The Increasing Burden of Oil Refineries and Fossil Fuels in ...

16 The Increasing Burden of Oil Refineries and Fossil FuellEnvironmental racism: Cumulative impacts of fossil fuels inWilmington go well beyond refineriesAlthough this report focuses on the oil industry, it isimportant to note Wilmington’s severe CumulativeImpact burden by identifying the many other majorpollution sources in or very nearby Wilmington.There is a need for effective Cumulative Impactpolicies by government agencies involved in planningand permitting, to reverse these impacts. CBEwill be publishing a fuller report on CumulativeImpacts in the region in the future.Environmental injustice or environmentalracism is a well-documented and severe problemacross the country, where communities of color andlow-income communities bear a higher concentrationof pollution compared to white communities.Unfortunately, Wilmington is a prime example.Although having five oil refineries puts Wilmingtoninto a class by itself due to that fact alone, the pollutionburden does not stop there.Pollution sources in or near Wilmington add up!Five Oil RefineriesPorts of LA & Long BeachOil DrillingAlameda Corridor (railway)I-110 & 710 Freeways Diesel TruckingAuto Body ShopsSewage Treatment(& much more)Recycling FacilitiesRegional SmogCommunities of color & the low income in Wilmington bear the cumulative impact burden of fossil fuel. 28Wilmington laHispanic or Latino of any race 85% 45%Median household income $30,260 $42,190Individuals below the poverty level 27% 18%