Environmental Justice Considerations in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
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OCS Study MMS 2003-038 Coastal Marine Institute Environmental Justice Considerations in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana U.S. Department of the Interior Cooperative Agreement Minerals Management Service Coastal Marine Institute Gulf of Mexico OCS Region Louisiana State University OCS Study MMS 2003-038 Coastal Marine Institute Environmental Justice Considerations in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana Authors Scott A. Hemmerling Craig E. Colten Louisiana State University Department of Geography and Anthropology January 2004 Prepared under MMS Contract 1435-01-99-CA-30951-18175 by Louisiana State University Coastal Studies Institute Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 Published by U.S. Department of the Interior Cooperative Agreement Minerals Management Service Coastal Marine Institute Gulf of Mexico OCS Region Louisiana State University DISCLAIMER This report was prepared under contract between the Minerals Management Service (MMS) and Louisiana State University. This report has been technically reviewed by the MMS and approved for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Service, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. It is, however, exempt from review and compliance with MMS editorial standards. REPORT AVAILABILITY Extra copies of the report may be obtained from the Public Information Office (Mail Stop 5043) at the following address: U.S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico OCS Region Public Information Office (MS 5034) 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard New Orleans, Louisiana Telephone Number: 1-800-200-GULF or (504) 736-2519 CITATION Suggested citation: Hemmerling, S.A. and C.E. Colten. 2003. Environmental justice considerations in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana: Final report. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, La. OCS Study MMS 2003-038. 354 pp. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Figures……………………………………………………………………….…..vii List of Tables………………………………………………………………………….….ix Summary............................................................................................................................xi Chapter 1. Introduction...………...………………………………………………………1 Study Area.………………………………………………………………………..2 Methods…………………………………………………………………………...4 Databases.…….……………..……………………………………………11 Geographic Information System Mapping and Demographic Analysis…...........................................………………………………...…13 Statistical Analysis……………………………………………...………..17 Chapter 2. Areas of Potential Environmental Justice Concern…………........………….19 Settlement History……………………………………………………..………...19 The Community………………………………………………………..………...19 Native Americans..…………………………………..…………………...20 Caucasians...................…………………………………………………...22 African-Americans……..………………………………………………...22 Asians…...................……………………………………………………..24 Hispanics………………………………………………………………....26 Renewable Natural Resources…………………………………………………...28 Trapping and Hunting…………………………………………………....30 Fisheries………………………………………………………………….32 Chapter 3. OCS-Related Environmental Hazards………………………………….........37 Frequency of Occurrence.......................................................................................37 OCS-Related Activities..........................................................................................37 Transportation Corridors............................................................................40 Refineries and Gas Processing Plants........................................................46 Pipelines, Pumping Stations and Oil Storage Facilities.............................50 Shipyards and Shipbuilding Yards............................................................55 Chapter 4. Hazardousness of Place Model…………………………………………...59 Zones of Biophysical Vulnerability.....................................................................59 Zones of Social Vulnerability..............................................................................63 Zones of Place Vulnerability...............................................................................64 v TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont.) Page Chapter 5. Statistical Analysis........................................................................................73 Contingency Analysis...........................................................................................73 Discriminant Analysis..........................................................................................77 Block Level Analysis................................................................................77 Block Group Level Analysis…….………………………………………82 Multiple Regression Analysis..............................................................................85 Chapter 6. Summary and Conclusion….........…………………………………………87 Summary of Findings...........................................................................................87 OCS-Related Impacts..............................................................................87 Analysis of High Risk Areas....................................................................89 Conclusion............................................................................................................89 Chapter 7. References………………………………………………………………….91 Appendix 1. Cross Tabulation Statistical Output for Minority Groups and OCS-Related Activities......................................................................1-1 Appendix 2. Minority and Low-Income Groups in the Counties/ Parishes along the Gulf of Mexico............................................................2-1 vi LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1 Study Area..........................................................................................................3 Figure 2 Selected Locations in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana...........................................5 Figure 3 Census Geography of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana.........................................14 Figure 4 Distribution of Native American Population by Census Block........................21 Figure 5 Distribution of African-American Population by Census Block......................23 Figure 6 Distribution of Asian Population by Census Block .........................................25 Figure 7 Distribution of Hispanic Population by Census Block ....................................27 Figure 8 Environmental Management Units in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana................29 Figure 9 Cumulative Distribution of Commonly Trapped Mammal Habitat in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana............................................................33 Figure 10 Cumulative Distribution of Game Animal Habitat in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana..........................................................34 Figure 11 OCS-Related Toxic Release Inventory Sites in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana............................................................................39 Figure 12 Primary Transportation Route from Port Fourchon in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana........................................................................41 Figure 13 Natural Gas Processing Plants in and Around Lafourche Parish, Louisiana..............................................................................................47 Figure 14 Oil and Natural Gas Pipelines in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana ......................51 Figure 15 Pipeline Crossing Points at Roads, Rivers, and Bayous in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana........................................................................53 Figure 16 Petroleum Bulk Storage Facilities in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana.................54 Figure 17 Shipbuilding and Repairing Industries in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana..........56 Figure 18 Distribution of Buffered OCS-Related Activities in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana...........................................................................60 vii LIST OF FIGURES (cont.) Figure 19 Areas of Potential Environmental Concern in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana...........................................................................61 Figure 20 Areas of Potential Social Vulnerability in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana...........................................................................65 Figure 21 Median Family Income by Census Block Group in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, 2000..............................................................66 Figure 22 Median Contract Rent by Census Block Group in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, 2000..............................................................67 Figure 23 Median House Value by Census Block Group in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, 2000..............................................................68 Figure 24 Median House Value by Census Block Group in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana 1990...............................................................69 Figure 25 Communities of High Environmental Justice Concern in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana........................................................................71 Figure 26 Transportation Route Odds Ratios..................................................................75 Figure 27 Shipyard Odds Ratios......................................................................................78 Figure 28 Pipeline Odds Ratios.......................................................................................78 Figure 29 Petroleum Bulk Storage Odds Ratios..............................................................79 Figure 30 Gas Processing Plants Odds Ratios.................................................................79