Living in the Shadow of Danger

The findings, conclusions and recommendations in the report are those of the authors and the Center for Effective Government and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the members of the Project Advisory Group or funders. [...] Young children and the elderly are more susceptible to the health impacts of chemical hazards than healthy adults10 Young children and the elderly are more susceptible to the health impacts of chemical hazards than healthy adults and are least able to evacuate quickly in the event of a catastrophic incident. [...] They also have lower home values due to the proximity of chemical facilities.11 Staff at the Center for Effective Government compiled state-by-state estimates of the percentage of people of color, with a focus on young children and the elderly, as well as the percentage of people in poverty living in these fenceline zones and provided comparisons with white and non-poor populations. [...] Additionally, in these states, people of color and those in poverty face roughly the same likelihood of living in fenceline zones as the rest of the population. [...] The ACS data were used to determine the total population and the number of people of color, persons below the poverty line, children, and the elderly who live in fenceline zones of RMP facilities.