New Study Underscores the Ongoing Harmful Legacy of Redlining

EDF Statement from Margot Brown, Vice President, Equity and Justice

Today, a new study funded in part by the Environmental Protection Agency underscores the ongoing negative impacts of redlining. Researchers analyzed air quality data in over 200 cities where communities were redlined, dating back to the 1930s, and found consistently elevated levels of pollution in Black, Asian, and Latino communities.

“These findings - once again - highlight the historical and unrelenting impact of environmental racism. Redlined communities bear a disproportionate burden of poor air quality that will have a profound effect on a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes for generations to come. New policies such as the Infrastructure Framework and Environmental Justice Air Quality Monitoring Act, help move the needle, but ongoing attention and resources are needed.”

  • Dr. Margot Brown, Vice President of Equity and Justice for Environmental Defense Fund

One of the world’s leading international nonprofit organizations, Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org) creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships. With more than 3 million members and offices in the United States, China, Mexico, Indonesia and the European Union, EDF’s scientists, economists, attorneys and policy experts are working in 28 countries to turn our solutions into action. Connect with us on Twitter @EnvDefenseFund

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