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James Oluwalanke

Dr. Pedro de la Torre

STS 201

01/29/2018

Q1. The report was basically about the how flood has been affecting newark over the past years and the adequate control measures/techniques (laws Movements,permits)

that have been put in place to ensure the prevention of flood in Newark.Agencies that prevent flood have also proven efective and functional over time as in indicated

in the text "Historically, New Jersey has taken a strong role in the development of a rigorous floodplain management program at the State level while supporting those

same efforts at the Federal level with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) "(Floodplain Mapping Unit paragraph 1).This report would make resident feel

at ease knowing the problem of flooding is uder control.

Reacting to this report, Although Its is very reassuring knowing all these Agencies,funding,laws, and concerns are in place, I believe extra effort should be put in not only

in Newark but also in other flood affected areas in New Jersey and The United States as a whole because water levels are rising (major concern in coastal areas)and new methods should be put in place to

avoid major casualties.
. .

The policy is a program funded by the EPA called C.A.R.E. (Community Action for a Renewed Environment). The aim of this program is to build the public voice in environmental matters, and to give access to different sources of information from the community. 

Various kinds of vulnerability basically affects our immediate society in diffents ways.

Some include poverty,Illeteracy,natural dissasters and so on.These negative impacts

on our society makes the public vulnerable.

A process is placed that allows for social justice to take place in the development phase. 

"Commercial and Industrial developers have to go through the following process when proposing for a building: 

1. Reference the city’s ERI and prepare a checklist of pollutants
2. Submit checklist and development application to the city
3. Checklist goes to the Environmental Commission
4. Checklist goes to the Planning or Zoning Board (where appropriate)

The public has full access to this checklist to weigh in on it and make their voices heard." 

The first point that peaked my interest is when Dr. Nicky Sheats brought up the real world example of a powerplant that was placed in the Ironbound District. It's an example of how government standards don't reflect or align with individual standards. I thought this was interesting to see how the people didn't have their due justice in deciding to have a polluting plant in their neighborhood. The other fact that caught my eye is that Newark zoning laws, previous to being updated in 2012, had been grandfathered in since 1954. This goes to show the complete lack of awareness for public health that has resided in New Jersey's History. The last point that truly shaped this article is how steps were being taken to prevent environmental justice issues. Commercial and Industrial developers have to go through the following process when proposing for a building: "

1. Reference the city’s ERI and prepare a checklist of pollutants
2. Submit checklist and development application to the city
3. Checklist goes to the Environmental Commission
4. Checklist goes to the Planning or Zoning Board (where appropriate)

The public has full access to this checklist to weigh in on it and make their voices heard." 

Air polluion involves the introduction of harmful substance into the air.These harmful substances

involves various harmful gases let out by machines, aircrafts and so on.

These pllutions could lead to serious health injuries which could lead to poverty if

too much money is spent in the hospital as treatment could be expensive.

The policy is to have stronger land use and environmental rules on a local level. It aims to mitigate use of pollutants, and give careful attention to low-income, minority citizens as to not pollute their communities.

In the article, the authors used data from the 2011-2015 American Community 5-Year Estimates by the U.S. Census, 2010 U.S Census, and George C. Galster, “The Mechanism(s) of Neighborhood Effects: Theory, Evidence, and Policy Implications.”. They looked at data follwing children under 18,  and followed poverty trends such as census tracts for concentrated areas of high poverty. They used the number of children in Essex County Cities and compared it to the the amount of children in poverty in those cities, for the years of 2000 and 2015. Henceforth, they created an arguement stating that Child Poverty rates have risen within those 15 years, and even by 50% in some areas. The only issue I have with some of this data is that in some cities, we see a decrease in child population - and while there is an increase in child poverty in those areas, I feel like the reduced number of children in that area plays a big part in the so called "Increased Child Poverty Rates".

This article from 2009 focuses on the controversy of a garbage incenerator in the Ironbound that has sparked civil engagements to make the facility practice clean emmisions. Despite their reports of emmision reductions in 2005, the community argued that the garbage incenereator looked over many occassions where they violated those regulations, and how it still effects those communities. Here we see how the governments and people's interest don't line up.