GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SOURCES: ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

NOTE: There is growing concern in the United States and North Carolina about the documented pattern of siting dangerous facilities and substances in minority, low-income, and politically disenfranchised communities. This siting pattern emerges from comparisons between data on geographical distribution and disposal of toxic, hazardous, and radioactive substances and ecological, health, and demographic data for those locations. It should be noted that this kind of information is often not easy to synthesize due to the difficulty of determining the health risks and effects of chemicals to individuals and communities.

Ecological information can be obtained from the numerous government agencies and non-governmental bodies described in this and other chapters of this book. Health and demographic information can be obtained from sources listed in the Population chapter, the "Hazardous..." chapter, the agencies and organizations described below, and from public and academic libraries.

STATE:

N.C. Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources (DEHNR):

Center for Health and Environmental Statistics (CHES) (P.O. Box 29538, Raleigh 27626-0538; 919/733-4728): Develops and maintains a variety of statistics including demographic, social, and economic indicators; social, welfare, and health data including health status and location of minority populations; vital statistics (pregnancies, births, deaths); and health care availability and use. Houses the state's Geographical Information System (GIS), an computer database of natural and cultural resource information. Maintains databases of information on infant deaths, fetal deaths, occurrences of cancer, and mortality. Mortality data includes some information on underlying cause, race, education, occupation and industry, etc.
Publishes CHES Primer newsletters which explain statistical methods. Publishes An Inventory of North Carolina Health Data (1990), an indexed list of all N.C. health data sets available broken down by category. Includes for each data set a description, interval for data collection/estimation, smallest unit of analysis, whether it is computerized, and contact names and locations. Publication list available.
Epidemiology Division (225 N. McDowell St., Raleigh; 919/733-3421): Monitors the occurrences, distributions, and controls of disease based on environmental and other factors, developing measures to reduce or eliminate them. Maintains a database of information on occupational hazards at approximately 200 manufacturing facilities (air samples at facilities are annually collected and analyzed at the request of company management).
Occupational Health Section (733-3680): Responsible for ensuring safe and healthy work environments for all employees by aiding in the reduction of illness, disability, and discomfort arising from physical and biological stress or exposure to chemicals in the workplace.
Office of Minority Health (P.O. Box 27687, Raleigh 27611; 919/733-0992): Coordinates the public health system's efforts to improve the health status of N.C.'s racial and ethnic minority populations. Maintains liaison arrangements with other state and federal agencies, local health departments, voluntary organizations, and community organizations. Assesses the health of minorities including African Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanics and works on related policy issues. Enquiries for information on minority populations are referred to the Center for Health and Environmental Statistics (see entry above). Does not at this point work specifically on the subject of environmental justice.
Published a directory, Health-Related Resources for the Hispanic/Latino Community in North Carolina. The directory includes agencies and non-governmental organizations working in the areas of health care, heath education, health advocacy, related services, and community development. Currently compiling a similar directory for the African-American community.
Postmortem Medicolegal Examination Division - Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (Chapel Hill 27599-7580; 919/966-2253): Investigates and certifies deaths that are unattended, suspicious, or the result of violence. Conducts autopsies and toxicological analyses. Maintains the Medical Examiners Information System database, which contains information on all medical examiner investigations.

N.C. Department of Labor - Research and Statistics Division (4 W. Edenton St., Shore Bldg., Raleigh 27601; 919/733-2758): Maintains a database on occupational illnesses and injuries. The database is composed of results an on-going sample of all private-sector employees except those in low-risk industries which qualify for the small employer exemption and employees in state and local government agencies. Data on each individual employer are not available for public use; data by industrial category are available. Periodically publishes Occupational Illnesses and Injuries, a booklet with information from the database, categorized by industry.

N.C. Office of State Planning - State Data Center (116 W. Jones St., Raleigh 27603-8003; 919/733-4131): Published Statistical Abstract of North Carolina Counties (1991), a collection of tables and figures, many of which are broken down by county. The book includes sections on vital and health statistics, and business and industry. Available in many libraries. The data (current and historical) is now available on LINC (Log Into North Carolina), an online database operated by the State Data Center.

FEDERAL:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Environmental Equity Hotline (401 M St., SW, PM224, Washington, DC 20460; 800/962-6215): Housed within the Environmental Equity Office. Accepts calls from citizens and community groups who are concerned that their community may be a victim of environmental injustice. Refers concerns to EPA regional and/or headquarters offices across the country. Arranges meetings between citizens and community groups and governmental agencies. Currently establishing a library.

Distributes publications including Environmental Equity: Reducing Risk For All Communities. Volume 1, Workgroup Report to the Administrator and Volume 2, Supporting Document; and Innovative Management Strategies: Environmental Equity, an annotated bibliography of books and articles.

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