Comment Log Display

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) has
joined a comment letter with other individuals and organizations
working on environmental justice and community development issues
in the Los Angeles area. In addition to the group letter, we draw
your attention to a few additional items:

As stated in our letter, we support the use of Method 1, as it
addresses both socioeconomic vulnerability and environmental health
hazards in a way that is both fair and supported by existing
scientific evidence. However, we do not believe these two factors
alone should make up the entire analysis. First, we recommend that
any analysis of socioeconomic vulnerability take into account data
regarding race, color, and national origin. People of color
disproportionately live in the areas with the highest pollution
burden, and an analysis of which populations are the most
underserved must factor in all of these elements to capture the
full picture. 

In addition, we recommend that CalEnviroScreen 2.0 include access
to green space as an indicator in calculating scores. “Park poor”
neighborhoods that lack walkable access to green or open spaces are
deprived of a basic amenity which provides recreational and social
opportunities for residents, while also improving public health,
air qualify, and relief from the heat island effect. The public
health and environmental benefits of parks and green space should
be considered and weighed in this analysis.

Thank you,

Amy Lethbridge
Deputy Executive Officer
Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority