Welcome to the Citizen Action Team’s
Environmental Justice and Public Health Program
Site Contents scroll down to learn more
What is Environmental Justice?
What is a Fish Consumption Advisory?
Why are Fish Consumption Advisories considered an issue of Environmental Justice?
What is Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER doing to fight Environmental Injustices relating to Fish Consumption Advisories in Western New York?
Links to sites with further information
How to get involved!
We have begun our Angler Outreach interviews to gather information about people who fish, fishing, and the fish themselves.
Look for us at fishing sites around Buffalo!
What is Environmental Justice?
According to the EPA Environmental Justice is defined as ….
“…the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. EPA has this goal for all communities and persons across this Nation. It will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.” http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/
But what does this really mean? Environmental Justice is the disproportionate distribution of environmental contamination on communities of color, low-income communities, refugees, tribal communities, and other indigenous peoples who are often at greater risk from environmental contamination and lack the ability to adequately fight these injustices. Often communities of color, low-income communities, refugees, tribal communities, and other indigenous peoples are not treated fairly by and meaningfully involved in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. The Environmental Justice movement seeks to eliminate these injustices through the elimination of environmental contamination by community engagement and empowerment.
What is a Fish Consumption Advisory?
Fishing is an important recreational activity for many people. It is also an important part of a balanced and healthy diet since fish are full of high quality proteins, essential nutrients, healthy fish oils, and are low in saturated fat. So how can something so good be potentially hazardous? Fish can accumulate harmful chemicals in their bodies over time when they live in polluted waters. When consumed these chemicals can negatively affect a person’s health. The New York Department of Conservation and the New York Department of Health work together to determine how many chemicals are in the fish throughout the state and safe levels of fish consumption for the states residents and visitors. This guidance is presented to the public in the form of a Fish Consumption Advisory to help people make healthier choices about which fish to eat and how often.
Link to our enhanced Fish Consumption Advisory Materials (Coming soon!)Link to New York State Department of Health Fish Consumption Advisory (Coming soon!)
Why are Fish Consumption Advisories Considered an Issue of Environmental Justice?
Research suggests that frequency of fishing, the type and amount of fish caught and consumed, preparation methods, awareness of contamination advisories and the knowledge of health effects caused by consuming contaminated fish vary by race, income, age, education, gender, and geographic location. Data shows that communities of color, low-income communities, refugees, tribal communities, and other indigenous peoples depend on fish to a greater extent (nutritional and economic) and in different ways (cultural, traditional, and religious) than the general population of the U.S. Due to this increased dependence and connection with fish, communities of color, low-income communities, refugees, tribal communities, and other indigenous peoples are physiologically, psychologically, socially, and culturally affected by impaired waterways and contaminated fish. Not only do communities of color, low-income communities, refugees, tribal communities, and other indigenous peoples suffer a disproportionate burden of environmental contamination but also have less access to healthy food and affordable health care, and suffer from increased rates of obesity and diabetes. Taking into account the fact that fish is an important dietary need, the effect of Fish Consumption Advisories on this population can be significant.
When considering Fish Consumption Advisories as an issue of Environmental Justice, environmental contamination is not the only issue. Availability of the advisory and type of data used to create the advisory also become issues of Environmental Justice.
As previously mentioned, communities of color, low-income communities, refugees, tribal communities, and other indigenous peoples are less aware of contamination advisories and knowledge of health effects caused by consuming contaminated fish than the general population of the U.S. This is due to methods of distribution of advisory information, literacy levels and language of advisory materials. The use of the general population as a guideline for determining potential risk, and location and rigor of fish contamination testing creates an inaccurate advisory.
Through a targeted approach to risk communication and the removal and elimination of environmental contamination the environmental injustice caused by fish contamination and consumption advisories can be eliminated.
What is BNRK doing to fight Environmental Injustices relating to Fish Consumption Advisories in Western New York?
The waterways around Buffalo have been impaired by more than a century of heavy industrial pollution with legacy industrial organic chemicals and heavy metals. This contamination is in the water, the sediment, and the fish of Buffalo’s waterways. Of particular concern are the Buffalo and Niagara Rivers, which were designated as Areas of Concern by the EPA in 1987 due to high levels of contamination. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) have created a Fish Consumption Advisory for this area. Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER has received a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to enhance the existing Fish Consumption Advisory. Through interviews and observations we wish to identify populations that consume fish from urban and industrial waterways in the Niagara and Erie Basin based on factors that cumulatively affect the efficacy of fish consumption advisories and fish consumption such as culture, ethnicity, age, gender, food security, socio-economic status, and literacy level. Then, with the help of community members and interested parties we will work collaboratively to create a more effective Fish Consumption Advisory and to spread this information to local fish consumers.
Link to Project Blog (Coming soon!)
Link to Project Photogallery (Coming soon!)
Link to Project Data and Findings (Coming soon!)
For Further Information Please Visit These Links
Links will be coming soon!
How to Get Involved!
Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER has many volunteer opportunities. Please visit our volunteer webpage to find out how you can get involved.
Who to Contact for More Information
Katy Brown
Public Health and Environmental Justice Project Manager
716.852.7483 ext. 23
kbrown@bnriverkeeper.org
Amber Goguen
Environmental Justice Education Coordinator
716.852.7483 ext. 23
agoguen@bnriverkeeper.org
