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     

秦皇岛市环境空气质量现状及主要污染物浓度变化规律

采用国家环境保护部新颁布的《环境空气质量标准》对2013年秦皇岛市环境空气质量进行评价,其污染物浓度评价结果为未达标。评价结果表明,PM₁₀、PM_2.5、O₃是环境空气中主要的污染物。秦皇岛市环境空气具有较明显的月变化规律,O₃峰值出现在8月,其他污染物峰值出现在1月。PM_2.5小时浓度随时间推移呈峰谷型变化,O₃小时浓度呈单峰型分布,NO₂小时浓度夜间维持相对稳定。     

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。     

小清河沿岸地下水中有机污染物优先排序的研究

提出了对区域性有机污染物优先排序和风险分类的定量评价方法———密切值法。该方法以反映污染物的毒性、暴露水平和化学性质的6项参数为指标,对小清河沿岸地下水中的有机污染物进行了优先排序和风险分类。      

青岛地区边界层特征及酸雨成因

青岛地区边界层风场与温度场垂直分布很特殊,在1500m高度以下风场,近地面层风速较小,300-400m高度风速较大,500m以上风速减小,1000m以上又逐渐增大。温度层结早晚稳定,午后200m以下不稳定,混合层不高,一般在400m左右,有时可达700m,低空经常出现多层逆温。冬季盛行偏北风,夏季盛行偏南风,并经常受江淮气旋和黄淮气旋影响,气旋经过青岛地区时,流场经常出现上、下辐合气流。引入平直和上、下切变两种气流,应用平流扩散方程,对青岛地区连续点源所排放的污染物作模式计算,结果表明,在单一平直气流时,污染物传输较远,但浓度轴线也在一定距离上与地面相交。尤其是在雨天,污染物只在局地散布,浓度较大。当风向出现上、下层切变时,污染物传输范围受限制,这些污染物质在雨天经过化学变化即在近距离形成酸雨。     

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.     

大庆油田落地原油对土壤污染的研究

大庆油田是中国最重要的原油生产基地,开发建设50多年来,已累计生产原油18.2亿吨.不可避免地在油田生产过程中产生大量的落地原油,对土壤造成了严重的污染.落地原油在土壤中的迁移主要有横向迁移和纵向迁移:横向迁移对土壤的污染成辐射状分布,污染强度随污染源的距离增加而迅速降低,污染源周围污染最重的区域在0 m～40 m范围内,占总量90%以上,横向迁移范围确定在150 m以内;落地原油纵向迁移绝大部分集中在距土壤表面0 cm～10 cm范围内,竖向迁移一般不超过70 cm.落地原油污染土壤中主要污染物包括总烃、芳烃、酚、苯并[a]芘和硫化物,通过落地原油污染土壤的模拟实验可知总烃、芳烃、苯并[a]芘和硫化物含量,随原油浓度增加而明显增加,呈明显正相关性;其一元线性回归方程分别为Y=0.470X-17.88、Y=0.119X-6.13、Y=0.0076X-0.30、Y=0.000055X 0.089.     

臭氧-生物活性炭技术在微污染饮用水处理中的应用

通过研究国内外臭氧—生物活性炭工艺的发展现状和应用实践,指出了该项技术在应用中体现出的优越性,并提出了此项技术在应用中存在的问题,部分地介绍了提高此项技术应用水平的措施。研究表明,臭氧—生物活性炭工艺在处理微污染饮用水将会受到重视和广泛地推广应用,同时也对今后的研究方向提出了相应的观点。     

Evolution of environmental impact assessment as applied to watershed modification projects in Canada

This article reviews the application of environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures and practices to three watershed modification projects situaled in western Canada. These ventures were justified for accelerating regional economic development, and cover the period during which public concerns for protecting the environment rapidly made their way into the national political agenda. An historical account and analysis of the situation, therefore, seems desirable in order to understand the development of EIA processes, practices, and methodologies since the start of construction of the first project in 1961. This study concludes that there has been good progress in predicting and evaluating environmental and related social impacts of watershed modification proposals. However, a number of obstacles need to be overcome before EIA can firmly establish itself as an effective planning tool. These difficulties include jurisdictional confusions and conflicts, division of authority and responsibility in designing and implementing appropriate mitigative and monitoring measures, lack of tested EIA methodologies, and limited availability of qualified human resources. A number of conclusions and suggestions are offered so that future watershed modification proposals may be planned and implemented in a more environmentally sustainable fashion. These include: (1) EIA processes must be completed before irrevocable decisions are made. (2) Any major intrusion into a watershed is likely to impact on some major components of the ecosystem(s). (3) Mitigation costs must form part of the benefit-cost analysis of any project proposal. (4) Interjurisdictional cooperation is imperative where watersheds cross political boundaries. (5) The EIA process is a public process, hence public concerns must be dealt with fairly. (6) The role of science in the EIA process must be at arms length from project proponents and regulators, and allowed to function in the interest of the protection of the environment and public health and safety. The views expressed here are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of FEARO and/or other government agencies and officials involved in the review of these projects.