The legal controversy over the Genesee Power Plant in Flint, Michigan has finally ended, with a court forcing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to better investigate and resolve complaints of environmental discrimination.
"After 26 years, the oldest pending civil rights complaint against the Environmental Protection Agency is finally over," reports Sophie Yeo. "A district court in California has found [pdf] that the EPA was guilty of environmental racism when it ignored the pollution concerns of a largely African-American community in Flint in the 1990s."
The story of this lawsuit dates back to 1990, when a Catholic priest named Father Phil Schmitter began speaking out against plans for the Genesee Power Station, an incinerator expected to emit lead, mercury, arsenic, and other pollutants into the air, according to Yeo.
The article includes a detailed history of the incinerator's approval and construction, the initial civil rights complaint brought forward by the St. Francis Prayer Center against the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and the subsequent failure of the EPA to respond to the complaint. As noted by Yeo, such negligence on the part of the EPA was not uncommon. "A 2015 investigation by the Center for Public Integrity found that, of all complaints submitted to the EPA's civil rights office, 162 were rejected, 38 were not reviewed, and only 64 were accepted."
FULL STORY: ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM IN FLINT IS MUCH OLDER THAN THE WATER CRISIS
EPA Drops More Civil Rights Investigations
A lawsuit that halted an investigation in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’ is having a chilling impact on other environmental justice cases.
1,700 Flint Residents Sue U.S. EPA for $722 Million in Damages
Flint residents are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for damages caused by exposure to lead in the city's drinking supply.
How the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Failed the People of Flint
While blame squarely lays with Michigan state officials, agencies, and possibly Gov. Rick Snyder himself, the EPA also played a role by both detecting the cause of the problem but not acting on the reports of improper treatment of river water.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.
Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.
Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie