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CHAPTER 3: EXISTING CONDITIONS IN THE STUDY AREA 3.5 Resiliency 3.6 Environmental Justice A resilient transportation system is one that and Equity can withstand and recover from disruptions, The environmental justice (EJ) and equity whether they are caused by natural disasters, evaluation identifies whether there are technological failures, or human-caused communities with EJ concerns and evaluates incidents. Resiliency involves the ability of whether the alternatives would equitably the system to maintain functionality and distribute project benefits and prevent adapt to changing conditions while minimizing disproportionate and adverse effects to human disruptions to people, goods, and services. health. This section of 1-90 can be susceptible The EJ study area is defined as the census to natural hazards such as wildfires and tracts and block groups within 0.5 mile of snowstorms.The highway's resiliency depends the 1-90 study corridor from South Cie Elum on its ability to withstand these hazards and to Easton because it is the area most likely recover quickly from any damage. Resiliency to experience socioeconomic effects from is also influenced by the maintenance and changes to the corridor. Federal guidance on condition of the highway's infrastructure, EJ is transitioning from an analysis of impacts including bridges and road surfaces. Regular to minority and low-income populations (per maintenance and investments in infrastructure the 1994 Executive Order 12898)to a broader upgrades can enhance 1-90's ability to analysis of environmental and health effects withstand and recover from disruptions. on "populations of concern" (per the 2023 1-90's resiliency is also affected by the Executive Order 14096)".At the state level, availability of alternative routes for WSDOT is responsible for incorporating evacuations and detours in case of closures or environmental justice in its plans and disruptions. In the study area, 1-90 currently programs because it is a covered agency under only has two lanes in each direction, so the Washington's Healthy Environment for All crashes or other causes for lane closures can (HEAL)Act (RCW 70A.02). However,guidance on cause a major disruption in the flow of traffic. HEAL Act Environmental Justice Assessments is Identifying and maintaining alternative routes still underway (WSDOT 2024). can mitigate the impact of disruptions on the highway and ensure the continued flow of 3.6.1 Demographic and traffic during emergencies. Socioeconomic Indicators The study area does not meet the definition of an EJ population or a Justice40 disadvantaged community" because the minority population is only 15% of the overall population and not meaningfully greater than the minority population of the comparison geographies of Kittitas County, Cie Elum, and Roslyn, which 11 The broader definition of"communities with environmental justice concerns"better integrates the discrimination protections under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 12 An"environmental justice population"described in Executive Order 12898 and EPA 2016;a"disadvantaged community'described in the CEIST Screening Tool methodology:https://screenigetoot.geoplatform.gov/en/methodoL_ VOLUME I: FEASIBILITY REPORT 1-90 Corridor Easton to Cle Elum Feasibility Study 148