Jacqueline Ngo Occupational & Environmental Health Professor Tessler Environmental Health Field Walk

02122, F ie lds Corner Urban Density | Mix of Residential, Industry, & Commercial | Vehicle Density

a. What was the loudest locat ion and the noise source? Where is the quietest locat ion? The loudest location was along the train tracks/bridges. Other loud locations include areas with auto-repair shops and areas along the highway. The quietest location was east of Fields Corner in a residential home area surrounding a community playground.

b. What types of unpleasant odors (e.g. chemical or b io logical hazards) do you detect in th is area? What is the source of these odors? Take photos i f you can. The smell of gasoline and smoke was present from auto repair shops. The smell of garbage was present (especially in the pedestrian alley between two main streets) from littered waste and actual garbage cans along the sidewalk. The smell of oils and foods was present from restaurant vents. There were also pollutant smells by Morrissey Boulevard and Malibu Beach (by the water).

c. How dense is the pedestr ian act iv i ty? Where did you see the greatest safety hazard for pedestr ians? How would you rate th is area in terms of pedestr ian safety? Bicycle safety? Pedestrian activity is dense. Fields Corner intersects major areas of Boston and Quincy. It also is a stop on the Red Line, which results in more cars and pedestrians. The greatest safety hazard for pedestrians was in apartment-residential areas. The majority of these streets are narrow and have parked cars on both sides, which is a safety hazard for both drivers and pedestrians due to scarce cross walks or worn out pavement signage. In terms of the area as a whole, I would rate it as often unsafe. The streets are relatively narrow, and although bicycle lanes are gradually being incorporated, there is a lack of safety measures.

d. What types of industr ies are located here that you were able to OBSERVE? Industries located in this area include natural gas distribution industries, electric power distribution industries, auto and motor parts shops, supply warehouses, and gas stations.

e. Speculat ion: What do you th ink the local residents of th is area are most concerned about ( re: Envi ronmental Heal th)? One major concern may be air pollution due to hazardous wastes and gas emissions. Fields corner is a very dense and mobile area—many cars pass through it, it is right beside the I-93 highway, and the Red Line runs right through it. Another concern may be the infrastructure. With new development of buildings, there may be less attention on renewing or maintaining bridges, roads, and sidewalks. These factors also contribute to waste production and pollution—the air local residents live and breath in.

f . How many green spaces/recreat ion areas did you encounter on your walk? Were they wel l-ut i l ized? Were there barr iers to thei r use and enjoyment by the community? There were 3 green spaces/recreation areas I encountered. There was a playground with a tennis court, basketball courts, and walking pathways in a residential area east side of Fields Corner, which was surrounded by large single homes. On the other side of Fields Corner, there was a small playground, a grass field, and basketball courts, which was surrounded by local restaurants, shops, and markets. There was also a walking area at Malibu Beach, which had benches and parking spaces. These spaces were well-utilized by communities surrounding them. The grass field on the west side of Fields Corner did have some barriers in terms of the populations occupying these spaces—local individuals who gather there to smoke, homeless groups, etc.

• I f you observed a faci l i ty or s i te that is an emit ter of water, a i r or other contaminants, look i t up on the EPA ENVIROFACTS website. What do they re lease? Have they had any recent v io lat ions?

National Grid – Liquefied Natural Gas Tank: In compliance with pollutant regulations, no recent violations.

(addi t iona l notes are inc luded at the end of the document)

Worker # Locat ion Job T i t le H

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Man

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cuts

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air

pollu

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Indo

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Infe

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fung

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Sm

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Vola

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Org

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Che

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Oth

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: __

____

___

Job

Stre

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OTH

ER:

OTH

ER:

#1 autoshop mechanic

x x x x x x x x x

gas smoke x

#2 local UPS

package deliverer

x x x x x x

#3 construction site

construc-tion worker

x x x x x x x x

#4 nail supply store manager

x x x

x acetate, nitrocellulose

• Final ly, p lease share a few of your own percept ions about the bui l t env i ronment you observed, your exper ience as an observer, and any ref lect ions about th is exper ience with in the context of the PH-204 course content. As a whole, the built environment of Fields Corner is improving—from housing development, community centers, and train stations. It definitely looks cleaner and feels safer than it did ten years ago. However, there still needs to be more attention towards the maintenance of infrastructure—from train bridges, to pavements, to streetlights. As Boston expands in population and advancement, Dorchester will become more and more developed. One of my personal concerns is the lack of balance in community progression—as new homes and businesses are put into construction, I am worried the old ones will be either pushed to the margins or replaced. I am worried that more priority will be given to these developmental projects, and less on the improvement of infrastructure or social needs, which ultimately influences economic costs and health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Being in the midst of all the development and construction was chaotic in that main streets were narrow, traffic was jammed, and hazards were present. There was no police guard to direct traffic around this construction site, which makes me question how much occupational safety measures were taken for the construction workers themselves. Overall, this field walk made me think about power dynamics, community responsibility, and health inequities. To what extent does community collaboration have on the environment and safety of the location? Is it more about advocacy and direct action to make sure stakeholders take safety measures? Or is it about having a high socioeconomic status and income to avoid hazardous locations in the first place?

Photographs

Notes

- broken, cracked pavements and walls - lack of maintenance of roads and bridges (netting to prevent pigeons from staying under the bridge backfired due to tall trucks) - narrow roads, safety hazards for drivers and pedestrians - lack of visible signage for pedestrians, especially around construction sites - tobacco smoke in environment - littering, waste on streets and around public fences - many liquor stores and smoke shops - a lot of smoke emitted into the environment from ventilation systems - lack of parking spaces, many side-view mirror damages - various odors – gas, smoke, chemicals - increased development in housing and businesses - differences in race and socioeconomic status in particular areas of Fields Corner

References

"Fields Corner West Neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts (MA), 02122, 02124 Subdivision Profile." City-Data. Neighborhood Boundary Data, 2011. Web. 05 Apr. 2015. <http://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Fields-Corner-West-Boston-MA.html>.

"US Environmental Protection Agency." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 2015. Web. 05 Apr. 2015.

<http://www.epa.gov/>.