Environmental Equality: Pollution, Race and Socio-Economic Status in Michigan‪.‬

Introduction Concerns over the spatial distribution of pollution sources have gained considerable prominence within the environmental movement over the past decade. These concerns are influencing how we evaluate environmental policy at both national and local levels and have increased the level of research on environmental equity and justice. Through this research we are forced to re-examine the progress that has been made in the environmental protection area, and equally as importantly, in the civil rights arena (Bullard 1990, 1993, 1994; Bryant and Mohai 1990, 1992; Burke 1993; Gauna 1995). This paper illustrates a growing concern over current environmental policies, mainstream environmentalism and what has been categorized as social injustice on the part of environmental laws and regulations, decision makers and industry activities.