Dear California Air Resources Board,
My name is Whitney Amaya. I'm from West Long Beach and a
community member and organizer with East Yard Communities for
Environmental Justice. West Long Beach is my home - it's where I
grew up, where my family and friends reside, it's my community and
therefore a place I will always fight to protect. I wish we didn't
have to fight; but, unfortunately, our reality is breathing in air
that is contaminated with toxic emissions from oil & gas
operations, the ports, railyards, trash burning, diesel trucks, and
more, all of which harms our bodies, our health, and the
environment. The Scoping Plan is an opportunity for CARB to stand
up to industry and stand up for our communities, but as of now the
current proposal is WEAK. We need CARB to pass a strong Scoping
Plan which means:
Phasing out oil refineries by
2045
Phasing out all fossil fuel
extraction by 2035
Stop granting new permits for oil
extraction
No carbon capture technologies - it
will increase explosion hazards at refineries.
Creating Just Transition programs to
help workers transition to well paid, non-polluting, union
jobs
Increasing electric vehicles on the
road & develop a robust public transit system to reduce
reliance on cars
Electricty from renewable, clean
sources of energy like solar and wind - NOT gas-fired electricty
from power plants, nor waste
Stop importing oil from the Amazon -
neither our communities here or abroad should have to bear the harm
from the oil & gas industry
We need strong action from CARB to address the environmental
injustices our communities are experiencing and I hope the elements
above are part of the final Scoping Plan if CARB is truly serious
about climate change and environmental justice.
Thank you.