Public Engagement & Health in the U.S. Goods Movement: Case Studies in Detroit, Michigan & Long Beach, California

Background: The globalized transport of market goods through heavy-duty freight vehicles, collectively referred to as the goods movement, is a major source of pollution thought to disproportionately burden the health of low-income populations and communities of color in the U.S. Several federal and local policies require public engagement in land use decision-making as a mechanism for exchanging information, including health risks, associated with transportation infrastructure. Yet, activists, policy-makers, and researchers have questioned the ability of relevant, often well-intentioned government processes to achieve inclusivity and affect decisions and health. Methods: Case studies were conducted to investigate public engagement in two goods movement deliberations: the New International Trade Crossing in Detroit, Michigan and the Port of Long Beach - Middle Harbor Redevelopment Project in Long Beach, California. These studies entailed approximately 50 semi-structured, open-ended interviews of community and government leaders, mapping to describe community demographic composition near freight gateways, and a thorough content analysis of assessments and public comments in the designated sites. Results: After conducting systematic coding of data, a host of recommendations emerge from interviewees that may be useful in shaping future practices for facilitating public engagement in transportation decisions. For example, interviewees explain the unique role of locally driven mechanisms such as Health Impact Assessments and Community Benefits Agreements as supplemental tools for risk assessment and decision-making. Presented in this poster, community leaders also describe locally collected data and a variety of indicators not addressed in scientifically driven municipal planning tools such as Environmental Impact Assessments. Conclusions: While these case studies are not intended to be wholly generalizable to all U.S. regions, the federal funding pipeline and costly, mandated use of public engagement activities are constant variables that do render findings useful for state or federal policymakers and communities nationally.