SRS RN Track 2 - Aligning upstream and downstream: increasing equity in watershed management with and for underrepresented communities

目标是规划一个包容和公平的框架，以改进研究、规划和水资源管理的地区战略，从而加强帕塞伊河流域(PRB)跨社区和跨利益攸关方的有效水资源管理。该项目正在与“上游”Munsee Lunaape Elders和“下游”被剥夺公民权的社区合作，特别是纽瓦克(和大纽瓦克)的非洲裔美国人和泛拉丁美洲社区，以促进公平和环境正义的价值观。帕塞伊克河流经新泽西州北部和纽约州东南部，包括十个县，以及许多城市和城市周边的市政当局。该地区是美国最早的工业中心之一，以水电、供水、河口港口为基础，所有这些都毗邻迅速扩张的纽约。随着时间的推移，这些活动导致城市供水受到污染，随之而来的是将供水转移到流域内更上游的地区。由于这种污染，上林伍德的拉马普夫海龟氏族定居点已两次被指定为超级基金所在地。2020年美国环保局的研究证实了这种持续的危险。流域内的危险污染、投资的减少和工业的衰落使PRB社区有很高比例的弱势群体在有毒和脆弱的地点生活和工作。在纽瓦克地区，污染源包括上游影响水库的整个流域的水污染物。下游工业污染物包括一家生产除草剂的工厂排放的二恶英，这些除草剂用于制造橙剂，以及铅管。该项目的愿景是通过一种包容的方法，让弱势社区和PRB中的其他利益攸关方参与进来，从而开展补救活动，恢复水质并改善整个社区的生活质量，从而提高PRB及其周围地区的可持续性。虽然PRB上下游社区之前几乎没有互联互通，但该地区日益增长的城市中心依赖帕塞伊克河流域的供水，将它们联系在一起。调整上游和下游社区将：a)建立一个以公平为中心的实践社区；b)能够绘制水资源系统成员的资产图；c)促进共同学习关系；d)发展一种参与性、可持续的、以公平为主导的方法。正是这种对良好水质的共同兴趣和解决过去的排斥问题的结合，为合作学习和共同制定方法提供了机会，特别是通过普赖斯研究所与罗格斯环境和生物科学学院(SEBS)及其合作扩展(NJAES)相互联系。这笔规划赠款将开始在地方社区之间和地方社区之间培养一种管理文化，促进供水系统的健康和可持续性以及与区域领导人的持续联系。在实施过程中，历史上被边缘化的社区将增加水科学、参与度和公共资源管理方面的知识和应用。更多的本地研究参与，以获得更多的数据输入和见解，也将提高对PRB的准确性、细微差别和理解。一个共同的研究兴趣社区将促进更大的公平和包容的道德。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The goal is to plan an inclusion and equity framework to improve regional strategies for research, planning, and water resource management thereby increasing effective cross-community and cross-stakeholder water resources stewardship for the Passaic River Basin (PRB). This project is working with “upstream” Munsee Lunaape Elders and with “downstream” disenfranchised communities, notably African American and pan-Latin American neighborhoods in Newark (and Greater Newark) to promote the values of equity and environmental justice. The Passaic River flows through Northern New Jersey and Southeastern New York State encompassing ten counties, and numerous urban and peri urban municipalities. This region was among the earliest US industrial centers, based on a combination of waterpower, water supply, estuarine ports, all adjacent to rapidly expanding New Yor City. Over time these activities resulted in pollution of the urban water supply and consequent shift of water supply to areas further upstream to areas within the basin. As a result of this pollution, the Ramapough Turtle Clan settlement at Upper Ringwood has been twice-designated Superfund site. 2020 EPA studies have confirmed the ongoing danger. Dangerous pollution within the basin, disinvestment, and decline of industry have left the PRB communities with high proportions of disadvantaged peoples living and working in toxic and vulnerable sites. In the Newark area, pollution sources include water pollutants of the entire Basin upstream impacting reservoirs. Downstream industrial pollutants include dioxin discharges from a facility making herbicides, used in making Agent Orange, and lead pipes. The vision in this project is to enhance sustainability of the PRB and its environs through an inclusive approach that engages the disadvantaged communities and other stakeholders in PRB leading to remediation activities to restore the water quality and improve quality of life for the entire community. While the PRB upstream and downstream communities had little prior interconnection, they are interlinked by the area’s growing urban centers that depend on the Passaic River Basin for water supply. Aligning upstream and downstream communities will: a) develop a community of practice centered on equity; b) enable asset mapping of water system members; c) promote relationships of co-learning; and d) develop a participatory, sustainable, equity-led approach. It is this combination of shared interest in good water quality and addressing past exclusions that provide an opportunity for collaborative learning and shared development of approaches, notably interlinked via The Price Institute with the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), with their Cooperative Extension (NJAES). This planning grant will begin to cultivate a culture of stewardship among and between local communities and interests for the health and sustainability of the water system and ongoing connection to regional leaders. During implementation, historically marginalized communities will increase knowledge and application of water science, engagement, and public resource stewardship. More local research involvement for more data inputs and insights will also improve the accuracy, nuance, and understanding of the PRB. A community of shared research interests will promote an ethic of greater equity and inclusion.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.