Occupy This River

Rivers and watersheds in and around low-income communities are impacted by the highest levels of pollution found anywhere in the U.S. They are compromised landscapes, often with limited access points behind auto repair shops and factories. Often there is little in the way of natural systems to protect and much to restore, which is a resource-intensive endeavor.

Political and socioeconomic challenges found in disadvantaged communities are also at play. Polluters benefit from the communities' lack of scientific knowledge and political clout. Agencies are faced with severe budget cuts. NGOs lack the internal systems, financial resources and organizing skills necessary to be effective.

River Network will work with state and regional partners and the Corporation for National and Community Service to select 15-20 local groups in communities that are at or near the poverty level. Over the next two years, those groups will receive long-term capacity-building assistance so they can better define and measure their on-the-ground successes and increase their organizational sustainability.

We selected the Gulf States of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama because they have some of the highest poverty rates in the U.S. As per the 2008 Census, they rank #1, #2 and #9 in the number of individuals living below the federal poverty level. In addition, coastal communities must now address the long-term impacts of last year's tragic Gulf oil spill.

The Great Lakes states of Ohio and Michigan, particularly in or near urban areas, also face major socioeconomic challenges and legacies of toxic pollution. They have been hard-hit by the recession in both home foreclosure rates (MI #4, Ohio #9, RealtyTrac, 2011) and unemployment (MI #6, OH #21, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011).

Through this project we will also focus on the Anacostia watershed in Washington DC due to the high poverty rate (ranked #5 compared to the 50 states, Census Bureau 2008) and its importance to the quality of the Chesapeake Bay, our nation's most threatened estuary.

Watch our website for additional information and a Request for Assistance (RFA) to be released in January 2012 ...