Dynamics and Causation of Environmental Equity, Locally Unwanted Land Uses, and Neighborhood Changes

/ Why are some environmental risks distributed disproportionately in the neighborhoods of the minorities and the poor? A hypothesis was proposed in a recent study that market dynamics contributed to the current environmental inequity. That is, locally unwanted land uses (LULUs) make the host communities home to more poor people and people of color. This hypothesis was allegedly supported by a Houston case study, whereby its author analyzed the postsiting changes of the socioeconomic characteristics of the neighborhoods surrounding solid waste facilities. I argue that such an analysis of postsiting changes alone is insufficient to test the causation hypothesis. Instead, I propose a conceptual framework for analysis of environmental equity dynamics and causation. I suggest that the presiting neighborhood dynamics and the characteristics of control neighborhoods be analyzed as the first test for the causation hypothesis. Furthermore, I present theories of neighborhood change and then examine alternative hypotheses that these theories offer for explaining neighborhood changes and for the roles of LULUs in neighborhood changes. These alternative hypotheses should be examined when analyzing the relationship between LULUs and neighborhood changes in a metropolitan area. Using this framework of analysis, I revisited the Houston case. First, I found no evidence that provided support for the hypothesis that the presence of LULUs made the neighborhoods home to more blacks and poor people, contrary to the conclusion made by the previous study. Second, I examined alternative hypotheses for explaining neighborhood changes-invasion-succession, other push forces, and neighborhood life-cycle; the former two might offer better explanation.KEY WORDS: Environmental equity and justice; Locally unwanted lane uses; Siting; Market dynamics; Invasion-succession; Neighborhood changes     

王心芳会长在2006年全国环保产业协会工作会议上的讲话(摘录)

中国环境保护产业协会王心芳会长在2006年7月18-19日在北京召开的全国环境保护产业协会工作会议上，就我国环保产业的现状及存在的主要问题、环保产业“十一五”期间面临的形势及“十一五”期间中国环境保护产业协会主要的工作思路做了讲话（本文为讲话摘录）。     

移动通信基站电磁辐射环境保护与评价浅析

通过对移动通信基站天线的电磁辐射分析和探讨,归纳了移动通信基站建设在施工期、营运期环境保护工作的重点与措施,对电磁环境影响评价制度与方法进行了系统的描述,并指出了今后的工作方向。     

页岩气开采对环境的影响及规避方法探讨

目前我国页岩气的开发正处于初级阶段,很多生产关键技术尚不成熟,页岩气开发过程中的废压裂液、甲烷漏失、水资源污染等都将会带来一系列环境问题。针对页岩气带来的环境问题,在对开采区域地质情况充分认识的基础上,通过采用先进的钻完井技术,控制压裂液和甲烷的漏失,减少对地层的破坏和水资源的污染;加强对返排废液处理技术的研究力度,优化处理结果;落实针对页岩气开发与环境保护的法律法规等,规避页岩气开采对环境的影响。在借鉴国外开采经验的同时,建议研发适合我国页岩气储层特点的开采技术,改进已有工艺,创新技术和理论。     

大气环境质量的模糊综合评判方法

分析了大气环境质量评价方法现状和模糊综合评判中存在的问题及解决办法，依据我国环境影响评价实际，提出采用单因子标准指数法和模糊综合评判法相结合的方法评价大气环境质量，并给出评价方法，步骤、结合实例说明其应用。     

某型飞机腐蚀防护及设计改进

目的针对某型飞机的腐蚀问题开展研究,制定结构腐蚀修理和防腐改进措施。方法对外场飞机的腐蚀情况进行统计归类,对现有飞机防护体系进行梳理,分析结构腐蚀原因和防护体系的不足。在对飞机服役地区环境进行实测的基础上,编制飞机地面停放环境谱和飞机结构局部环境谱。研究制定结构防护体系设计改进措施,并通过加速腐蚀试验验证设计改进效果。结果与结构设计改进前的原始状态相比,防腐改进后的结构日历寿命提高1.6~5倍。结论飞机防护体系薄弱的情况下容易引发多种类型的腐蚀问题;系统地对飞机结构腐蚀问题进行治理,才能取得令人满意的效果。     

