Environmental Injustice: Evidence and Economic Implications

Some economic analyses find evidence of environmental injustice--minorities and/or low-income persons are exposed to environmental dangers (locally undesirable land uses, or LULUs) more than their non-minority or more affluent counterparts. Such inefficient allocations result from a violation of perfect property rights. This paper does not determine efficient levels of various environmental dangers, but rather examines and compares several studies in an effort to find a consensus among researchers. No consensus emerges, as differences in research techniques prevent consistent results from being found. Future research must have well-defined methodologies before it can be effectively used by policy makers