Confronting Air Pollution in Philadelphia: The Intersection of Civilian Activists, Government Regulations, and Environmental Injustice, 1970-1990

Abstract

On April 22, 1970, over 10% of the population gathered in cities across the U.S. to celebrate the nation's first Earth Day. Philadelphia was at the forefront of this movement, with over 20,000 Philadelphia residents participating in teach-ins, rallies, and marches. This project analyzes the effectiveness of grassroots movements such as Earth Day in prompting change, with a specific focus on attempts to regulate air pollution in Philadelphia following the first Earth Day. An analysis of grassroots demands and policy changes during this time period provides an overview of the ways in which Philadelphia citizens and the city government addressed air pollution concerns. Ultimately, the project concludes that there was increased attention towards addressing air pollution concerns in Philadelphia from 1970 to 1990 by both citizen groups and the city government, although the Pennsylvania state government remained reluctant to implement air pollution control policies. Citizens utilized bottom-up advocacy tactics to encourage the local government to implement stronger air pollution control policies, while simultaneously using federal legislation and lawsuits to force the city and state governments to fulfill legal air pollution control obligations. However, activists and legislators repeatedly prioritized the concerns of white, middle-class residents while ignoring and largely excluding the perspective of marginalized communities. As Philadelphia continues to grapple with modern environmental concerns, the actions taken between 1970 and 1990 offer a historical example of how a population can mobilize to effectively address the climate crisis.