Empowering a Community: Eliminating Food Deserts in Ensley, Alabama

Deindustrialization began in the 1910s and continued into the 1980s, when millions of Americans lost their jobs due to the closing of industrial plants nationwide. Large corporations closed plants in cities such as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Youngstown, Ohio, and relocated to different low-income areas in the United States and overseas (Marcus 1991:181). This trend of deindustrialization has led former industrial sites to become food deserts across the United States. The Food Empowerment Project (2017) defines food deserts as “geographic areas where residents’ access to affordable, healthy food options is restricted or nonexistent due to the absence of grocery stores within convenient travelling distance.” Founded in 1887, the once-booming industrial town of Ensley, Alabama, is now a food desert (Schneider 2009). This paper will examine different aspects of Ensley’s food desert problem and present options for funding. Suggested economic redevelopment efforts include the implementation of a smaller supermarket format in the Ensley Commercial District. Recommendations will be modeled after case studies in Youngstown, Ohio, and presented with the consulting expertise of several non-profits and planning organizations. The recommendations given in this paper will address the significant need for healthy and affordable food access in the Ensley community.

Deindustrialization in the Past Leads to New Ideas of Urban Renewal

In Alabama, you can find a lake, river, or creek almost everywhere you turn your head with a great abundance of biodiversity. This is because Alabama ranks number one in the country in freshwater species of fishes, snails, mussels, crayfish, and turtles and among the top states in reptiles, amphibians, and carnivorous plants (Duncan, Scot). Many people in Alabama do not know that we are ranked this high in the country and it is a great honor to have being a resident of Alabama. In West Birmingham there are two creaks, Village Creek and Valley Creek, that run throughout the area that are filled with a diversity of aquatic wildlife for many residents and schools to be able to study and learn about the diversity in Alabama’s water systems. A start to helping out the education of the residents and students would be to have a small educational center located on the creek with the possibility of having canoe and kayak access so that people can go up and down the creek and enjoy what our area has to offer us and how important our water systems are to us. Along with the educational site there could be a hiking trail that follows along the creek bank with education signs telling people about the area and what all aquatic species live in the area. This would help to get people out to the area and be more engaged with the area and have a good time being outside instead of cooped up inside.

Effects of Deindustrialization: The Revitalization of Post-Industrial Ensley

Deindustrialization refers to “the process of social and economic change ignited by the removal or reduction of industrial activity,” and is essentially the inverse of industrialization, which is a process by which societies graduate from agrarian economies to manufacturing based economies (Boundless, 2016). Deindustrialization generally occurs following the development of countries and with the shift toward service-based economies because it becomes economically advantageous to outsource manufacturing jobs to developing countries such as China today (“De-Industrialization, 2000). This paper will focus on the revitalization of Ensley, Alabama, as its economy collapsed following the movement of Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company (TCI) to a more northeast location in Fairfield, Alabama following the merge of TCI and the United States Steel Corporation in 1907 (Rikard, 2009) . In 1907. In the decades the loss of the manufacturing backbone of a local economy, a large proportion of the population lost their jobs and were unable to support small businesses, leading to decreased population and economic instability (Boundless, 2016). By the turn of 21st century, Ensley became somewhat of a ghost town, in which abandoned buildings are prevalent and the population is sparse (Webb, 2014). To more effectively plan this revitalization, I will use case studies from Lowell and Lawrence, Massachusetts and Huntsville, Alabama, as well as Greenville, South Carolina. These cities offer insight as to what is or is not effective in regenerating both community and a post-industrial economy, and provide real-life examples of how fulfilling community needs and boosting small businesses work hand-in-hand for rejuvenating fiscal security. The project proposed will focus on affordable housing through remodeling existing historic structures and utilizing storefront or nearby space to centralize services (i.e., groceries, pharmacy, restaurants, local stores/services) while also considering community aesthetic aspects, such as parks and street lighting, and maintaining historic components like Tuxedo Junction.

