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区域战略，从而提高帕塞伊克河流域（PRB）跨社区和跨利益相关者的有效水资源管理。该项目与“上游”Munsee Lunaape Elders和“下游”被剥夺公民权的社区合作，特别是与纽瓦克（以及大纽瓦克）的非裔美国人和泛拉丁美洲社区合作，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，流经10个县，以及许多城市和城郊直辖市。该地区是美国最早的工业中心之一，以水力发电、供水、河口港口为基础，毗邻迅速扩张的纽约市。随着时间的推移，这些活动导致了城市供水的污染，并随之将供水转移到流域内更上游的地区。由于这种污染，位于上林伍德的Ramapough Turtle氏族定居点两次被指定为超级基金所在地。2020年环保局的研究证实了这种危险的持续存在。流域内的危险污染、撤资和工业的衰落使PRB社区有很大比例的弱势群体在有毒和脆弱的地点生活和工作。在Newark地区，污染源包括整个盆地上游影响水库的水污染物。下游工业污染物包括生产除草剂的工厂排放的二恶英（用于制造橙剂）和铅管。该项目的目标是通过一种包容的方法，让弱势社区和其他利益相关者参与到污水处理厂的工作中来，从而促进污水处理厂及其周围环境的可持续发展，从而恢复水质，改善整个社区的生活质量。虽然PRB上游和下游社区之前几乎没有相互联系，但它们被该地区日益增长的城市中心联系在一起，这些城市中心依赖于帕塞伊克河流域的供水。调整上下游社区将：a)发展一个以公平为中心的实践社区；B)实现水系统成员的资产映射；C)促进共同学习的关系；(d)制定参与性、可持续性、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除问题的结合，为合作学习和共同开发方法提供了机会，特别是通过普莱斯研究所与罗格斯大学环境与生物科学学院（SEBS）及其合作推广（NJAES）相互联系。这项规划拨款将开始在当地社区和利益团体之间培养管理文化，以促进水系统的健康和可持续性，并与区域领导人建立持续的联系。在实施过程中，历史上被边缘化的社区将增加对水科学、参与和公共资源管理的知识和应用。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。一个共同研究兴趣的社区将促进更大的公平和包容的伦理。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.