facilities renewal master plan - National Zoo - Smithsonian Institution

FACILITIES MASTER PLAN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
C.4 Environmental Justice
Executive Order (EO) 12898 directs Federal agencies to identify and address as
appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects
of their programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income
populations. The process to identify potential disproportionate impacts associated with
the proposed action was as follows:
Identification of the potentially affected population in the study area;
Characterization of the study area with respect to minorities and low-income
populations;
Determination of potentially significant adverse impacts of the proposed action
and alternatives; and
Evaluation of the potential for disproportionately high and adverse impacts on
minority populations and low-income populations in proximity of the alternate
sites.
There are minority groups and low-income populations within the study area. The
demographic makeup of the Census Tracts within and adjacent to the project area is
shown in the Table 4.
The Hispanic minority group in the Mt. Pleasant, Columbia Heights, and Lanier Heights
neighborhoods of the study area is significantly higher in proportion to the total
population of Hispanics in Washington, DC (NeighborhoodInfoDC, 2000).
Impacts to Environmental Justice Communities
No-Action Alternative
Under the No-Action Alternative, small scale site improvements would continue for site
improvements, building rehabilitation, and facilities updates related to safety, health, and
maintenance. There would be no changes or activities that would impact low-income or
minority populations.
Alternatives A, B, and C
There are minority populations in the vicinity of the National Zoo. No concentrations of
minority populations have been identified that would be affected by any of the proposed
development scenarios under Alternatives A, B, and C. Construction activities associated
with exhibit and building renewals in Alternatives A, B, and C, could be minor shortterm
impacts to adjacent residents to the National Zoo. Construction activities would be
limited to the National Zoo property. Potential noise impacts could occur from
construction activities and traffic impacts from construction vehicles accessing the site.
There is no evidence that low-income or minority populations would be adversely
affected by Alternatives A, B, and C because concentration of these populations have not
been identified adjacent to the site.
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