The Market at Bessemer

After the stock market crash in October 1929, Birmingham, Alabama was named the “hardest hit city in the nation.” In addition to thousands of residents being out of work, U.S. Steel shut down its Birmingham mills leaving the city depressed for eight years. There are areas in Birmingham in which the affects of this event can still be seen today. Bessemer was one of the many communities in Birmingham, Alabama that was severely affected by the deindustrialization. This paper will focus on a plot of land in Bessemer, Alabama, which will be turned into The Bessemer Market. The Bessemer Market will be a permanent venue that will have events every week or month for the community to engage in to try to bring a central source of retail back in the area. Local vendors and artists will be able to bring their merchandise to a tent at the market to sell to citizens in the community. The market will be similar to Santa Fe, New Mexico’s Farmers Market and The Market at Pepper Place in Birmingham, Alabama. One of the goals of the Bessemer Market is to get the Bessemer area exposure to not only those in the area, but also people from the surrounding areas that would not typically visit Bessemer. The Bessemer Market will not be a standard farmers market, but more of an arts and entertainment market. The ultimate goal of this project is to bring the community of Bessemer together, increase the amount of spending in the area, and in the long term, the vendors at the market will one day be able to move from the market to opening their own small businesses in the area.

Rebuilding Community Through Urban Agriculture: Bessemer Urban Farm Proposal

Birmingham and the City of Bessemer boomed in the late 1800’s due to its iron and steel industry. The city began to truly suffer during the many 1900’s recessions because there was limited industry in the area, causing unemployment rates to increase and businesses to leave the city (Synder, 2017). Bessemer has been on an uphill climb, working on diversifying its industry by building new recreational facilities, parks, and retail offices (The City of Bessemer, 2017). Bessemer proves to be an area of economic upturn and the inclusion of an urban farm will help with the reindustrialization of the area. Case studies from Boston, Kansas City, and Birmingham offer insight on urban farming and demonstrate how it is possible to run an efficient farm in an urban area while continuously empowering the community to become more diverse, healthy and sustainable. This project proposes the construction of an urban farm on a vacant lot in Bessemer, Alabama to alleviate the lack of affordable fresh produce and other healthful whole foods, also known as a food desert. By leasing plots of land to various organizations and groups, the goal is to, in turn, build a stronger sense of community and revitalize the area (The City of Bessemer, 2017).

Steeling Energy from the Southern Sun: Proposal for an Alabama Power Solar Farm at U. S. Steel, Fairfield, Alabama

My presentation shows scientific and economic analysis as well as discussion for Alabama Power, a conglomerate of Southern Company, the potential of implementing a solar farm at the former U.S. Steel’s headquarters in Fairfield, Alabama. Historically, both companies have been major employers of Alabama and continue to employ thousands of workers throughout the South and Northeast. The current state of the 1,200 acre U.S. Steel site is a brownfield from past steel production. Southern Company has been investing in clean, renewable, and sustainable energy for decades and this investment would provide the company another avenue to public relation and economic benefit. The current political climate also incentivizes this investment as the Trump administration and political figures in power are pushing for the re-development of infrastructure, tax cuts for clean energy, and increased funding in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education sector. Technology of photovoltaic cells is a new market and with time will only become more efficient and effective at gathering energy from the sun. The union of these companies, will provide clean, renewable, and sustainable energy for generations while providing a positive economic impact.

How Can We Make Recycling Better in the City of Birmingham?

According to the EPA, the United States generated around 254 million tons of trash and there was only 87 million tons of that trash that was recycled or composed. That comes out to only a 34.4 percent recycling rate (EPA 2013). The overflow of landfills and lacking accessibility to recycling bins is a serious environmental problem, mainly because this has created an issue with finding a place to put all of this excess waste. Has recycling really become something that people just look past? Do people really think recycling does not make a difference? The idea that it is just cheaper to make more plastic products instead of recycling and reusing those plastic products has created a larger issue for convincing people to recycle what they have used (Hazelhoff 2016). There are many different common materials that go into recycling, like papers, plastics, metals, glass, compos tables, and some household items such as batteries (EPA: Common Recyclable Materials).

