Hurricane Katrina as Environmental Injustice

Introduction

On August 25th, 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated communities along the Gulf Coast of the United States. New Orleans was hit the hardest, with neighborhood streets submerged underwater. Katrina remains one of the costliest tropical storms to strike the United States, with total punitive damages amounting to over 125 billion dollars due to rising floodwaters and destroyed homes. People of color were most affected due to racial inequality, as they were often forced to live in cheaper neighborhoods that were more vulnerable to flooding. The government failed to provide a safe evacuation procedure, but those affected still sought help from the authorities.

Environmental Injustice and Racial Disparities

Katrina destroyed 800,000 housing units, leaving thousands homeless. Out of the tens of thousands who were rescued, 30,000 were forced to take shelter in the Louisiana Superdome, while 1,836 people lost their lives. According to the US Census, only about 32,000 residents returned, which is only 56% of the population before the Katrina tragedy. The failure of disaster planning and the inability to maintain levees and dams led to floodwaters in New Orleans neighborhoods. This failure predominantly affected the African American population. The high poverty rate in the area forced them to live in unsafe areas that were not well-maintained by the government. Mayor Ray Nagin ordered an evacuation of the city, but many refused or were unable to leave due to various reasons, such as believing their homes offered significant protection or lacking finances or transportation. Residents were abandoned by federal, state, and local authorities, resulting in over 1,800 fatalities, predominantly among people of color. Katrina exemplifies how minority groups, especially those of color, are unprotected regarding environmental sustainability. The United States must be held accountable for improper planning and allowing minorities to risk their lives in vulnerable environments.

Rob Nixon, in his book "Slow Violence, Neoliberalism, and Environmental Picaresque" (2011), highlights discrimination against minority communities and the government's failure to maintain infrastructure and organize evacuation plans. This leads to a disadvantage for these communities during times of disaster. He also discusses the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina and the role racial discrimination played in the safety of affected communities. Nixon states that "negligence to prevent potential damages, such as creating neighborhoods around poorly maintained levees, is due to neoliberal ideals" (Nixon, 2011). He defines the wealth gap that allows upper-class white groups to have better access to safety than those of color. In my opinion, minority or colored groups unable to afford homes in wealthy or well-maintained neighborhoods face both racial and environmental injustice. If proper maintenance of levees and dams, as well as evacuation procedures, protocols, and policies, had been in place, many lives could have been saved, and displacement from the natural disaster could have been minimized.

The Road Home Program and Its Challenges

"The Road Home" was a housing assistance program initially led by Governor Kathleen Blanco, who delayed the program for six months by seeking more funding from Congress. Only 6 billion dollars were allocated through the GOP Congress, which was insufficient for Blanco’s recovery program that promised grants of up to 150,000 dollars. ICF was responsible for disbursing the money, but those who filed claims didn't hear back for months, only to find they needed additional verification, such as fingerprint verification and birth certificates, for counter-fraud measures. Many had lost their homes and all their documents. No timetable was established for when grants would be disbursed, and loopholes in appraisal methods and award calculations delayed grants for months. Out of 105,000 applicants, only 506 received money. The Department of Housing and Urban Development stated that the program needed redesign due to its faults, and the government also declined grants that exceeded the property value. Consequently, the Road Home program could only pay out the home’s value before the hurricane. Homeowners in black neighborhoods received less in grants than those in white neighborhoods, even when they had suffered similar or fewer damages.

A discrimination lawsuit resulted in 20 million dollars being divided among 125,000 residents and businesses, with checks ranging from 2.50 cents to 3,700 dollars, depending on the level of flood damage and home size. This compensation was still insufficient for some survivors to fully rebuild their homes and recover. It seems more cost-effective to clean up damages and debris than to ensure proper prevention. Levees and flood walls should be maintained, and emergency response teams should prioritize the most vulnerable. The housing rebuilding program has not shown proper policies to protect human rights and ensure speedy recovery; it took almost a decade for some to recover. In 2011, the Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Program was established to reduce flooding vulnerabilities in the New Orleans region. Higher and more resistant flood walls and levees were constructed throughout the area.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Hurricane Katrina exposed significant environmental and racial injustices in the United States. The lack of proper infrastructure maintenance and disaster planning disproportionately affected minority communities, highlighting the need for systemic change. Effective policies and practices must be implemented to protect vulnerable populations and ensure equitable recovery and sustainability in the face of future disasters.

References:

• Nixon, R. (2011). Slow Violence, Neoliberalism, and Environmental Picaresque. Harvard University Press.