The second Trump administration has been under fire for several stories as of late, and the recent development in Birmingham, Alabama, isn’t changing that precedent.

Jilisa Milton, Executive Director of GASP (Greater Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution), received a grant termination letter from the EPA under the Trump administration, revoking a $75,000 air monitoring grant awarded in 2023. The grant aimed to help African-American residents in North Birmingham monitor pollution from nearby industrial plants, particularly in neighborhoods designated as Superfund sites due to hazardous waste contamination.

Without these essential funds, Birmingham won’t be able to measure its air quality, and its majority African-American population will suffer from heavy pollution once again. 

The Facts

Environmental racism refers to the unequal access to a clean environment and basic environmental resources based on race. Climate issues disproportionately affect those who suffer from socioeconomic inequalities, including many people of color. For example, the U.S. oil and gas facilities release about 9 million tons of methane gas and other toxic chemicals into the atmosphere annually, and more than one million African Americans live within a half-mile of these natural gas facilities. 

This air pollution causes innumerable health concerns, which also disproportionately affect African-American children. For example, approximately 13.4% of African American children suffer from asthma as compared to only 7.3% of White children. This is all to say, environmental racism is a real issue, and is not unique to Birmingham.

On the topic of Birmingham, the “Pittsburgh of the South” has dealt with significant pollution for more than half a century. The smoke and smog only started dissipating after the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970. Even after the act, many corporations in Birmingham still violated air pollution permits and endangered the citizens of Birmingham—the Blue Stone Coke plant in North Birmingham, for example, was only fined in 2022, after 50 years of ignoring pollution legislation. 

The Question of Why

When Milton received the grant termination letter, she wasn’t surprised. She suspected that, due to the language used in the grant, highlighting its intent to help Black people, Trump’s administration would eventually come after it. Milton further said that, “Revoking this support sends a message that the health of Black, Brown, and low-income communities in Alabama is disposable.”

Unfortunately, GASP isn’t the only environmental justice program in Alabama being cut. Earlier this year, the Trump administration announced that it was ending a landmark settlement designed to enhance wastewater treatment services for majority-Black communities in Alabama affected by raw sewage, labeling the agreement an “unlawful DEI and environmental justice initiative.” The Trump administration has had a history of rolling back both DEI and Environmental Justice initiatives, and these developments in Alabama simply continue that trend.

Looking Forward

GASP does plan to appeal the termination to EPA officials, but Milton doubts the agency will change its mind. The hope is that, even if GASP isn’t able to have their grant reissued under the current administration, they can still keep providing their services through donations and charitable organizations.