A Century of Environmental Injustice in Austin
By Clarissa Martinez
Austin is often celebrated for its progressive values, bustling tech scene, and vibrant culture. Yet, beneath the surface of this thriving city lie many injustices. In East Austin, for example, residents have faced environmental racism that has shaped neighborhoods in this part of the capital city for nearly a century.
Environmental racism is a systemic issue where policies and practices disproportionately place environmental hazards in marginalized, low-income communities and communities of color, exacerbating inequities in health and quality of life. These communities often face deadly health repercussions due to nearby hazardous waste sites, landfills, power plants and other large industrial facilities.
The History of Discriminatory Policy
The Master Plan of 1928 was the first time racism was institutionalized and codified by Austin city leaders This established much of East Austin as ‘negro districts,’ forcing Black residents to relocate to these areas. The city also zoned many of these residential areas for industrial uses, allowing toxic facilities to enter these neighborhoods. This was just the beginning.
The Federal Highway Act of 1956 and the construction of I-35 split the city in two. The new highway doubled as a physical barrier between the east and west, heightening the sense of exclusion felt by East Austinites. Not only that but land was seized from these residents for the construction of I-35, leading to mass displacement.
The Urban Revitalization Program of the 1970s was the next to threaten the stability of East Austin. The program used federal funds to acquire properties in East Austin targeted for redevelopment. The city demolished homes with the promise of new and improved residencies for East Austinites, only to reconstruct a few replacement homes of the numerous that were decimated. By the end of the 1970s, there were vacant lots all across East Austin where these homes were never rebuilt. Some of these properties were held by the city, however much of it was sold to private developers at greatly reduced values. New ordinances allowed a significant amount of these lots to be rezoned for industrial uses and became hazardous waste facilities such as recycling yards, power plants, and chemical storage facilities, right in the heart of East Austin.
The Holly Street Power Plant
East Austin has seen its fair share of hazardous facilities, but one of the worst was the Holly Street power plant. In 1958, the construction of this plant began in East Austin, right across a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood. The air pollution emitted from the plant led to rising cancer rates and many respiratory problems within the community. Additionally, the severe noise pollution exceeded the federal Housing, Urban, and Development (HUD) standards for residential areas. Some residents said the noise was so intense that it rattled their windows. This power plant was extraordinarily loud, a fire hazard, polluted the air, and spilled toxic chemicals on several occasions. By continuously putting community pressure on the City Council, the grassroots environmental justice organization, PODER, convinced the city to close the plant in 2007.
Remnants of the Master Plan
Austin Energy’s Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan includes the possible construction of new methane gas-burning peaker plants to keep up with Austin’s increasing energy demands. If history is any indicator, if these developments are ultimately built, they would likely go in East Austin, again placing the burden of industrial expansion on communities of color.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Austin can break free from this harmful pattern by committing to equitable solutions that prioritize the voices and well-being of its most impacted residents. Investing in renewable energy, distributing environmental burdens fairly, and ensuring transparency in decision-making are steps toward justice we must take.
Clarissa Martinez is a Sustainability Studies, Geography, and Government triple major at the University of Texas at Austin. She was the Fall 2024 Environmental Policy and Advocacy Intern for the Texas office of Public Citizen in Austin.