Recycling has become an increasingly large problem in the United States, especially in larger populated cities and urban areas. For example, in Birmingham, AL one problem with recycling is that there is a very limited amount of places that will collect any glass recycling because of the high prices associated with it and the lack of end-users and processors. Finding incentives like creative messaging might be what we need to get people’s attention. Instead of showing people all of the negative impacts that come along with not recycling, show them the positive impacts that are created from recycling. Let people see what they can create if they recycle (American Chemistry Council 2015). It may be difficult for some people to realize that individually they can make an impact and a difference in the world if they take the time and effort to recycle. This report will explain the benefits of recycling, the environmental effects of not recycling, and discuss solutions to develop better recycling efforts in the city of Birmingham, AL.

Abandoned Buildings and Vacant Lots:  Addressing the Prevalent Issue in Birmingham, Alabama

This report describes potential solutions and economic expenses the Birmingham, AL municipal government would have to spend to combat the issue of vacant and abandoned properties. This report analyzes the cities throughout the US that have addressed this issue in a successful way and whether or not their methods can be replicated in Birmingham, AL. Vacant and abandoned properties are recognized across the United States as significant obstacles to the revitalization of central cities, specifically in regards to their economic drawbacks and potential health and safety problems (Accordino, 2000; Garvin, 2013). The population of residents experiencing the effects of abandoned lots/buildings should be knowledgeable and engaged in pinpointing health impacts and generating solutions. Birmingham, Alabama needs to start addressing the increasing number of vacant properties, not only because of the negative impacts they inflict on the surrounding communities, but because of the imposing costs. The costs not only come from the millions of dollars spent on the demolition of the abandoned buildings and the cleaning of vacant lots, but also the net loss in property value of houses that surround vacant or abandoned property (The National Vacant Properties Campaign, 2005). Vacant buildings and over-grown lots pose negative effects on the surrounding community by masking the positive aspects of the community, contributing to fractures between neighborhoods, attracting crime, and creating an eye-sore for the general public. Recapturing the value in vacant properties and bringing the vitality back to once thriving neighborhoods will prove an overall positive shift in the decreasing value of Birmingham communities.

Larkway Gardens:  Blooming Birmingham’s Revitalization

Recently, Birmingham, AL has undergone revitalization after years of languishing as a former industrial-based city with numerous brownfield sites. Revitalizing a city begins with the people in the city. Without people inhabiting the city why would someone work to improve it? Birmingham’s industrial neighborhoods have been deteriorating gradually. Housing is either too expensive leading to vacancies, or the neighborhood is too poor to stay afloat. Many communities are plagued by crime. Birmingham has experienced a steady decline in population over the last several decades (City of Birmingham 2014). Local stores and restaurants close down due to lack of service. Jobs are lost. The community ends up being divided (EPA 2015). Past programs to revitalize Birmingham ranged from targeting the whole city down to small neighborhoods. The best plan is to target just one neighborhood of a few blocks and stimulate that neighborhood. The main focus of the project is connectivity. First, revitalize a neighborhood, and then connect it to other neighborhoods and downtown Birmingham. Start small and expand outwards by connecting local and downtown communities. To rejuvenate a neighborhood, you need people to live and stay there. Construct better and affordable housing, while trying to refurbish or build on existing buildings if possible. To make residents interested in the neighborhood, locate necessities that cannot move, like schools and parks in close proximity to a neighborhood (Vaughn 2016). Put additional anchors in like laundromats and grocery stores in these areas as well as have sidewalks to promote safety and ignite activity (Woodlawn 2012). This will create a vibrant and friendly community. However, do not surround the neighborhood with too many necessities otherwise the neighborhood will become isolated. The target of revitalization is Larkway Gardens. This vacant property will be revitalized with affordable housing to bring in residents and spark the regeneration of the city.

Pop-up Shops and Food Incubators:  Tools for Revitalizing Birmingham

Birmingham, AL has become one of the leading cities for pop up shops where new up and coming chefs hold informal restaurants in their homes.  Popup shops allow for new chefs to develop followings and extra money before opening their own buildings.  Restaurants are very difficult to open and maintain for new chefs due to the fact that one third of their revenue comes from return customers.  A recent solution to this has been food incubators where chefs can share expenses, utensils, and resources.  They rent out space at an incubator, a building where there is open space made specifically for this purpose, and continue to run a small startup business from a certified restaurant building.  Downtown Birmingham has begun to revitalize; however, there are still many vacant buildings.  These buildings offer a great opportunity to house food incubators.  My solution would be to open a food incubator in downtown Birmingham in one of these vacant buildings.  This would allow for local chefs and entrepreneurs an opportunity to start new restaurants.  New restaurants in turn will increase revenue, consumers, and help create opportunities for other businesses.

