The Bullard Center Conducts Preliminary Scan to Identify Communities Impacted by Highway Infrastructure Flooding

The Bullard Center Conducts Preliminary Scan to Identify Communities Impacted by Highway Infrastructure Flooding

Houston, TX Thursday, March 21, 2024 -  During the latter part of Black History Month in February 2024, Dr. Robert D. Bullard, often referred to as the “father of environmental justice” and community leaders from the Elba, Alabama’s historically Black Shiloh community met with USDOT Assistant Secretary for Policy Christopher Coes and senior U.S. transportation officials to discuss community flooding concerns related to the widening and elevation of US-84 Highway near their homes.  The community has flooded since the road was built in 2018.  The meeting with federal officials resulted from a series of “fact-finding” tours and community briefings the Bullard Center’s Rapid Response Team (RRT) has convened with Shiloh community leaders beginning in July 2023.

The Bullard Center has received calls from other environmental justice communities experiencing problems with bad highway infrastructure projects.  He also wrote about such problems in “Highway Robbery,” a book written two decades ago.  During the meeting with the USDOT, Dr. Bullard agreed to assist with conducting a preliminary scan to help identify “other Shilohs,” communities that find themselves flooded and harmed as a result of poorly designed and constructed highway infrastructure projects.

In an effort to bring environmental justice community flooding concerns–beyond the case of the Shiloh community–to the attention of USDOT, the Bullard Center is conducting a preliminary scan to identify communities and residents currently experiencing flooding problems suspected to be linked to or caused by highway infrastructure projects. The scan will also attempt to identify the various impacts of the flooding residents may be experiencing. The findings will be presented to USDOT. Anyone interested in reporting an existing highway flooding problem should do so HERE.  

About the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice

The Robert D. Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University was launched in 2021 to address long standing issues of systemic inequality and structural racism that cause disproportionate pain, suffering and death in Black and other people of color communities. The Bullard Center works to promote environmental, climate, economic, energy, transportation, food and water and health justice. Texas Southern University is a student-centered comprehensive doctoral university committed to ensuring equality, offering innovative programs that are responsive to its urban setting, and transforming diverse students into lifelong learners, engaged citizens, and creative leaders in their local, national, and global communities.