Comment Log Display

From the perspective of an environmental justice neighborhood in
South Los Angeles, I am concerned with how cap and trade
essentially gives big polluters permission to pollute in
communities who already bare a disproportionate burden of
environmental injustice. It allows large companies to buy pollution
credits from pollution sources outside of LA or even the state, but
the same company can then pollute in already vulnerable
communities. There needs to be a greater recognition and change in
the policy to reflect which communities should have priority to
benefit from the cap and trade funding. For example, while the
disproportionate burden of air pollution exposure is on EJ
communities, programs like the Active Transportation Program only
earmarks a minimum of 10% of its funding to EJ communities. The
proportion of funding for "solutions" programs going to EJ
communities, such as ATP, should be much greater and be prioritized
for communities with the greatest burden and proximity to sources
of pollution. Community health must come before corporate wealth.