Legion Field:  An Aging Dilemma

Birmingham, AL has a rich history spread throughout the city, and one of the most well-known landmarks is the Old Gray Lady, Legion Field. This site used to be home to the Iron Bowl between Auburn and Alabama, but use by either team ended in 2003 (Clegg 2014). The many decades of deterioration took a toll on Legion Field and the stadium does not hold the same prestige as it once did for past generations of players (Mundee 2009). The neighborhoods of Graymont and Smithfield have many abandoned and deteriorating houses have potential to turn away incoming visitors, vendors, or investors.  For Legion Field to prosper as if it once did, revitalization of the stadium, as well as its surrounding neighborhoods, needs to begin soon. Legion Field is in dire need of reconnection to the city. By making the area walkable to the downtown, more businesses and residents will want to move into the area. The revitalization of the existing communities around the stadium, as well as creating a corridor to the downtown, will only help Legion Field to prosper for generations to come.

Over the River and Through North Birmingham: Stream Restoration of Village Creek in the 35^th Avenue Superfund Site in North Birmingham, Alabama

Urban streams face many water quality issues, but nonpoint source pollution is one of the largest threats to water quality in cities (Hunolt 2012). The industrial history of Birmingham, Alabama makes the watershed surrounding the city especially vulnerable (Citi-Data 2015). The 35^th Avenue U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site is located within the Village Creek watershed (U.S. E.P.A. 2015b). Village Creek is considered an impaired stream due to this nonpoint source pollution that could possibly be attributed to the 35^th Street Superfund site. Restoration of riparian vegetation, as well as greenway construction along the buffers of the stream banks are a viable way to restore degraded aquatic habitat and increase stream bank stability, as well as act as a filter for future run-off pollution from these industrial areas (U.S. E.P.A. 2015b, ADEM 2015, Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham 2015,Red Rock Ridge and Valley Trail System 2015). Many restoration techniques are inexpensive and simple to install during restoration projects. Comparisons of several stream restoration projects were conducted to determine the restoration tools necessary for a successful stream restoration project in the Village Creek watershed (Hunolt 2012). Careful design and execution of stream restoration projects helps to ensure project success. Working with civic and non-profit groups such as Village Creek Human and Environmental Justice Society, The Freshwater Landtrust, and the Southern Environmental Center would be essential for a large-scale project on Village Creek to succeed. In order for this large-scale project to be completed as effectively as possible, multiple restoration practices must be used to ensure success and no future impairment.

Clean Up Your Act: Coal Ash Remediation and the 35th Avenue Superfund Site

Superfund sites, as they most commonly called, are those which are deemed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to be particularly special environmental contamination locations that require immediate remediation. Superfund sites are regulated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, or CERCLA (Environmental Protection Agency 1986). Three major toxins: arsenic lead, and mercury, that are associated with coal ash are present in abundant proportions at the 35^th Avenue Superfund site, hereafter referred to as the North Birmingham site, which is composed of the communities: Fairmont, Collegeville, Harriman Park, and North Birmingham. The North Birmingham Superfund site came under the EPA’s CERCLA jurisdiction because of the legacy and current environmental contamination caused by several companies since the site’s industrial genesis (Crawford 2015). This paper explains the toxins, examines their effects on the human body, relates EPA and private toxic sampling studies, and offers industrial and mixed use brownfield remediation alternatives for the North Birmingham Superfund area.

Not In My Backyard: Aquaponics A Look at Alternative Farming Methods in North Birmingham Communities

The levels of pollutants in the soil in the North Birmingham Communities are under investigation and residents are unsure of if it is safe to consume the food grown in the soil on their property. These pollutants are allegedly the products of industries located within a few miles of the communities. The contaminated soil creates the opportunity for the development of an alternative method for growing vegetables. Farming methods have evolved and the method of hydroponics was developed, and later on aquaponics was modernized by Dr. Rakocy.  Aquaponics allows plants to be grown in a soil-free environment using natural fertilizers from fish.  This is made possible by the understanding of the Nitrogen Cycle. This system can be used to grow plants in a sterile environment instead of the questionable soil outside the residents’ homes in North Birmingham. An investment from either a small business, non-profit, or a joint effort from citizens of the North Birmingham neighborhoods could solve the lack of fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish in their diets. 

