Urbanization in North Carolina

Research Design

Laila Waddell

urban sprawl ain't equal y'all

5. Results & Analysis

4. Methodology

6. Discussion

3. Hypothesis

2. Supporting Literature

1. Introduction

Table of Contents

Introduction

• There has been a growing trend of urbanization in the Southeastern region of the United States due to industry expansion

• North Carolina's population has grown increasingly urbanized. This demographic shift has implications on the limits of large cities and smaller incorporated areas; however, these changes in land classification are often left unvisualized about population change by county

Background

Does urbanization exacerbate the environmentally toxic hazards that disproportionately impact minority communities?

• Communities of Black and Brown people continue to be among the most densely populated nonwhite communities in the Southeast

• These populations have faced discriminatory and racist laws and practices that have harmed their well-being and health

• Historically, this process has been linked to a lack of access to green spaces, clean water, and health services, further exacerbating the hazards these communities confront

Research Question

Statement of The Problem

• Historically, environmental risks have disproportionately impacted minority and low-income areas. These communities frequently lack the political and economic resources needed to minimize the consequences of environmental dangers
• Hazardous waste dumps and polluting companies in minority and low-income neighborhoods. Hazardous facility location has led in negative health effects such as increased incidence of asthma, cancer, and other disorders among susceptible communities.
• As North Carolina continues to grow and develop, an increasing number of individuals are being displaced in their communities, posing increased dangers to health and general wellness in metropolitan areas

Why?

SupportingLiterature

"Racial minorities and low-income households are disproportionately likely to live near a major road [e.g., 27% of racial minorities vs. 19% of the total population lived near high traffic volume roads in the United States in 2010." (Clark, L. P., Millet, D. B., & Marshall, J. D. 2017)

"Exclusionary housing policies concentrate housing inequities, disproportionately exposing Black communities to environmental pollutants, and isolating them from essential health resources such as healthy food options, hospitals, pharmacies, and green spaces." (Henderson, S., & Wells, R. (2021)

“Local incinerators, sewage treatment plants, military facilities, and other public facilities have impacted heavily on low-income communities and communities of color.” “Although this problem is discussed generally in the context of urbanization of less developed countries, urban migration has radical environmental effects…” (Michel Gelobter, Ph.D. 1994)

“The decline of nearby job opportunities, increased ease of travel to better-paying jobs, and a better-educated nonmetro labor force all contribute to increased long-distance commuting on the part of workers already living near enough to metro areas.” (Cromartie, J.B. 2006)

“Geographically, over 60 percent of newly designated metropolitan counties are located in the South…” “Metropolitan counties have the highest percentage of racial minority population…” (Brown, D. L. 1979)

Hypothesis

Despite the vast documental evidence surrounding the intersections of urbanization and environmental injustice, especially in the Southeastern region, more research needs to be done in North Carolina on this social-environmental correlation. H1: The presence of urban development increases the likelihood of minority communities being directly impacted by environmentally toxic hazards.

Hypothesis

Methodology

• This research utilizes two federal datasets: The Environmental Protection Agency’s 2023 EJ Screen Data (EPA) and the United States Department of Agriculture's 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (USDA).
• Independent variables: Marginalization & Urbanization
• Dependent variables: Air Toxics Cancer Risk, Toxic Releases to Air, and Hazardous Waste Proximity

Quantitative

Results &analysis

Discussion