There is no panacea for environmental harm. Even beneficial projects can have possible adverse impacts, such as increasing a community’s exposure to toxics or displacement of low-income households. Decision-makers need an arsenal of policy measures that can help mitigate and combat the adverse impacts.

• Housing and transportation security for low-income households, including increased access to transit-oriented development in high opportunity areas, such as jobs-centers
• Targeted or local hire to improve economic baseline
• Buffer zones between harmful uses and sensitive areas, such as schools or neighborhoods

Again, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution. For strategies to effectively combat and/or mitigate adverse impacts and meet the specific needs of a community, they must be developed in collaboration with that community.