Are Environmental Justice Communities Shifting in Response to Urban Development?

Authors

Melanie GaudetFollow

Files

Instructor/Advisor

William Squires

Keywords

environmental justice, urban planning, community empowerment

Abstract

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has defined dozens of block groups throughout Lawrence, MA as Environmental Justice (EJ) communities based on the population meeting criteria pertaining to income, the proportion of minority groups, and the level of language isolation. Individuals with these characteristics are more exposed to environmental hazards due to systemic injustice and the need to select communities based on affordability. As urban development throughout the city causes increases in property values and the cost of living, do low-income, minority groups become displaced? Will the location of EJ communities shift? I am using data from the American Community Survey and statistical analysis to determine if such displacement is occurring, which will ultimately enable the Massachusetts DEP and any other relevant government actors to track the movement of EJ communities and provide for equitable opportunities.

Recommended Citation

Gaudet, Melanie, "Are Environmental Justice Communities Shifting in Response to Urban Development?" (2025). RCAC 2025 Posters. 78.
https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/rcac_2025_posters/78