Environmental Justice and Information Technologies: Overcoming the Information-Access Paradox in Urban Communities

• Published in: Public administration review 2003-09, Vol.63 (5), p.573-585
• Main Authors: Kellogg, Wendy A., Mathur, Anjali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Access to Information; Adults; Citizen Participation; Collaboration; Community; Community associations; Community Development; Community Involvement; Community Organizations; Community Relations; Decision making; Environment; Environmental agencies; Environmental conditions; Environmental justice; Environmental Policy; Environmental protection; Environmental quality; Environmental regulation; Environmental Standards; Executive orders; Exhibits; Government Agencies; Hazardous Materials; Information Dissemination; Internet; Justice; Low Income; Low Income Groups; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority Groups; Neighborhoods; Outdoor air quality; Policy Formation; Political participation; Political power; Pollutants; Pollution; Prerequisites; Public administration; Public relations; Race; Retirement communities; Studies; Sustainable cities; Sustainable communities; Tables (Data); U.S.A; Urban Areas; Urban politics
• ISSN: 0033-3352; 1540-6210
• DOI: 10.1111/1540-6210.00321

Scientific studies and resident testimony suggest that urban residents in low-income and minority communities have been subject to an unequal burden of environmental pollution and inequitable environmental enforcement practices. A key component of the equitable development and implementation of environmental policies is the participation of citizens and community-based organizations in the policy process. Such participation rests upon equitable access to agency-generated environmental information and effective use of that information by citizens. This article focuses on the adoption of Internet technologies by environmental agencies as a mechanism for disseminating information and the implications for low-income and minority residents in urban communities. A framework is developed to guide a programmatic response to overcome these implications. The results from several community-based projects are described and analyzed for their capacity-building effectiveness. Analysis of the projects indicates improvement in community capacity for information access and use, which bolstered community participation in the environmental decision-making process.