Center For Environmental & Economic Justice, Inc.

"Where We Live, Work, Play, Worship & Go To School"

History & Purpose

There were numerous organizations but none focused on EJ issues at the military sites, (Keesler Air Force Base(AFB), Biloxi, MS and the Naval Construction Battalion, Gulfport, MS) on the MS Gulf Coast whose environmental policies ignored the civilian communities.

CEEJ reached out to those most affected by industrial complexes' (military and commercial) lack of social conscience as it relates to people of color and poor people.  This group included tenant organizations, public housing residents, and citizens living in proximity to the military bases.  We discovered that 85% of those at the Navy Construction Battalion and 65% at Keesler AFB sites were Afro-Americans.

The reason for the interest from an environmental perspective was that Keesler AFB , during World War II, buried barrels of toxic chemicals on the base.  It was discovered that the barrels had begun to leak the poison into the ground water.  These toxins were also leaking into the Back Bay where people fish, crab and shrimp.  This affected Afro-Americans and poor folks who had no political voice of their own in that they fished in close-in waters, not having the large water crafts to fish in deeper waters.  Studies by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) revealed that certain fish (Flounder, blue crabs, etc.) had significant amounts of certain chemicals potentially dangerous to human receptors.  At the Naval Construction Battalion, which is surrounded on all sides by people of color, Agent Orange residue (dioxin) had been stored after the Vietnam War.

336 Rodenberg Ave., Biloxi, MS  39531  - Ph: 228-374-3010 - Email: James Black