Seattle Justice40rward Community Tour
Justice 40rward
The riverfront neighborhoods of South Seattle have long been disproportionately impacted by climate change and pollution. The Duwamish River is Seattle's only river, serving as a site of major industrial activity since the early 1900s. Industrial practices have introduced toxic chemicals to the waterway's sediments, causing contamination that continues to impact people and the environment despite cleanup efforts. Thus, consumption of resident fish and shellfish, as well as contact with contaminated sediments, pose a risk to human health. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared the Duwamish as a Superfund Site in 2001, making it eligible for a special federal cleanup due to the severity of its contamination.
The extreme contamination of the river impacts the riverfront neighborhoods of South Park and Georgetown most harshly, with potential exposures from contact with contaminated sediments on neighborhood beaches, swimming or wading in the river, and from fishing. South Park and Georgetown are among Seattle’s lowest income neighborhoods, and South Park in particular is one of the city’s most ethnically diverse neighborhoods. These neighborhoods, including the ancestral homelands of the Indigenous Duwamish Tribe and Coast Salish People, are in urgent need of protection. The contamination of the Duwamish and its unequal effects reflects the racial and economic segregation of America, as seen through infrastructure disinvestment in low income communities and communities of color.
One of President Biden’s first actions in office was the creation of the Justice40 Initiative, to ensure that people living with legacy harms such as the contamination of the LDW are prioritized in our national transition to greener sources of energy, cleaner air and water, and economic opportunities. The goal of the initiative is for 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to flow to communities, such as those in Seattle, that have been marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution, contamination, and climate change.
In response, WE ACT for Environmental Justice launched Justice40rward, a community-led effort created to ensure transparency and collaboration between elected officials, municipalities, and those who live in the disadvantaged communities that the Justice40 Initiative was designed to support. Billions of federal dollars in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, and other appropriations are available to address environmental injustices in their communities; these toxic tours bring together stakeholders and identify areas of collaboration to maximize impact. The Seattle tour is one of several that WE ACT will be hosting. Previously tours were held in New York City, Houston, and Austin.
For the Seattle Toxic Tour, WE ACT partnered with The Duwamish River Community Coalition (DRCC). The Duwamish River Community Coalition represents an alliance of community, tribal, environmental, and small business groups affected by ongoing pollution and cleanup plans for Seattle’s lower Duwamish River. The coalition works to elevate the voice of those impacted by the Duwamish River pollution and other environmental injustices for a clean, healthy, equitable environment for people and wildlife.
WE ACT's Justice40rward Seattle Tour with the Duwamish River Community Coalition/TAG
Seattle Communities of Color Are Overburdened and Underserved
One aspect of Justice40 is the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), a tool established by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to designate which census tracts meet the criteria to be considered a "disadvantaged community." CEJST analyzes communities in eight separate categories such as housing costs, proximity to hazardous waste facilities, and projected flood risk. Areas are designating as as "disadvantaged" if they surpass the thresholds set for one or more categories.
Because environmental justice is social justice, these categories cannot be separate from racial and socio-economic categories. These maps offer a comprehensive and integrated view of the environmental burdens faced by communities of color in Seattle by combining the data from CEJST (Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool) with racial composition data.
The CEJST classifications are depicted using different colored census tracts to represent underserved communities, with the intensity of the color corresponding to the severity of the burdens. Darker shades indicate that more CEJST thresholds have been surpassed, signifying higher levels of economic and environmental challenges.
Simultaneously, the second map highlights the racial composition of Seattle by displaying the percentage of people of color in various census tracts throughout the city. Darker shades indicate the population density of people of color, emphasizing areas where more than 90% of the population is composed of persons of color, showcasing the city's racial demographics.
By viewing the CEJST classifications alongside racial composition data, we can clearly see the relationship between areas identified as underserved by CEJST and communities of color. The areas which surpass the qualifying threshold under multiple CEJST categories, areas that are most likely to carry high levels of environmental and economic burdens, are overwhelmingly located in areas that are predominately communities of color. A recent analysis of CEJST communities nationwide by WE ACT showed that Black residents of disadvantaged communities were twice as likely to live in areas with higher levels of environmental and economic burden than white residents.
