Grantee Research Project Results
Studying Air Pollution-Health-Climate Interactions for People of Color in Southeast Queens, NY: A Community-Based Project
EPA Grant Number: R840474Title: Studying Air Pollution-Health-Climate Interactions for People of Color in Southeast Queens, NY: A Community-Based Project
Investigators: Roberts-Semple, Dawn , Shin, Jin , Gao, Yuan
Institution: City University of New York - York College , City University of New York - Medgar Evers College , Rutgers University - Newark
Current Institution: City University of New York - York College , Rutgers University - Newark , City University of New York - Medgar Evers College
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: November 1, 2022 through October 31, 2025
Project Amount: $1,344,622
RFA: Cumulative Health Impacts at the Intersection of Climate Change, Environmental Justice, and Vulnerable Populations/Lifestages: Community-Based Research for Solutions (2021) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Human Health , Environmental Justice
Description:
Air pollution and climate change are major environmental issues impacting human health. In the U.S., air pollution is a leading cause of illnesses such as asthma, and death could be caused by poor air quality. Major air pollutants, including NOx (nitrogen oxides) and O3 (ozone), are greenhouse gases, and fine particles (PM2.5 - particulate matter 2.5) affect radiation transfer; both contribute to climate change. Thus, by reducing air pollution, climate and negative health impacts can be alleviated. Integrating air pollution reduction and climate change strategies is a much-needed approach to address environmental health concerns and environmental injustices in Southeast (S.E.) Queens, New York. Residents of S.E. Queens are disproportionately exposed to, and heavily impacted by, high daily diesel exhaust and blowoff from waste hauling trucks from two waste transfer stations, putting them at greater risk for respiratory illnesses from elevated ambient PM2.5, polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), toxic metals, and volatile organics.
Objective:
- Demonstrate the impact of pollutant emissions from the waste transfer stations on air quality in S.E. Queens, through research field measurements
- Train the residents to develop community science strategies such as crowdsourcing tools with the new knowledge gained from the measurements, enabling the residents facing environmental injustice to mobilize new innovative, low-cost, replicable strategies leading to the development of policy recommendations for better management of waste transfer stations
- Translate the research data and community input into climate and policy solutions for traffic emission reduction and relief from the current health burden, improving quality of life.
Approach:
We will engage S.E. Queens residents in the measurement of key air pollutants (NO2 - nitrogen dioxide, O3 - ozone, SO2 - sulfer dioxide, PM2.5 - particulate matter 2.5, toxic metals, and PFAS), through community-based participatory research (CBPR), increasing their understanding of climatic factors and air pollution impacts on health, and empowering them to use such knowledge to inform policy on alleviating climate impacts and sustaining good health. We will test our hypothesis that CBPR is a powerful driver in promoting air pollution reduction toward protecting the health of S.E. Queens residents and the environment.
Expected Results:
This project will yield critical data to address urgent issues associated with communities of people of color that have never been investigated in New York City, making a valuable contribution to a better understanding of how climate change, air pollution, environmental justice, and public health intersect.
Supplemental Keywords:
ambient air, health effects, heavy metals, particulates, PFAS, community-based, community engagement, decision-policy making, environmental education, monitoring, northeastProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.