CHAPTER 6

SOCIAL AND NEIGHBORHOOD EFFECTS

Evaluation of social and economic impacts is an important aspect of assessment- As with most aspects of assessment, the

detail and effort expended vary according to particulars of the project

--- text cites, for ex: rural vs. urban an urban location is likely to require more detailed

examination, but as likely will generate less impact. A rural location project will likely require less detailed examination, but is likely to generate greater potential impact

Consideration of consequences of a proposed action on social and economic aspects of human life is at the same time very simple and extremely complex--- one of the easier aspects is that of identification of concerns of the public

… if any portion of the population expresses a concern, this, by definition, establishes the issue as worthy of examination

“… with respect to the existence of a social concern, the expression of a problem may be equated with its presence” (Jain, et al.)

… conversely, just because something is not expressed as a concern, by itself does not make the issue unworthy of examination… valid problems may exist which are not perceived so by the public; nor voiced by its groups

Analysis of potential social and neighborhood effects is closely related to analysis of land use, development and economic impacts--- since a significant percentage of proposals have the stated purpose of deliberately altering some aspect of human life, many of these projects / activities contain elements of social

and / or economic change

The problem is determination – within the context of NEPA – of which concerns, and to what degree, are valid foci for inclusion in an EA or EIS

Though Man and his interests are the central characters in environmental protection and assessment, it is interesting that the NEPA Sec. 102(2)(C) phrase:

“Include in every recommendation or report on proposals for legislation and other major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, a detailed statement…”

was not originally interpreted to include aspects of the social, cultural and economic environment

Interesting

From the beginning of NEPA, the Department of the Army was one of the few Federal agencies to have guidelines including the social and economic environments in their projects / activities

Aside

If you look back to the NEPA excerpts in the introductory lectures, very little is explicit about social / economic impact

(1) Prevent or eliminate damage to the environment and biosphere and stimulate the health and welfare of Man

(2) Create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can exist in productive harmony and fulfill the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations of Americans

(3) Utilize a systematic interdisciplinary approach which will insure the integrated use of the natural and social sciences and the environmental design arts in planning and in decision making which may have an impact on Man’s environment

(4) Assume for all Americans safe, healthful, productive and aesthetically pleasing surroundings

(5) Attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment without degradation, risk to health and safety, or other undesirable or unintended consequences

(6) Preserve important historical, cultural and natural aspects of our national heritage

(7) Achieve a balance between population and resource use that will permit high standards of living and a wide sharing of life’s amenities

6.1 Defining the Study Area- Defining study area for analysis of social

and community effects requires sufficient - Project alternatives should be expressed in

sufficient detail to allow understanding of both construction process and long term (operational) characteristics

- Definition of study boundaries may be influenced by the availability of population and employment data of appropriate aggregation

6.2 Coordination with Local Agencies- Text states that early coordination with local

planning agencies / public officials is valuable to:(1) obtain information and data on population characteristics(2) identify established communities and neighborhoods and the presence of organized neighborhood groups or associations(3) obtain comprehensive plans and information listing community facilities and services (4) identify particular problems(5) initiate continued review and coordination throughout

the project / activity study phase

6.3 Data Collection- The environmental document should

include a description of existing and proposed social characteristics for the study area, including:

--- identification of neighborhood--- community facilities and services--- general neighborhood character

- Text states that after a “rapport” is established with local planning officials collection of data can begin--- Text provides some direction:

(1) local government officials/planners can prove good sources of land use plans; community services; of infrastructure; etc.

[the items that are not “hard-fast” facts](2) most demographics for a site are available

in comparison form through publications of the U.S. Census; County Business Patterns;

commercial services; etc

Demographic data should be reviewed with the purpose of identifying special groups / populations or special circumstances – a brief discussion of demographic characteristics compared to averages for higher levels of demographic aggregation--- what information should you include?

text: total population values; income; age distribution; sex-ratios;

ethnicity/special groups; housing characteristics; population growth trends; growth scenarios; population or economics projection permutations

- Data on population / demographic characteristics can quickly become overwhelming

- It is important to focus data collection and review on relevant issues

- As always, the depth of investigation and data gathering should match the magnitude of the impact(s) studies

--- if review of data shows no significant special populations, the result may only require a couple of paragraphs in the Effected Environment portion of the environmental document

6.4 Neighborhood EffectsThe scope of the investigation and of the

subsequent analysis of potential neighborhood effects varies according to the physical characteristics of the proposed project / activity

6.4.1. Identifying established neighborhoodsAfter delineating study area boundaries,

neighborhoods within that area should be identified and described--- rural settings make this easy--- for urban / suburban neighborhoods, the text suggests some of the following:

… area recognized by local population and officials by name… area separated from surrounding areas by physical obstructions… residential land use area surrounded by other land uses… area with a concentration of special population groups… area of particular housing type (trailer, subsidized housing condominiums, etc)… areas of distinct housing value

.