The communities in the Seattle Toxic Tour are among the most overburdened in the nation. Of the seven census tracts along the tour route on the Duwamish river, two are classified as "disadvantaged" by CEJST. However, although only two tracts are highlighted by CEJST, all communities in proximity to the Duwamish river suffer environmental burdens associated with proximity to a superfund site. But, these communities do not meet the criteria set forth by CEJST due to income levels above what CEJST allows for consideration, because many communities in Seattle have higher income levels due to the area's relatively high minimum wage and cost of living. Income levels in this area may seem high when viewed through a national lens but the reality on the ground is a much different story.
Understanding how national tools reflect realities in individual communities is an important aspect of implementing Justice40 participation and an important aspect of Justice40rward tours.
The Tour
On the afternoon of May 6, 2023, community members and Duwamish River Community Coalition staff led Federal and State officials on a tour of 17 locations within Seattle that highlighted both the environmental and economic concerns of local residents and their efforts to uplift their communities. Seattle residents gave powerful testimony on how living in close proximity to a river that is classified as a superfund site poses a severe threat to their health. Community organizers also detailed existing facilities and facilities that serve the local communities impacted by high levels of environmental and economic burden.
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1
Harbor Island
The Duwamish River in Seattle contains two Superfund sites, which exist due to industrial contamination. Harbor Island is one of those Superfund Sites, and the East Waterway is an area within the site.
DRCC, following community voice, demands a full health protective cleanup for the river. Soon, the EPA will release a clean-up plan for the East Waterway. The sediment in the river, which contains toxic chemicals, must be cleaned in order for the river to become healthy again. The cleanup is a long-term process requiring the cooperation of stakeholders to restore the river’s health.
2
Duwamish/Diagonal Combined Sewer Overflow
A big grate marks a combined sewer overflow on the east side of the river. This overflow dumps untreated human and industrial waste into the river whenever there is heavy rain, making it one of the worst toxic hotspots. This site was the first to be cleaned up since being listed as a Superfund site, removing contamination from PCBs, toxic oils, and chemicals used in making plastic.
The community’s involvement in cleanup decisions is crucial to ensure that the cleanup is effective and doesn’t waste money. For example, when the cleanup of this site was initially planned, it would have left a toxic hotspot next to it that would have re-contaminated the site within two years. However, with community involvement and advocacy, the other hotspot was included in the cleanup plan to achieve tangible benefits for the river and the community.
3
Kellogg Island
Kellogg Island and Herring House Park are essential natural and cultural sites along the Duwamish River. Kellogg Island is protected and provides a habitat for wildlife. It is necessary to recognize the history and presence of the Duwamish Tribe and their contributions to the area. They help to ensure that the Superfund cleanup protects their cultural resources and the environment.
The Duwamish people have been in the Seattle/Greater King County area since time immemorial. They were the first signatories of the Treaty of Point Elliott in 1855, signed by Chief Si’ahl, chief of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes. Their longhouse today stands across the street from where one of our largest villages was located before it was burned down by settlers in 1895. Many of the Duwamish tribe's enrolled members live in Seattle, Burien, Tukwila, Renton, and Redmond.
4
Lafarge
Lafarge is an outflowing facility. To clean up the river, there is a big crane on the river which takes contaminated sediments from the Duwamish river and places the sediments directly onto the barge into rail cars, where it will go to eastern Washington to a landfill. This is a cheaper outflow alternative that is more direct and safer.
5
Alaska Marine Lines
During the summer months, the ports around Alaska are open instead of filled with ice. Alaska Marine Lines help get supplies to small cities in Alaska. For some smaller and more isolated cities, this is the only way to obtain supplies. This is an important thing done in Seattle that supports communities in need and demonstrates the enormous scale of the Port of Seattle, which is one of the largest in the country.
