Sand Branch Research Paper

Sand Branch, Texas is a small community located in Dallas County, right next to Seagoville, Texas. This city is approximately 14 miles from downtown Dallas and falls between the Trinity River and Hickory Creek. Currently Sand Branch is home to 80 people and is a predominately black community. In its peak, this community was home to nearly 500 people. Sand Branch is the last of all settlements in Dallas to not be incorporated. An unincorporated settlement is land that the United States has not formally incorporated even though it is within the border. This means that the land is technically not U.S. territory but it is because it lays within the borders. This community is said to be one the poorest areas in Dallas like those in third world countries.

Why is it that communities like these are the ones that are being affected? Another thing these two have in common are that they are poorly represented and have no influence because this is a very poor community. This leaves them vulnerable to be taken advantage of by the city. The only difference between the two of them is Flint was publicized across the U.S. and it affected more people. Sand Branch on the other hand, may have had less victims but in the 138 years of this communities existence but they have never had running water ever. Why for as many years that this Sand Branch has existed that they do not have running water? Also, why hasn’t there been action to help instead of trying to tear this community apart with policies and laws? This research paper will take a further look at the living quality and the harsh conditions of the small community of Sand Branch, Texas. From what I have gained from theorist in the Environmental Injustice Movement, I will argue that the living conditions and circumstances of this community are harsh and inhuman for the residents because this is a predominantly black community this is an example of environmental

According to Savali, the community found a source of water (a well) but soon after find that the well ran dry and some say that it is too contaminated to drink from. The well was deemed too contaminated to drink back to the early 1980’s. Officials say, “that a bacterium that stems from hogs and livestock”, is the reason why the communities water is contaminated (Savali 2016). This left the community devastated because they are not able to access any usable water. In efforts to try and save the people from being forced out, with the help of people from all around Dallas, the community has a plan to clean up Sand Branch and give them a source of running water but in their attempts the city keeps postponing it. Regulations have been put into place by the government to keep postponing and forcing people to move out of the community. The regulations set by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) are the ones that must be met for them to stay, which are nearly impossible to meet because this is not a wealthy area that can afford to spend money. The average income of this community is said to be at average $700 per month (Savali 2016). The commissioner of Dallas John Wiley Price said that the reason why they haven’t been able to fix things is because it would cost the city “$6.8 million for flood protection, $4.2 million for water/sewer service, with an estimated