44 senators ask EPA not to change clean air rules
BEARING THE BRUNT:
AFRICAN AMERICANS AND POLLUTION IN LOUISIANA
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NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN LOUISIANA |
4,482,646 |
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PERCENTAGE OF LOUISIANA POPULATION WHO ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN |
32.50% |
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TOTAL NUMBER OF LOUISIANA RESIDENTS WHO LIVE WITHIN THREE MILES OF A REFINERY |
384,976 |
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NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LIVE WITHIN THREE MILES OF A REFINERY |
196,823 |
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PERCENTAGE OF LOUISIANA RESIDENTS LIVING WITHIN THREE MILES OF A REFINERY WHO ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN |
51.5% |
Statistics from Refinery Reform Campaign Locator Project (www.refineryreform.org)
- Asthma attacks send African Americans to the emergency room at three times the rate (174.3 visits per 10,000 population) of whites (59.4 visits per 10,000 population).
- The death rate from asthma for African Americans is twice that of whites (38.7 deaths per million population vs. 14.2 deaths per million population.
- People exposed to toxic air pollutants at sufficient concentrations and durations may have an increased chance of getting cancer or experiencing other serious health effects. These health effects can include damage to the immune system, as well as neurological, reproductive (e.g., reduced fertility), developmental, respiratory and other health problems.
- The closer you are to the source of chemical releases, the higher your chance of exposure.
Louisiana and the United States are facing a major environmental crisis, and here in Louisiana, African Americans are facing more than their share of the health risks. While no one should be exposed to hazardous air pollution, in Louisiana, blacks are disproportionately represented in the population around the state's many oil refineries. While just over 30% of the state's total population is African American, they constitute over 50% of the population that lives within three miles of an oil refinery. This toxic injustice must be stopped! |
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Kids play basketball near refinery in Norco, LA |
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