Understanding Disenfranchised and Underserved Communities in the U.S.

The report identifies seven key vulnerabilities—health disparities, poverty, low educational attainment, poor infrastructure, housing insecurity, environmental harm, and lack of political voice—that characterize disenfranchised U.S. communities. It highlights how these factors compound, particularly for 'doubly vulnerable' populations, and argues that historical exploitation has created a legacy of mistrust that can hinder clean energy projects. The document also critiques current environmental justice screening tools for failing to account for cumulative risks and warns that energy transitions can inadvertently create new underserved communities if not managed equitably.

• Disenfranchisement in the U.S. is heavily influenced by historical context, with 'deep disadvantage' most prevalent in areas with a history of racial oppression and environmental exploitation. The Index of Deep Disadvantage shows five primary geographic clusters: the Mississippi Delta, the Cotton Belt, Appalachia, the Texas/Mexico border, and certain Rust Belt cities including Flint, Detroit, Gary, and Cleveland.
• Seven core vulnerabilities characterize disenfranchised communities: health disparities, poverty, low educational attainment, poor physical and broadband infrastructure, housing insecurity, exposure to environmental harms, and lack of political voice. These vulnerabilities are interrelated and compounding, yet often addressed by separate legislative and agency jurisdictions, which limits policy effectiveness.
• Certain subpopulations experience 'multi-faceted' or 'double vulnerability' when social identities intersect with existing disenfranchisement. This includes LGBTQ+ individuals, the elderly, minors, people with disabilities, the unemployed, the incarcerated, immigrants, the homeless, veterans, and some ethnic or religious minority groups.
• Environmental hazards disproportionately affect marginalized groups. Black and African American individuals are 75% more likely to live in 'fence-line' communities near industrial facilities and 34% more likely to live in areas with the highest projected increases in childhood asthma. Hispanic communities are 43% more likely to live in areas with the highest projected reductions in labor hours due to extreme temperatures.
• Energy industry transitions can inadvertently create new disenfranchised communities. The closure of the Zion Nuclear Power station in Illinois led to a 50% loss of the town's tax base and a 145% property tax increase, while the closure of the Rich Run mines in West Virginia left the towns of Dille and Widen in steady deterioration and poverty.
• A legacy of exploitation by governments and industries has fostered deep mistrust toward outside actors in underserved and tribal communities. This mistrust manifests as resistance to clean energy projects due to fears of economic loss, cultural disruption, or the belief that benefits will be exported rather than kept locally.

APA

Linczer, G., & Pablo, J. (2023). Understanding Disenfranchised and Underserved Communities in the U.S. Clean Air Task Force. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/15135734/underserved-communities-report.pdf

Chicago

Linczer, Grace, and Jeanette Pablo. Understanding Disenfranchised and Underserved Communities in the U.S. Clean Air Task Force, 2023. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/15135734/underserved-communities-report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Linczer |first1=Grace |last2=Pablo |first2=Jeanette |title=Understanding Disenfranchised and Underserved Communities in the U.S. |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=November 2023 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/15135734/underserved-communities-report.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{linczer2023understanding, author = {Linczer, Grace and Pablo, Jeanette}, title = {{Understanding Disenfranchised and Underserved Communities in the U.S.}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/15135734/underserved-communities-report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }