Using health impact assessment in community development to improve air quality and public health

Abstract

Air pollution contributes to asthma, allergies, lung function impairment, cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality. Transit-oriented development, roadway expansion, new residential and commercial development, and pollution mitigation projects impact local and regional air quality. This article discusses the use of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) by community advocates, public health and city planning departments, and regulatory agencies to ensure health impacts are considered in decision-making processes that affect air quality. HIAs encourage collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including communities facing health inequities. HIAs also use data and analysis to predict health outcomes of proposed planning and policy decisions. This article describes the collaborations, empirical assessment tools, communication and advocacy strategies, findings, recommendations, and outcomes of the following HIAs: a transit-oriented station area plan in Pittsburg, CA, grade separations funded through a policy to levy a fee on all port containers passing through major ports in California, and a freeway expansion in Los Angeles, CA.

Keywords:

• environment and sustainability
• health, transportation
• land use
• citizen participation

Notes

1. This estimation is based on MTC survey results and estimates of existing and proposed housing units. By adding 1590 new units with an average of 3.1 people per household (Census, 2000), there will be 4929 new residents within half a mile of the BART station. Ifthe population of Pittsburg were to remain static, this would nearly double the amount of people who use public transit from 8.4% to 16%.