Decades ago, environmental activists found that minority communities are disproportionately impacted by pollution and water insecurity, and the continuation of the environmental justice movement shows that this negligence is an ongoing issue.
Despite protests, lawsuits and scientific studies to back up residents’ concerns, the soil was dumped into the landfill.
Warren County’s experience with pollution simply confirmed what minority communities already knew: the government neglects its minority communities and sometimes knowingly pollutes these areas.
Standing Rock residents must now wonder every day if their main water source will be contaminated by the pipeline.
In Warren County’s case, the town in which the landfill resided did not have a mayor or a city council, so residents were left to fend for themselves.
Cape Town is on its way to becoming the first major city to run out of water due to years of droughts and neglect by the federal government.
As early as 2015, local leaders promptly informed the national government that they would need to increase water supplies, but the dams were still 75 percent full at the time and their proposals were rejected.
Without the Clean Water Rule, minority communities will be the first to be affected as they battle pollution-fueled water insecurity.
Some communities, however, do suffer mainly because of government inaction, and these issues must also be alleviated.
Government officials should treat each community equitably and take everyone’s concerns seriously.