Moving Beyond Plans to Renovate Maclin Park: A Proposal to Further Connect and Revitalize the North Birmingham Community

Since the 1634 introduction of America’s first park, the Boston Commons, parks have played an integral part in American urban communities. They provide a natural space for city residents to exercise and interact with fellow community members. Frederick Olmsted, the founder of landscape architecture in America, preached the importance of nature in the city and was a large advocate of parks in America. He drew city plans for several cities across the United States, including Birmingham. The Olmsted firm published a plan for Birmingham in 1925 that included walking trails, park layouts around the city, and stream restoration. The Birmingham Parks and Recreation Board adopted little of the firm’s plan. However, with the current revitalization of the North Birmingham community, the Birmingham Parks Board recently decided to renovate Maclin Park, a city park located in the heart of the North Birmingham community. The Environmental Protection Agency recently classified several neighborhoods in the North Birmingham community as a Superfund site, meaning the federal government would aid in the clean- up of toxic chemicals in the area. The renovation of Maclin Park is an important step in revitalizing the North Birmingham community. However, it is important to continue efforts in reconnecting the fragmented community. The Birmingham Comprehensive Plan outlines several important features that will further unite the community. After the completion of Maclin Park, this project argues that Birmingham officials need to further connect and revitalize the community with bikes lanes, community gardens, and outdoor exercise equipment.

North Birmingham Project: Rejuvenating a Deprived Community

Sustainable neighborhoods require long-term, simultaneous investment in multiple areas – schools, housing, health, economic development, safety, community cohesion, and more – that can and must improve over time in a reinforcing cycle. According to North Birmingham’s history, this area has not had an opportunity to be sustainable. Industries located in North Birmingham are responsible for high levels of toxicity found in the area. The EPA is now involved and taking the necessary steps to assess environmental conditions and its potential impacts in certain areas of the North Birmingham, Fairmont, Collegeville, and Harriman Park neighborhoods. The economic transformation of Birmingham's long-distressed industrial area has been jump-started by a $200,000 grant from EPA. Birmingham Southern students partnered with the EPA doing researchers on these working-class industrial neighborhoods in North Birmingham in hopes of cleaning up these locations, as well as finding a solution to help revitalize the communities. Achieving urban regeneration is dependent on creating an attractive and safe environment within the city, by using high-profile projects such as REV Birmingham known to stimulate business growth and improves quality of life, as well as incorporating mixed income housing

Wheezing, Coughing, and Learning: An Analysis of Approaches for the Reduction of Student Exposure to Pollutants at Bertram A. Hudson School in North Birmingham

The community of North Birmingham has faced not only plight in an environmental sense but also from a health standpoint, according to CBS 42 and their report Deadly Deception. The children of Bertram A. Hudson—a school that was once the site of a polluted soil issue—are helpless in their fight for healthy futures. The CBS 42 report brought about an important issue: the health of the North Birmingham youth. Industry surrounds Hudson School and the resulting emissions may cause symptoms capable of impeding their abilities to learn effectively. The purpose of this research was to determine the most effective approaches to prevent these students from being further exposed to polluted air and soil.

Engage the Community Rather than Enrage the Community: Insight into Community Participation in the North Birmingham Superfund Site 

The purpose of this paper is to assess the role of active community participation in the North Birmingham Superfund Site. This site refers to four neighborhoods located in northern Birmingham that are currently in the process of being *cleaned and revitalized” by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Superfund Act. The Act authorizes EPA to enact the cleanup of hazardous waste sites, and it is the aim of EPA to protect the health of the people and their environment. These communities of Harriman Park, Collegeville, North Birmingham, and Fairmont have been subjected to the effects of industrial activities for over a hundred years. This paper looks into the history of Birmingham and how its roots in industry and racism are reflected today in the North Birmingham communities. Environmental Justice refers to the disproportionate rate of which low income black communities are subjected to industrial encroachment. North Birmingham communities are not alone in their struggle and this paper compares and contrasts other case studies with a focus on successful community participation strategies. The ability of the community to participate actively throughout the entire Superfund process is correlated directly to how well the project meet communities’ needs and reflects their values. Part of EPA’s mission is to assure community engagement and public outreach, as these are core components of the Superfund Act. This paper investigates how EPA addresses community participation in the Superfund process, acknowledges barriers the community faces, and identifies appropriate community outreach techniques.

