Achieving Environmental Equity in Arizona

BY STEVEN G. ZYLSTRA

GGenerations of discriminatory urban planning practices are creating a deep divide in many cities across the country, and the truth is that some communities are being impacted more than others.

In the United States, communities of color are almost three times more likely than their white counterparts to live in “nature deprived” areas, according to a 2020 analysis commissioned by the Center for American Progress and the Hispanic Access Foundation.

A different 2021 report compiled by Trust for Public Land found that neighborhoods with a majority of Black, Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, or Asian American and Pacific Islander population have approximately 44% less park acreage than predominantly white neighborhoods.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

Studies show that being surrounded by nature can bring numerous health benefits, including alleviating stress, increasing academic and work performance, and helping offset the symptoms of depression and other mental health challenges.

Add to that, shade from trees not only provides a needed reprieve from the blazing Arizona sun, but it also helps curb the heat island effect that causes underserved parts of south-central Phoenix to be 13 degrees warmer than wealthier, leafier neighborhoods just miles away.

Planting more trees also helps filter the air. In a 2022 report by the American Lung Association, Phoenix-Mesa ranked fifth on a list of U.S. cities most polluted by ozone. It also found that 84% of Arizonans live in communities that received “F” grades for their air quality.

This egregious situation is due to generations of redlining that pushed communities of color to undesirable locations near big polluters like freeways, industrial factories, and power plants. It’s no coincidence that children in these neighborhoods have significantly higher rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

The silver lining is that a majority of Arizona voters say they care about increasing access to natural spaces for lower-income populations and communities of color, as revealed by a new bipartisan Conservation in the West poll. In the survey, 72% of respondents said ensuring marginalized communities are better connected to natural areas is important within environmental conservation efforts.

And efforts are well underway to improve equitable access. Urban planners are working to design “cool corridors,” pedestrian paths that will be lined with plants native to the Sonoran Desert. Nonprofits and community organizers are educating communities on the tree equity gap and planting trees that are helping folks of color literally breathe easier. And local, state, and federal policymakers are working to pass legislation that mandates more equitable infrastructure development.

A handful of Arizona legislators have attempted to address these disparities in the 2023 legislative session. Senate Bill 1689, sponsored by Senator Mitzi Epstein, would have funded planting trees at schools in lower income neighborhoods. Senate Bill 1508, sponsored by Senator Juan Mendez, would have called for limits on how many major polluters can be located in lower income neighborhoods. Unfortunately, neither bill was able to gain traction, illustrating the public policy challenges that are difficult but not unsurmountable.

At the federal level, environmental justice efforts have found greater success, with the Biden administration’s focus on the Inflation Reduction Act’s Justice40 initiative, which calls for at least 40% of certain federal investments to flow to disadvantaged communities. This opens the door for the private sector and several of Arizona’s most forward-thinking companies to access funding to create technologydriven solutions that address pressing environmental justice concerns.

Funding has been set aside to reduce pollution in frontline communities, conduct fence line monitoring near industrial facilities, install air quality sensors in disadvantaged areas, and address diesel emissions affecting neighborhoods located by highways.

And as a bonus, Justice40 funding has also been allotted for planting trees, establishing community and urban forests, and expanding green spaces in cities, which helps combat climate change, improves public health, and decreases the dangers associated with excessive heat in the summer.

Through a careful balance of public policy and education, community organization, and utilization of technology, we can more effectively prioritize environmental equity and make green spaces more accessible for communities in all parts of Arizona.

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