In most major metropolitan areas of the Rocky Mountain West, non-whites and the poor live closest to toxic areas, according to the Colorado College 2006 State of the Rockies Report Card.
In 18 of the 23 metro areas, lower income people live closest to toxic areas; in 16 of the areas, non- whites live closest to toxic areas; and in 16 of the areas, Hispanics live closest to toxic areas.
- In Salt Lake City, Utah, per- capita income is 23 percent lower in toxic areas than it is in clean areas, and people living in toxic areas are nine percent more likely to be non- white.
- In Pueblo, Colo., per- capita income is 19 percent lower in toxic areas than it is in clean areas and people living in toxic areas are 16 percent more likely to be Hispanic than are people in clean areas.
- In Colorado Springs, Colo., people living in toxic areas are 8 percent more likely to be non- white than are people in clean areas.
The Rockies region bears an inequitably high share of the nation's pollution, as documented in the 2005 State of the Rockies Report Card.
Environmental justice is based upon the idea that people of every race, ethnicity, and income group deserve equal rights to clean air, water, and land.
In other states in the Rockies, certain demographic groups are disproportionately exposed to a full quiver of environmental assaults, including air pollution, water pollution, and nuclear radiation.
The annual report was released this week at the Colorado College State of the Rockies Conference, which runs through today on the CC campus.
This year's report card also predicts dramatic effects on ski resorts due to climate change; examines habitat threat and fragmentation of land; considers the political voice of the Rockies Region on a national level; looks at changes to ranching in the Rockies; maps areas with greatest number of conservation easements; and grades how effectively each county nurtures its youth.
The report also features the updated "Rockies Baseline" section, which illustrates the eight- state region0¥ús essential demographics, including population and age, language, race and ethnicity, families, housing units, home values and costs, education attainment, income, poverty, income by type, employment by occupation, employment growth by occupation, employment by industry, and employment growth by industry.
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