Water, Water, Everywhere and not a drop to drink: The effects of Ground Water Contamination on Local Water Supplies

This paper addresses the issues of water quality found in the North Birmingham Superfund Site. More specifically, the paper evaluates the level of pollutants onsite due to the numerous responsible parties that exist in and around the Superfund area. In addition, the paper presents recommendations to the EPA with the intent of both bolstering community involvement as well as increasing efficiency and clarity of certain Superfund standards. The paper links a struggling watershed with the concerns of citizens that live within its drainage basin. The paper’s overall goal is to provide a better understanding of the water quality within the North Birmingham superfund site. However, much of the EPA data collected can only provide evidence that such contamination exists and is an ongoing problem of the Superfund Site. Some of these Superfund concerns include a higher rate of adverse health effects, clarity and openness of EPA officials and documents to the community, and excessive time or money spent on remediation efforts.  Thus, methods of prevention and improved screening procedures for contamination must be a priority in future development and remediation of superfund sites. Tests for specific chemicals and minerals found within local industry can provide a slightly better scope. However, even tests such as these can be disproven as many industrial plants surrounding the area use similar pollutants, making accountability difficult to assign.

Aquaponics: An Alternative to Soil Replacement in North Birmingham Contaminated Garden Areas

Birmingham’s location within the Jones Valley and proximity to raw materials and major railways contributed greatly to both its vast steel production ability and the resulting population expansion throughout the past century. However, this heavy manufacturing also engulfed the city in pollution and smog for decades. The legacy of pollutants released during Birmingham’s industrial revolution caused concerns recently in several communities located adjacent to some of the city’s largest steel and coke manufacturers. These concerns include high levels of lead, arsenic, and PAHs in the soil and air that could be hazardous to human health. The North Birmingham area has since been designated as a Superfund Site by the Environmental Protection Agency and is eligible for air and soil sampling as well as possible clean-up efforts. One of the related concerns of local residents involves the safety of consuming fruits and vegetables grown in gardens with contaminated soil. The North Birmingham area is also located within a food desert. Additionally, some residents catch and eat fish from Village Creek which runs through the Superfund area. To address some of these concerns, aquaponic systems could be recommended to interested residents as a strategy to avoid ingesting toxins from the soil which consequently enter the waterways through the processes of runoff and erosion. These systems could be cheaper theoretically to install and operate than the process of soil replacement. The goal of this research project is to assess the feasibility of implementing aquaponic garden systems in the North Birmingham communities as an alternative to total soil removal and replacement.

North Birmingham Superfund Site: Improving Effective Risk Communication Between the EPA and the Community

The Environmental Protection Agency began investigation of air and soil pollution from the surrounding industries of the North Birmingham neighborhoods of Collegeville, Fairmont, and Harriman Park in 2011, declared the study area a Superfund site in 2012 to begin removal of soil contaminants including arsenic, lead, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and named Walter Coke, Drummond Coal, Alabama Gas Company, KMAC Recycling, and U.S. Pipe potentially responsible parties to the contamination. Tension between EPA officials and the affected community increased as public understanding of the contaminant’s health implications, process of removal, and future living conditions decreased due to lack of clear, easily comprehended, direct interaction between the EPA and residents leading to high risk perception influencing public outrage, authority exhaustion resulting in distrust of the EPA, and isolation from the greater Birmingham area. According to feedback given to the EPA, communities living in a Superfund site have positive reactions when effective communication between the EPA and community is high and opportunities for community involvement in the Superfund process is high. Therefore, effective risk communication needs to be improved at the North Birmingham Superfund site. The proposals highlighted in this paper aim to improve the current status of the North Birmingham communities affected by the Superfund process by increasing public understanding, community participation, and citywide efforts. 

