ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR EZRA PRENTICE

Ezra Prentice Homes is a public housing project situated next to the Port of Albany in the city’s far southern edge; it has been officially designated as an Environmental Justice Community by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. 

Until recently, the DEC has been reluctant to address the air pollution issues that plague this community. Through direct observation, it was evident that residents of Ezra Prentice suffer from an extremely high level of illnesses, that appears to be related to air pollution. 

Ezra Prentice is in a highly industrialized area, with many potential sources of air pollution, but the two sources that most clearly impact residents are from the Kenwood rail yards, where oil tanker and other rail cars are parked and switched directly behind Ezra Prentice, and the heavy diesel truck traffic on South Pearl Street.