First Name | Mary |
---|---|
Last Name | Valdemar |
Email Address | mvaldema@valleycollege.edu |
Affiliation | SBVC Sustainability Committee |
Subject | Public comment on the Community Air Protection Blueprint |
Comment | As a taxpaying resident of this community for over 20 years, I have been to many AQMD & CARB public comment forums and meetings over the years. Most of the rhetoric I hear in these meetings puts an overemphasis on residential solutions versus industry solutions which is disporportionate when compared to the impact of residential vs industry polluters. Based on the data we already have from existing studies & air monitoring, we know that the Lion's share of pollutants come from industry. We need the Community Air Protection Blueprint to clearly indicate where that priority should be in terms of both solutions and better policies for enforcement of industry causes such as diesel trucks, equipment and even railyards. We need this blueprint to priortize zero emmissions technology NOW, especially in our community colleges where students are eager to be the next generation of zero emission mechanics, engineers and workers who support completely renewable industry in the IE! With our youth missing over a million days of school due to asthma and our elders suffering chronic health issues due to bad air quality, we need mitigation projects that immediately address the public health of residents surrounded by freeways filled with polluting trucks every single day! We all know the rich are not buying homes next to freeways, its the poor and the marginalized who end up forced to buy these homes or become a part of our growing homeless population. This is a health crisis that is bigger than gun violence and takes more lives every day. The blueprint needs to convey that sense of urgency and accountability that has been missing from our decision making bodies and bring public awareness to our communties about this issue. The blueprint also needs to demonstrate the severe consequences for industry polluters by implementing more policy that protects our community along with penalties for those industry polluters who do not heed this warning. Communities need to be empowered by this blueprint, especially those that have been fighting, mostly unsuccessfully, the over proliferation of warehouses across the IE. We all breathe this air, but the reality the lives that will be taken by it, will mostly be the poor, the uneducated, the marginalized and unheard voices of most vulnerable community members. Please make sure the priority is clear and that the solutions are focused on the real problem, industry pollution. |
Attachment | |
Original File Name | |
Date and Time Comment Was Submitted | 2018-07-21 18:00:05 |
If you have any questions or comments please contact Clerk of the Board at (916) 322-5594.