Communities in Action: Creating a Path to Environmental Health Equity in Southeast Indian Country

This chapter critically examines water—and its historical and cultural significance in Indigenous people’s lives—as a key determinant of health. Authored by two Indigenous scholars, both deeply involved in promoting environmental health equity in their tribal homelands, this chapter focuses on mercury contamination as a specific water challenge threatening tribal communities in the Southeast, a region often overlooked in Indian Country. The Southeast is particularly vulnerable to mercury contamination due to its reliance on coal-fired power plants and the historical use of mercury in industries. Mercury contamination affects the Coastal Plain’s rivers and, in turn, impacts the ecosystems and tribal communities relying on these water sources for fishing and other activities. Using an illustrative example, we discuss mercury contamination and its danger to the Lumbee River, known for its ecological, economic, and cultural importance to the region. In this example, we describe how tribal communities in the Southeast are taking action to reduce mercury contamination, monitor water quality, and raise public awareness about the risks associated with mercury exposure. Moreover, this example illustrates how community-engaged principles were applied in a collaborative planning project designed to address mercury contamination of fish and fish consumption guidelines in the Lumbee River Watershed. Addressing mercury contamination in the Southeast is crucial for safeguarding both the ecosystem and the health of Indigenous people depending on these water sources. We hope this example provides a valuable contribution and helps illuminate water as a key environmental factor that demands protection at all costs.