Fumes across the fence-line: the health impacts of air pollution from oil & gas facilities on African American communities
African-Americans face a disproportionate risk of health problems from pollution caused by the oil and gas industry, and the situation could worsen as President Donald Trump dismantles environmental regulations, according to a report issued by a pair of advocacy groups. Air pollution is equal opportunity when it comes to impacting human health. But when much of the infrastructure of the U.S. petroleum industry is concentrated near low-income communities, its effect on these communities and their residents becomes outsized. A new report, Fumes Across the Fence-Line, for the first time directly quantifies the elevated health risk that million of African-Americans face due to this threat. Released as a joint project of the NAACP, Clean Air Task Force (CATF), and National Medical Association (NMA), the report chronicles the health and environmental justice issues that come as a result of a concentration of refineries and other facilities in lower-income neighborhoods, and also offers case studies and suggestions for community action.