6
Duwamish Shipyard
There are many sources of pollution in the Duwamish River, both historical and ongoing. Over the years, the PCBs and other toxic chemicals accumulated in the sediment seriously threaten the environment and public health even though they were banned over 30 years ago.
All industries and factories operating along the river must take responsibility for their pollution and work towards reducing their impact on the river. Boeing is one of the major contributors to toxic pollution in the river. Many smaller companies, like the shipyard, are responsible for some pollution. Several years ago, one of our group members found the shipyard pumping contaminated water with very high levels of heavy metals (lead, copper, zinc) into the water. The member worked with this shipyard, and today, the water pumping through these pipes is clean. Much more needs to be done to address the more significant issue of pollution in the Duwamish River.
7
Mercury Hotspot
The Duwamish River faces a significant health risk due to mercury contamination, and this glass recycling plant is one of the most affected hotspots. It is likely that the source of mercury contamination is historical, as there is no indication that glass recycling involves the use of mercury. The EPA is responsible for identifying the cause of every contaminated spot to determine who should bear the cleanup costs. Mercury contamination and PCBs are considered a severe health hazards by the Department of Health. The state Department of Health issued an advisory against consuming more than one bottom fish per month from the Duwamish River due to cancer risks and potential health issues for children and pregnant women. Despite the warning, many people fish in the river more than once a month, and others fish daily for food consumption. Cleaning up the river to enable fishing without risking public health is crucial. The river is a shared resource that belongs to everyone.
8
Slip 4
The first round of Superfund studies was presented to the community in the early 2000s. Two hundred people attended a public meeting where the worst hotspots on the river and proposed cleanup sites were discussed. Two of the most contaminated hotspots, a home and a slip on the east side of the river, were proposed as “early action” cleanup sites due to high levels of PCB contamination. Young salmon leaving the river were found to have enormous levels of PCBs. While it is safe to eat salmon from the river in moderation, all other fish should be avoided, especially by pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children.
Fishing is vital to Duwamish Valley communities, connecting them to their culture and providing affordable food. Immigrant families continue their fishing traditions, while tribes see it as part of their culture and spirituality. It is necessary to prioritize the fishing community’s needs as they are among the most affected.
9
Seattle Iron and Metals
The task of recycling is very important, yet with the all-purpose grater, recycling can be one of the biggest polluters in the Puget Sound. When it rains, metal, dust, and trash is exposed, and ends up in the river and on community streets. 50 years ago, the industry was state of the art, yet nothing has changed since that time. Puget Sound Keeper (one of the DRCC members!) have won a settlement that has forced them to make great improvements.
Thorough the DRCC Moss Study, Seattle Iron Metals has also been determined a hotspot for Arsenic, Lead, and Cobalt. For more information, visit https://www.drcc.org/moss-study
10
Georgetown Eighth Avenue Access
This piece of land includes a historic (inactive) pump station building that was connected to the Georgetown Steam Plant. It was also the site of the former 8th Avenue pedestrian-trolley bridge that linked the Georgetown and South Park neighborhoods until 1937. The site is currently owned by three different jurisdictions and is challenging to get to because of the lack of sidewalks, pooling water, industrial activity and a lack of parking. A resident led workgroup is working closely with the City, County and the Port of Seattle to design a workable solution for all three of the public agencies and the adjacent businesses.
This is the only public access point the community of Georgetown has to the river, and the access has been deeply neglected. Currently, the DRCC is working with DirtCorps to do improvement on the park and along eighth avenue to improve green water infrastructure and habitat restoration.
11
Gears Park
Gears Park- t̓ałt̓ałucid Park and Shoreline Habitat The 17,500 square-foot t̓ałt̓ałucid Park and Shoreline Habitat, formerly 8th Ave. South Park was once the site of a swing bridge that connected South Park and Georgetown. Now a great sport for families and workers to observe waterfowl and other wildlife. Tribal fishers exercise their Treaty rights nearby and harvest adult returning salmon in this area.
Last December, the community experienced a king tide which resulted in sewer back ups and river flooding in people’s homes up to their waists. Over 42 households were impacted, 12 families have been displaced and the majority have lost most of their personal items. Residents were told that a flood event this bad would not happen for 20 years, but the community is already facing the impacts of climate change.
