Mobile Environmental Justice Action Coalition (MEJAC)PO Box 717 Mobile, Alabama 36601-0717Ramsey Sprague, President251.308.5872infomejac@gmail.com

Africatown Environmental Justice Movement Overview

Africatown's internationally prestigious history of being the first landfall for the last African slaves brought into North America during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade compels inquiry into its genesis. Today, the neighborhoods surrounding the sites of the original African settlements are a string of tightly-knit, almost entirely African-American residential neighborhoods which surrounded by such heavy industry as petrochemical tank farms, chemical refineries, industrial and municipal wastewater treatment facilities, timber treatment, chemical transport, concrete and asphalt crushing facilities, metals recycling and fabrication plants, a US Highway that acts as an interstate hazardous cargo bypass, two Class I railroads that cross its geographical expanse, in addition to a number of yet-to-be examined or remediated brownfields.

Despite such immediate proximity, the vast majority of residents do not have an accessible reference resource about the history of industrial activities near their homes or the kinds of health and safety risksposed by these activities and their legacies.

Most residents know that at least some of this industry has produced life-threatening pollution both through routine, legally-permitted release and as unintentional releases. Most understand that some releases may be negatively impacting their physical health, emotional well-being, and personal wealth. All of Africatown's environmental advocates stand united in desire to understand and confront the waysin which systemic environmental racism has impacted their lives and those of their beloved friends, families, and neighbors.

A publicly published Africatown-wide Environmental Site Assessment and public education program based on both its data and on direction from Africatown residents would help us to fulfill our missions to serve our people in good faith and sound practice despite hardship and indifference. Our coalition of organizations and individuals thanks you for your interest and support.

- Mobile Environmental Justice Action Coalition, Pastor Christopher L. Williams of Yorktown Missionary Baptist Church, Mobile County Training High School Alumni Association, Mobile Center for Fair Housing, Mobile Bay Sierra Club

Africatown Environmental Site Assessment Phase I (AESA Phase I)and Africatown Environmental Workshops (AEWs)

Project Summary

ProjectLocation

The greater Africatown community and its provinces as defined by the City of Mobile Planning Commission's Africatown Neighborhood Plan as the “Africatown Planning Area”; Mobile, Alabama 36610. As of January 2017, EPA considers Alabama an “underrepresented state”.

Project LeadOrganization &

Key Contact

Mobile Environmental Justice Action Coalition (MEJAC), PO Box 717 Mobile, Alabama 36601-0717, Ramsey Sprague, President, infomejac@gmail.com, 251.308.5872

OrganizationDescription

The Mobile Environmental Justice Action Coalition (MEJAC) was formed on September 25, 2013 with the mission to engage and organize with Mobile’s most threatened communities in order to defend the inalienable rights to clean air, water, soil, health, and safety and to take direct action when government fails to do so, ensuring community self-determination. MEJAC unites regional advocates with frontline communities to address longstanding and emergent environmental threats as a democratically organized, very-low-budget, all-volunteer, yet passionately engaged grassroots organization.

Project PeriodWith funding, the AESA Phase I and AEWs will be conducted primarily from September 1, 2017 through August 31, 2018, though work related to the information collected will continue long after.

EnvironmentalStatutes

Exercised

By conducting research into Africatown's historical land use, industrial pollution release, and identifying areas of criterion pollutant concern, the AESA Phase I will serve the EPA's environmental obligations under the Clean Air Act Section 103(a)(1), Clean Water Act Section 104(a)(1), Solid Waste Disposal Act Section 8001(a), and Toxic Substance Control Act Section 10. By conducting public educational workshops to address toxic substances known and suspected to have been emitted in and around the Africatown community, the AEWs will serve the EPA's environmental obligations under the Toxic Substances Control Act Section 10.

Current MOUProject

Partners

Pastor Christopher L. Williams Sr. of Yorktown Missionary Baptist Church, the Mobile County Training High School Alumni Association, and Mobile Center for Fair Housing.

Project Abstract

$28,890.10 towards an environmental site assessment for the historic Africatown community in a geographical area defined as the Africatown Planning Area by the City of Mobile Planning Commission's Africatown Neighborhood Plan and a seriesof information sharing workshops with the community to showcase results of and receive critical feedback about the environmental site assessment's findings and community attitudes regarding further research and environmental testing.

To receive MEJAC's AESA Phase I Project Guide with detailed budget, historical context, andthorough MEJAC work history, please contact Ramsey Sprague, 251.308.5872, infomejac@gmail.com.