某基岩区工业固体废物填埋场地递进式场地环境调查实例

针对某基岩区简易封场后的固体废物填埋场,采用多层次、递进式调查策略,配合使用地球物理探测、直压式土壤快速取样、现场快速检测等技术,分3个阶段开展填埋场及其周边环境调查。第1阶段,调查地质环境特征,开展地球物理探测;第2阶段,调查填埋物、渗滤液主要组分及对周边积水、农田土壤、民用井水的污染情况;第3阶段,划定重点污染区域,开展土壤和地下水污染调查。调查结果显示,填埋区已发生明显渗漏,对邻近区域土壤、地下水及地表积水造成了一定污染,但未对周边农用地土壤、民用井水质等产生不利影响,总体处于可控范围。提出,通过削减污染源,切断污染物迁移、暴露途径,消除已有污染影响,长期跟踪监测等多项管控治理措施进行综合整治。     

When unequals are treated equally: the 2002 commission of inquiry into Orica's Geomelt proposal

This paper deals with the Commission of Inquiry (COI) established by the NSW Department of Planning to examine Orica's proposal to build a Geomelt plant at its Botany site to destroy its stockpile of Hexachlorobenzene. The Inquiry is analysed in light of the literature on democracy/democratisation. The paper argues that the standard operating procedures of the Inquiry ensured that all stakeholders were treated equally. However, this equality was found to be purely formal, and drawing on the critique of formal equality dating back to Aristotle, it is argued that treating unequals equally results in the circumvention of deliberative democratic ideals by perpetuating entrenched structural inequalities while nonetheless giving the superficial appearance of fair play.     

区域空气质量模拟中查表法的应用研究

在自行开发完善的区域空气质量模式系统RegSRRMS中应用查表法,模拟中国典型城市群对流层大气主要污染物的浓度变化,评估该方法在大气复合污染事件预测和控制中的有效性.首先,利用具有国际先进水平的空气质量模式WRF-CHEM中的化学模块建立了包含完善气相化学、气溶胶过程的箱模式WRFBOX.其次,利用WRFBOX进行化学反应敏感性分析,基于影响污染物的重要因子分别建立了臭氧(O3)及其前体物、无机盐气溶胶和二次有机气溶胶(SOA)查算表数据库,并检验其有效性.最后,将此查算表数据库引入RegSRRMS,建立简化的查表算法.利用直接耦合机制法和查表法对2000年3月珠三角地区污染个例中主要大气污染物浓度进行模拟.通过比较2种方法的模拟结果,显示查表法计算效率提高了57%,能够反映大气光化学反应的非线性特征、气溶胶及其前体物的平衡关系,具有高分辨率、高时效性,能够方便快捷地给出源和受体之间的响应关系,结果可靠.在区域空气质量模式中应用查表法有利于大气污染事件的快速预测以及大气污染控制的快速决策.     

长江口海域生态环境状况及保护对策

为加快推进长江口海域的生态环境保护和修复工作,结合长江经济带大保护,系统总结分析了近20年长江口环境质量和生态监控区的监测结果.结果表明:①长江口海域生态系统长期处于亚健康状态.②长江径流总量呈现波动变化,年均流量无明显的变化,而长江口海域海水环境状况一直较差.③营养盐污染严重,主要污染物是无机氮和活性磷酸盐;浮游生物和底栖生物群落结构不稳定,存在生境破碎化严重、外来生物入侵、赤潮频发、低氧区等诸多生态问题.为加强长江口海域生态环境的保护与修复,建议:①加强顶层设计,推进落实陆海统筹;②科学规划临港产业布局,加强涉海产业的污染管理;③加强污染物入海排放管控,提升海洋环境保护意识;④保障海洋生态建设资金,强化海洋生态保护与建设.