Too Toxic to Handle: Removal and Remediation of Arsenic within Urban Communities

The soil of the Earth is the base that we live and depend on for support.  A person does not want to be surrounded by soil that has toxic contamination that exceeds regulation and could be harmful to one’s family or themselves.  What can be done when members of a family become sick and die because of exceeding contamination?  This research is based around the EPA’s 35th Avenue Superfund site in Birmingham, Alabama.  Birmingham emerged as a city centered on heavy industry which over time has released millions of chemicals into the air.  The 35th Avenue site and more specifically North Birmingham evolved into an industrial area surrounded by low to middle class communities.  With industry located in the near vicinity of the communities, many families could potentially be at risk from byproducts produced by corporations.  Arsenic (As) is a hazardous material and can affect human health if one is exposed to exceeding levels.  Information will be given in this presentation about toxic levels of arsenic in Birmingham as well as other locations to compare.  It also provides background information and explains the hazardous effects of the chemical element, arsenic.  Research on how contaminants of arsenic affect adult human health and children will be presented.  Lastly, recommendations of removal processes of arsenic by phytoremediation as well as EPA’s method of removal will be included.  Resources used in this analysis are dated from a broad range and spectrum of methods.  Methods of removal are shown to be different depending on the size of the contamination as well as the agency or company removing the toxic substance.  Recommendations and future directions in dealing with exposure to high arsenic levels in urban settings and specifically North Birmingham will be provided as well.  

To Gather Paradise: Replacing Abandoned Properties with Affordable Housing in North Birmingham 

The 35th Street Superfund site is surrounded by three different neighborhoods that have seen their fair share of hardship. The North Birmingham community, specifically Collegeville, Harriman Park, and Fairmont, began as housing for steel and coke industry workers, but eventually became segregated neighborhoods for low income African Americans. The construction of two major highways and a multitude of railroad lines have intentionally cut off the communities from the rest of the city causing stagnation and eventual decline. With the opening of the Superfund site, the residents were forced to face the reality that they had been living on toxic land for decades. Residents of the North Birmingham Community faced multiple challenges over the past few decades and the opening of the Superfund site only exacerbates the problems they have been dealing with. Not only are they trying to deal with an environmental disaster, but they must still grapple with the social and economic problems they have been struggling with for generations.

One of the primary areas of concern voiced by the North Birmingham community was housing. The neighborhoods are littered with abandoned properties that are the principal cause of blight. These properties not only significantly drop property values, but are magnets for crimes and are dangerous fire hazards. Alabama’s property laws make it difficult to clear title, so these homes often stay undeveloped for years, further damaging the communities surrounding them. However, these abandoned properties present an opportunity for the neighborhoods in the Superfund site to develop the affordable housing that they desperately need. The creation of affordable housing is the first step in attracting new residents to the communities, improving housing conditions for the current residents, and is a vital part of any larger community redevelopment plan. This paper aims to lay out the framework for targeting and purchasing abandoned properties in the Superfund site and redeveloping them into affordable housing units.

A Green Solution: Urban Garden for Food Protection

This paper explores the option of a community garden within the 35th Avenue Superfund Site. Birmingham, Alabama’s industrial history of Birmingham, Alabama led to unsafe levels of many chemicals in the soil. Recently, the EPA deemed areas within North Birmingham as a Superfund site. The paper lays out plans for development of a community garden. This garden will be fashioned as a greenhouse and be available to the public.  This greenhouse will provide a safe and healthy environment where residents can tend a private section of the garden.  The garden will be split up into several medium sized plots to divide up as much space as possible for the residents of the area. This allows each member a section of garden to grow whatever fruit or vegetables they deem necessary for their household. The soil will be imported to ensure its quality and the greenhouse will provide protection from the elements where contamination due to the industrial activity within the area is possible. The locked greenhouse delivers a safe place to keep the vegetables from the nonpaying members of the community as well. The member’s modest fee will go towards providing electricity and water for the garden’s fan system and irrigation system, and any potential maintenance costs. This small amount each month multiplied by the number of plots available within the greenhouse would cover all of the long-term expenses. With the implementation of this urban garden the community would have a safe and affordable semi-private place to go delicious food without worrying about the poor soil quality.

