Change in environmental justice scores in historically redlined communities compared to non-redlined communities: A case study of Richmond, Virginia

Abstract

Historical redlining discouraged investment in low-income and Black neighborhoods through racially-based residential security maps, making it difficult for these groups to build generational wealth. Further, historically redlined communities experience worse health and environmental outcomes than non-redlined communities. I hypothesized that the change in environmental quality from 2015 to 2021 is significantly different between historically redlined and non-redlined communities in Richmond, Virginia. I also examined if a disparity in environmental quality still exists between Richmond's historically redlined and non-redlined communities in 2021. To achieve this goal, Environmental Justice (EJ) scores for Particulate Matter 2.5 Concentration (PM2.5), Ozone Concentration, and Wastewater Discharge Levels were assessed at the Census Block Group level and retrieved from the EPA's EJSCREEN database. My analysis showed that Wastewater Discharge EJ scores improved in historically redlined areas but worsened in non-redlined communities. However, redlined communities' EJ scores for PM2.5 declined relative to non-redlined communities; there was no significant difference in the change of Ozone EJ scores between historically redlined and non-redlined communities. Notably, the higher 2021 EJ scores (indicating higher risk) for the above indices indicate a persistent disparity in environmental risk between redlined and non-redlined communities. Policy solutions should be explored to mitigate higher environmental risk in historically redlined communities.