VIEWPOINT: More Investment Needed in Delawares Route 9 Fenceline Communities [Video]

Last week, President Biden recognized the “Route 9 communities” of Delaware in his Democratic National Convention speech. It was thrilling and gratifying to hear the efforts of the Route 9 Corridor called out as an example from such an enormous platform.

The Route 9 Corridor is comprised of several “fence line communities,” the term for communities directly affected by a nearby polluting facility or facilities. These communities have been working to combat the impact created by haphazard zoning, sprawl and racially segregated social structures.

These factors have allowed many industries to be situated perilously close to residential homes, impacting the air, water and health of generations of residents. Many public officials at the federal, state and local levels have worked to make changes to benefit these communities; yet significant environmental challenges remain.

To that end, last winter the Rt 9 Community Development Corporation (Rt 9 CDC) received a grant from …