12
Duwamish Waterway Park
DWP is one of South Park’s only green spaces. The park was closed down for a few years during COVID due to toxic metals being found in the soil. This took a large toll on the community, especially during the pandemic when access to the outdoors was so important. Certain areas of the park are still closed today as more studies are done.
13
Boeing Plant 2
The Boeing Company was the largest contaminated river area due to the decades of airplane manufacturing before modern environmental laws. This site has been designated for early action cleanup, with the Boeing Company funding the project. The cleanup has been planned for years and is particularly important due to its proximity to South Park, where many fish and children play. The cleanup used advanced dredging technologies and successfully restored natural habitats, making it one of the best in the nation.
14
14th Ave St. Bridge/ South Park Bridge
The shoreline habitats here are crucial for aquatic creatures and wildlife bugs that feed fish in the Duwamish river. Ponds recreate intertidal habitats and control conditions during different times of year depending on amounts of rain. This is a very rich wildlife area that drains into the river, giving life to the river.
15
Duwamish People’s Park
Starting in 1937, the Duwamish Manufacturing Company and Malarkey Asphalt Company operated here with minimal environmental regulations. These companies heavily polluted the soil and shoreline of the site and went out of business in 1993. In 2003, the EPA designated the site as a highly toxic “Early Action” Superfund site. The EPA found contaminated soil, asphalt, oil, pipelines, a non-leaking underground diesel storage tank, drums and debris in the riverbank resulting in risks of exposures to PCBs, a highly toxic chemical hazardous to public health.
In 2007, the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition and South Park residents took their concerns about the Superfund cleanup directly to the Port of Seattle Commissioners, filling the Commissioners’ meeting room at their midday meeting at Sea-Tac Airport. After hearing from a parade of South Park residents, the Commissioners unanimously voted to exceed the EPA’s original cleanup order and do a full site cleanup, which allowed for the new public access and habitat area. During the Superfund cleanup from 2013-2014, the Port opened a field office in South Park and collected the community’s ideas for the site design.
Once completed in 2022, the park will be open for all to enjoy views of the Duwamish River and its shoreline marsh habitat from an elevated river walkway, explore a walking path with a hand-carried boat launch, and view public art designed with the community. The DRCC youth- Duwamish Valley Youth Corps corps were instrumental in this restoration and helped plant many of the native plants.
16
Jorgensen Forge
Jorgensen Forge is a former steel and aluminum forging and distribution facility on the banks of the Lower Duwamish River. The riverbanks and sediments next to the factory are contaminated with toxic metals and PCBs, which were cleaned up under an EPA Early Action cleanup order in 2014 and 2015. However, tests showed that the company left pollution behind. The EPA fined Jorgensen Forge for not completing the work correctly and a new plan is being developed to finish the cleanup. A proposed cleanup plan will come out this year. Community members have been advocating for a complete cleanup of remaining PCBs.
17
Turning Basin
The Turning Basin was used as an industrial wasteland, cleaned up and planted for habitat over the past few years by agencies and volunteers. Although it is now a marsh and intertidal habitat for fish and wildlife, there is still pollution in the area, including a PCB hotspot behind the boat launch. This area has yet to be proposed as an early action cleanup site, and if it is not added to the list, it could take years to see action or change. The early action cleanup plans did not address the top risk to health, which is arsenic. The Duwamish River fishermen are at risk of cancer due to arsenic exposure. The community has urged the EPA to clean up the river of arsenic and other hotspots to protect their health and the environment.
Briefing
Before the tour, Federal and State officials such as EPA Senior Advisor to the Administrator for Environmental Justice Robin Morris Collin engaged local community members and organizers in a discussion over Justice40 and community concerns.
During the briefing, the Duwamish River Community Coalition discussed several programs showcasing the importance of uplifting the community solutions to environmental justice issues within Seattle, such as an EJ community center, updating existing infrastructure, and affordable housing and place-keeping. Then, the group participated in a power mapping activity to further develop and discuss these community solutions, some of which are listed below.
