Characteristics of Vulnerability of Tampa Residents Proximate to Superfund Sites

How does the vulnerability of Tampa neighborhoods relate to their distance from superfund sites and other hazardous waste? Superfund sites in Hillsborough county are located near vulnerable communities, which further makes them vulnerable. Using a mixed methods approach, I used both census data of 6 selected census tracts in Hillsborough county and Interviews with community stakeholders to determine the vulnerability of Tampa and see what is being done to help. I then compared this to the superfund site proximity, to see the correlation. There is a correlation between higher percentages on indicators of vulnerability and distance form superfund sites and hazardous waste sites in the selected census tracts.

The Weather Climate and Society REU program invited 10 students from across the US to conduct research projects related to disaster-vulnerable communities in Florida and other extreme weather-affected areas. These projects were interdisciplinary, integrating social science and physical science aspects of severe weather, climate, and related disasters through field work, interviews, and/or spatial analysis of secondary data in GIS. The PI of this REU is Dr. Jennifer Collins.