Track 3′s day began back at the MCJ Center. We discussed an overview of what we discovered yesterday while compiling codes for the economic factors that will be imported into the mapping software to generate numbers and comparisons of the present poverty and disinvestment in the Gulfport area.
After our brief overview, our group met with Reilly Morse, the MCJ attorney and supervisor for our project. Reilly discussed the remaining goals/events for this week and then we navigated our way through a power point presentation regarding the current layout of the port, and the potential diagrams for the expected expansion. It was only the beginning of day 2, and we already felt that we were running out of time.
Our group’s next task was to review a previous Community Benefits report that was prepared in conjunction with a project in Biloxi and to review the highlights of how other cities and states have handled community benefits analysis and planning. Some of the cities that currently have CBA (community benefit agreements) in place for various projects include New York City; New Haven, Connecticut; Los Angeles, California, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Although each city has CBAs regarding specific projects, each CBA brings its own benefit negotiations and needs of the surrounding community with it, so no two are exactly alike.
Our afternoon consisted of an interview with Jeff Bounds, a developer/planner in the Gulfport area. We had a chance to discuss the potential economic impact, disparate impact, and goals of the Gulfport expansion plan with Jeff. He set out the plans for the expansion project in what is classified as a “compartmentalizing” plan. Basically, the expansion plan is prepared to be completed in phases, so as to minimize the impact of the community. Although there is a long-term plan set out, it seems as though the short-term effects and concerns of citizens have not been completely sorted out.
Reilly and Jeff both explained that through the background work of surveys and interviews with the citizens of Gulfport, the overall concerns include air quality, health issues, and of course…noise impact. The Gulfport expansion project not only includes expanding the port itself by establishing a port expansion that is raised 25 feet above sea level, but also includes the construction of a major highway leading from Gulfport towards northern Mississippi. This highway will divide Gulfport directly through the middle of city. Overall, the highway portion of the expansion project will impact the Gulfport area tremendously. There is a great potential that the transverse streets will be blocked, and the connection from one side of the city to the other, completely shut down. Exactly what the citizens of Gulfport are concerned about.
Additionally, a new road, with new construction, includes increased noise levels and health concerns that can and likely will last years and decades from now.
Our team’s interview with Jeff was centered around grasping a better idea of what we want to know and our mission for Gulfport, including, but definitely not limited to, what benefits are available for the citizens right now; what benefits can the agency/advocates tap into to funnel part of this money back to the community immediately; what analysis has been performed regarding the impact of the entire expansion project on Gulfport; what has the city government, county government, and any other agency done or are they currently doing to make sure that the citizens of Gulfport are not in worse conditions after the expansion than they are now; what do the citizens of Gulfport really care about and view as the major problems for them?
So here is what we know at this point: the planning of the project recognizes that network connections are important and that the citizens of Gulfport should/need to be considered; the majority of eminent domain actions have already occurred for the “taking” of the land for the highway portion of the project (and we all know that process is “fair”); and the underlying issue in all of this—politics!
We left our afternoon on a brighter note—tomorrow we look forward to meeting with one of the attorneys that has been retained to represent the local shrimpers and evaluate their course of action to oppose the Gulfport expansion project and its impact on their jobs and livelihood. Later this week we will also be speaking with Jason Reece, a senior researcher from Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at Ohio State University. There is still a lot of work to be done on this project, and the impact of the port expansion is far from known. Reilly clarified today that we are the “forerunners” of many things to come regarding the structural racism and community benefits in the Gulfport area. With what information we have right now, we continue to strive to look for the even a small way to find assistance and reach out to the citizens of Gulfport.
Because Tracy and I are the only two CSL students on this project, we will continue to post updates for the remainder of this week regarding our project and developments.
I am thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the CSL team at Mississippi this week. It is heartbreaking to see the shape of Biloxi and Gulfport as we approach the 5 year anniversary of Katrina. Every street is a reminder of the devastation these cities, but most importantly their citizens, have suffered and continued to endure. The compassion of the MCJ attorneys and their desire to make all things better for the citizens of Mississippi is catching. You can walk into the MCJ in the morning, and you know that your work is appreciated, even the smallest contributions, to their greater cause(s). When you leave at the end of the day, it still remains hard to find the words that express your desires to help, the current situation of the cities and citizens, and the feeling of helplessness that you have because you cannot make an immediate difference for them. I sincerely hope that CSL will continue to support the efforts of MCJ and their projects and consider expanding their pro bono work in conjunction with MCJ in the years to come.
–Carrie