River restoration and Superfund cleanup
Before 1913, residents could take a canoe up the Duwamish, and into the Black River, and into Lake Washington, and from there around to Lake Sammamish. From there, local Indigenous tribes and early settlers were able to cross Snoqualmie Pass, where economic trading happened with the Yakima Tribe and others in Eastern Washington and Oregon along the Columbia River. This all changed as people settled along the river and the area industrialized. Today we see many business activities along the river: cement factories, drywall factories, fish product factories, marine cargo companies, metal recycling scrap yards, port marine docks, boat marinas, boat building companies, and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe’s salmon fishery. Each day, more than 80,000 people come to work along the river, which generates over $2.5 Billion dollars in paychecks each year.
In 2001, the EPA put the Duwamish River on their Superfund list – meaning it is a national priority to clean it up. Part of the Superfund cleanup is to have the public involved in deciding how and where the cleanup happens. DRCC and its member organizations work to help involve all community members: parents, teachers, students, children and teens, workers, grandparents, artists, truck drivers, scientists, business people, social services, and more. Some residents have developed health problems from living near toxic sites, such as asthma, heart disease, cancer, and more. The goal of the DRCC is to advocate for the most thorough cleanup of the Duwamish possible, a cleanup that is protective of human health and the environment.
All community members can play a part in reducing sources of pollution in the river, such as buying products that are less toxic. We also need to advocate for the most amount of toxic mud removed from the river, and this is so critical to the cleanup, and for Seattle & King County to fix pipes along Duwamish to stop sewage/stormwater overflows.
DRCC and its member groups have worked hard to involve community members in these processes. People demanded that more testing be done in the river and in the riverbanks, and the government did what the people asked, and as a result the area called Terminal 117 (Malarkey Asphalt) will have a bigger cleanup area, and afterwards, the land will be turned into a park and place for birds and wildlife. Community members have volunteered to restore places for animals and salmon, pick up trash, remove graffiti, and other projects to improve community health. There are lots of ways to get involved, from joining neighborhood organizations and attending meetings, or talking with friends and family about what you learned. Most people in Seattle have no idea the Duwamish River is here, and what good things are happening. DRCC meetings always provide food and childcare as well as translation and interpreting so that people can understand.
Youth Leadership
The DRCC runs a youth engagement program focused on environmental justice and job skills called the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps (DVYC).
The circumstances in the Duwamish Valley have produced a vacuum of engagement opportunities for the youth, and DVYC is intent on filling that vacuum. By providing experiences and lessons that are unavailable to the youth at home or school, the purpose of the DVYC is to enrich and build upon their own lived experience. We believe that providing more, and more thoughtful, curriculum and hands-on activities will give our youth the arena they need to grow as students and professionals.
The high-school aged youth meet three times per week—twice for lessons about environmental degradation, environmental justice, and their role in these concepts as they relate to the Valley. They also meet twice per week for outdoor work—tree planting, neighborhood cleanups, restoration and maintenance work, invasive weed identification, rain garden construction, air quality projects, green wall construction and implantation, etc.
Advocacy & Stewardship
The DRCC also works with Duwamish Valley stakeholders and community so that they are able to effectively partner to address environmental justice, local wealth building, climate resilience policy and infrastructure, affordable housing, and workforce development challenges. The coalition's vision is a resilient neighborhood organized to advance health equity, center the voices of those most affected by environmental disparities and systemic racism, and where neighbors, workers, and businesses are able to thrive in place despite projected climate change impacts.
Displacement is one of the top three concerns for community members, and as the river cleanup and more attention from the city continues, low-income residents are being displaced at an alarming rate. Lack of affordable housing and displacement of people of color and low-income residents are frequently linked with examples of environmental injustices being perpetrated on the same demographics.
Only with strong and powerful communities rooted in place will we be able to weather the storm of climate change. Being rooted means having fair housing, dignified work, public transit, and healthy food. With a rapidly changing city, the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition is drawing the links between gentrification, displacement, climate change and community power.
