with advocacy to strengthen development, monitoring, and enforcement of regulations at federal, state, and local levels. This also includes a focus on corporate responsibility and accountability.

Black Female - Solo - in factory work environment

Advance energy efficiency and clean energy

We work at the state level on campaigns to pass renewable energy and energy efficiency standards while simultaneously working to provide safer, more sustainable mechanisms for managing energy needs for our communities and beyond. We also support small businesses, unions, and others to develop demonstration projects to ensure that communities of color are accessing revenue generation opportunities in the new energy economy.

Black Male in Front of House Smiling

Strengthen community resilience and livability

We work to ensure that communities are equipped to engage in sustainability and climate action planning that integrates policies and practices on advancing food justice, advocating for transportation equity, upholding civil and human rights in emergency management, and facilitating participatory democracy.

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Join millions of activists fighting for environmental justice for Black communities.  

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Make an impact

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All In For Democracy

The NAACP has the largest and most comprehensive civic engagement program for Black voters. We've been organizing and activating thousands of supporters and volunteers. With Super Tuesday behind us, we're all in to protect democracy — but we need your support. Join the fight now – donate today!

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