Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

Environmental Justice

Letter from Minneapolis: The Legacy of Highway Construction

Highways were convenient tools to rid the cities of perceived social ills, a mindset deeply embedded in white supremacy. Here's how it played out in two neighborhoods.

Is the Environmental Racism of the Past Repeating Itself in Buffalo’s Expressway Project?

The construction of the Kensington Expressway devastated a predominantly Black neighborhood in the 1960s. And some advocates fear a new proposal to cap it won't be much better.

Can This Tiny Owl Defeat One of America’s Biggest Highway Projects?

This less-than-pint-sized bird plays a massive role in keeping the Sonoran desert in balance. Now, it could tackle its most fierce opponent yet: the American highway lobby.

January 8, 2024

Car Noise Pollution is Worse in Redlined Neighborhoods — And Not Just for Humans

Transportation noise pollution can wreak havoc on wildlife populations, too — and that can have a devastating effect on their human neighbors.

December 6, 2023

OPINION: Infrastructure Bill Offers Too Little Progress on Climate and Equity

Most of its historic funding is helping to maintain a harmful status quo at a time when we need to address climate change.

November 16, 2023

To Help Save the Planet, Take the ‘Week Without Driving’ Challenge

Former Sierra Club President Ramón Cruz is urging Americans to give up driving for seven days — and support policies to make it optional for everyone.

September 29, 2023

Environmental Justice Advocates Sue SoCal Air District over Lax Ozone Pollution Rule

"Our ask to the South Coast AQMD is simple: comply with the Clean Air Act and hold refineries, power plants, and other large polluters accountable for emissions that plague vulnerable communities throughout Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties."

August 16, 2023

‘Freeway Exit’ Podcast Tells San Diego’s Freeway Histories of Growth, Displacement, and Division

"Freeways are not free. We pay for them in all kinds of ways — with our tax dollars, our time, our environment and our health."

July 13, 2023