Land, Land Everywhere but not a Plot Use: An Exploration of Possible Vacant Land Acquisition North Birmingham

This paper discusses the Superfund site located in the North Birmingham neighborhoods of Collegeville, Fairmont, and Harriman Park. More specifically, the paper examines the history of the area from the beginning of steel making during the late 19th Century through the growth of the city to a major metropolitan area in the South. The paper looks at the context in which the Environmental Protection Agency became involved in North Birmingham though the status of the Superfund site today. The paper describes the history of U.S. housing policy from the Wilson administration and the New Deal programs of the Roosevelt administration though today’s current policies of tax incentives and grant programs. Both of these histories are discussed in order to put context around a set of recommendations for the Superfund designated area in North Birmingham.  The recommendations involve policy suggestions that attempt to insert U.S. housing policy ideals into Superfund designated areas.  These recommendations deal with the function of the Superfund process as it relates to public and private housing. 

Deeps Roots: A Proposal for Phytoremediation in North Birmingham

As a result of several industrial facilities operating within and surrounding the 35th Avenue North Birmingham EPA Superfund site, the neighborhoods of Collegeville, Fairmont, and Harriman Park, experienced elevated levels of airborne and soil pollutants. Until recently, potential responsible parties (PRPs) were only identified through speculation. On September 20th, 2013, the EPA sent out letters to the Alabama Gas Company (ALAGASCO), KMAC Recycling and Industrial Services, Walter Coke, the Drummond Company (ABC Coke), and U.S. Pipe and Foundry Company notifying the businesses that they have been identified as potentially responsible parties and requesting that they begin taking steps towards site remediation (Crawford 2013). Due to the extensive industrial history of North Birmingham, it is also possible that the pollutants are legacy pollutants, which are “any pollution that remains from past activities where there is no immediately responsible party who can be held liable for the pollution and compelled to carry out remediation” (Crawford 2013).  The most serious of these pollutants affecting the North Birmingham communities include arsenic, lead, and benzo (a) pyrene. Pollutants have been found in the soil of school playgrounds and in the residents’ yards. Airborne pollutants infiltrate the households through cracks in windows and doors, as well as on the residents themselves. Because of the elevated levels found in the physical surroundings in which everyday life of the residents revolve around; many of the residents have severe respiratory problems and even cancer.  Most of these health problems are attributed to the exposure to these toxins. One of the modes of remediation that the EPA utilizes is phytoremediation, “the direct use of green plants and their associated microorganisms to stabilize or reduce contamination in soils, sludges, sediments, surface water, or ground water” (EPA 2012). Due to soil contamination, numerous home gardens located within the Superfund site, and the growing trend of greening urban environments, a phytoremediation project would be a logical option because it would encompass plants that would aid in the stabilization and/or reduction of soil contaminates, introduce green space into an otherwise heavily industrialized environment, and serve as an education center in which residents could learn horticultural practices that could be implemented in their home gardens.

Divorce or Reconciliation: How to Help the Relationship Between Industry and the Residents in North Birmingham Through the Extension of Finley Boulevard and Revitalization

Birmingham, Alabama is known as the Steel City with its inception stemming from the deep roots of the mining and manufacturing processes of steel. North Birmingham in particular is a major industrial corridor with small communities crammed in the area. The communities in the North Birmingham Superfund site are completely surrounded and isolated by the industry. The neighborhoods originally were built as housing for the industry in which surround them. With strong economic value, the industry in the area will continue to grow. The companies in this area give Birmingham major economic benefits, including jobs and tax revenue. For this reason, it is important to strengthen the relationship between the community and the industry. With such deep roots grounded in heavy industrial processes, the sources of the pollution seem to be endless. This paper will explain several ways to improve the quality of life for the residents as well as maintaining the industrial sector economically sound. The paper delves into the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s livability principles, and maps that measure aspects that contribute to the low level of livability. There are several ways to revitalize the area including road improvements and the potential extension of Finley Avenue. One way to improve the community aesthetically would be to plant noise blocking trees and shrubs that would also block the view of the industrial sites. In order to move forward, the relationship must be repaired. Strengthening the communities from within is an important step in the process, so starting with the community centers would be the best place to start revitalization.