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Environmental Justice and Information Technologies: Overcoming the Information‐Access Paradox in Urban Communities
Author(s) -
Kellogg Wendy A.,
Mathur Anjali
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
public administration review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.721
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1540-6210
pISSN - 0033-3352
DOI - 10.1111/1540-6210.00321
Subject(s) - environmental justice , agency (philosophy) , business , dissemination , process (computing) , enforcement , environmental planning , public relations , economic justice , environmental resource management , political science , sociology , economics , geography , social science , computer science , law , operating system
Scientific studies and resident testimony suggest that urban residents in low‐income and minority communities have been subject to an unequal burden of environmental pollution and inequitable environmental enforcement practices. A key component of the equitable development and implementation of environmental policies is the participation of citizens and community‐based organizations in the policy process. Such participation rests upon equitable access to agency‐generated environmental information and effective use of that information by citizens. This article focuses on the adoption of Internet technologies by environmental agencies as a mechanism for disseminating information and the implications for low‐income and minority residents in urban communities. A framework is developed to guide a programmatic response to overcome these implications. The results from several community‐based projects are described and analyzed for their capacity‐building effectiveness. Analysis of the projects indicates improvement in community capacity for information access and use, which bolstered community participation in the environmental decision‐making process.