.

When investigating for particular effects, any special characteristics of each defined neighborhood should be identified… as well as “communities” that might exist in a neighborhood area

(social cohesion)The environmental document should include

a study area map of neighborhoods and identifying characteristics to define them… map may be combined with land use map

if appropriate

6.4.2 Define future with and without conditionsText says that it is at all possible, the analyst should

define the physical change that will occur in each identified neighborhood… change to occur if we carry out the project vs.

a no-action alternativeIdentified change can be direct impact, indirect impact

or cumulative impact... physical change, human change, economic structure change, change to intangibles

(aesthetics, community perception, cohesion)

6.4.3 Population demographicsProject / activity should be evaluated for

potential to alter general population characteristics--- such as total population; dependency ratios; ethnicity; sex-ratios; socio-economic

indicators / standing; etc

[pretty much any / all demographic characteristics can be altered]

--- can ultimately alter economic situation of local community.. esp. if if infrastructure is not

prepared for it or that alters nature of the region

Neighborhood, Community and Power-Distance

*there are a couple of aspects of “social” aspects that your text does not discuss that I think are appropriate here *[though section 6.5 Community Facilities and Services does broach these]

These are the perception of community and continuing issue of power-distance in development and planningcommunity stands for more than a minor political unit – it stands for unity and identity and is not tied to an identification with a particular social or ethnic grouppower-distance is characteristic of a culture that defines the extent to which less-powerful persons in the society accept inequality in power and consider large social distance to be normal

--- exists in all cultures; variable across cultures / societies

Ignoring community and exacerbating power-distance is a frequent by-product of proposed planning of projects / activities… frequently leaving local population feeling powerless and alienated

(Section 6.5; p 83)

These are issues that can occur in any situation – urban or rural – but, because of the general lack of political power, is more frequent in small town / rural settings

I saw it a lot with the ARC and their approach to planning projects in Appalachia--- Again, from my experience, the response can take two forms:

(1) local community organization

(ex: Patchwork in the Glen; Crafters in the Glen)

(2) non-profit advocacy (Benedum Foundation)

… both are about empowerment

After the exam – I think

The issues of community, power-distance and economic planning/reorganization are presented for two small Appalachian Virginia towns in the video Rough Side of the MountainIvanhoe (coal, lead and zinc mining; can-making factory)Trammel (coal; a stereotypical company town – Pittston Coal [I think] literally owned the town and the houses the people lived in

… see the house auction)--- both are dying socially and economically and are

peripherally part of SW Virginia (Dickinson and Wise counties) economic planning

… local populations have organized to “bring back their towns” and get sustained economies

… regional planning commissions take view that local population needs to leave this to the professionals with the clout / the impact

6.7 General lifestyleSome of the most difficult aspects of a project

/ activity to define – let alone quantify … how do you put in dollars-and-cents how you “feel” about a situation… your “feelings” for someone / group that you know… how could you hope to do it for people that you

do not know – then project this into the future[Rough Side of the Mountain relates this as the predatory

side of community when an outsider (project analyst) attempts to come in and help a group of people with “what they need”]

You had better be right with your assessment because projects / activities take on a life-of-their-own--- projects / activities create their own multiplier effect that is hard to control

[$/momentum]ex: Circumference Highway; beltway

highways in general; situation of Nashville; 101st; TVA projects that created LBL and Nickajack Reservoir; Gettysburg & Hershey, PA

Look at what lifestyle / quality of life factors your text mentions as potentially occurring:[you could probably figure out a ton of these, too]

--- subculture variation--- ethnicity; income; type of employment(!)

[also the perspective of employer attracted]--- basic values(?)--- personal security(!)--- neighborhood stability and identity(?)--- leisure and cultural opportunities(!)

--- rural versus more developed character(!)

[Clarksville is excellent for this]--- social patterns or daily activity patterns(!)

[including journey-to-work and commuting patterns]

--- aesthetic quality of the area(!)--- general perception of individual well-being(?)

From Jain et al--- psychological needs

(emotional stability and security)--- physiological needs

(related to physical health and well-being)