Hello, my name is Jessie Parks, and I am a
third-year environmental policy student at the University of
California Riverside; I am coming here today from the inland empire
an industrial complex, this scoping plan is blatant disregard for
the lives of marginalized bipoc folk. As a student whose region
takes the medal for the worst air quality in the nation, notably
due to diesel-powered transportation, TRUs, dirty power plants,
dirty buildings and mass environmental racism. We should be tired
of a profit-focused industry with drayage trucks invading our
community and leaving us with unlivable wages, broken roads, and
deadly respiratory illnesses. Our community folk are dying and your
ability to change the legislation that directly affects our
community is more important than ever! Why back down because
industry is here and worried that they are on the losing side,
don't you want to be the victours?! CARB needs to create
more ambitious plans to stop the environmental injustices ongoing
in our state and prevent the worst impacts of climate
catastrophe.
I am desperately demanding that we accelerate
and scale-up investments in clean cars, and trucks for
working-class Californians. Air pollution from
gas-fired power plants is toxic, and affects disadvantaged
communities more than anyone else in the state. A 100% clean transportation system and
energy system by 2035 is a must, because the industry is already
demolishing the environmental justice communities of the inland
empire as they contaminate our air and water and strip us of our
community resources. Frontline, EJ communities have a
right to clean air and healthy lungs. Please make the health of our
communities your top priority by making these changes to the
Scoping Plan.
Please act urgently
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