RE: Ways EPA can partner with local government?

[Michael.Boyd.President, CARE <mike.boyd@aspect.com>]

Maybe my view is divergent on the benefits of EPA partnership with local government. In most of my dealings with EPA Region 9 I and other members of the public involved in environmental protection and civil rights see that EPA typically sides with local and state government. 

Unfortunately since those we represent (low-income and peoples-of-color) tend to have little in the way of financial resources the current process precludes these individuals from participation in EPA permitting and superfund review. 

Unfortunately for us, polluters (who tend to have unlimited resources compared to those we can raise)have substantial influence in the electoral campaigns. This prevent those we represent from seeing little benefit to us from EPA and local government cooperation. We tend to see this as collusion to prevent us from have a fair hearing on our environmental and civil rights concerns.

An example of this is a complaint I filed with EPA OCR over the permitting of two natural gas power plants in the community of Pittsburg California, along with the unanimous support of the board of trustees of the Pittsburg Unified School District. In this case the mayor of the city of Pittsburg, a Mr. Federal Glover, who is an employee of Dow Chemical, successfully used his support from Dow, USS Posco, the local gas refinery, the power generators, and other polluters to get a 880 MW power plant approved. Dow was the beneficiary of this in that they received free electricity and steam from the project in return for leasing their land for the new plant. As Mr. Glover is African-American, the state energy commission, used such to justify their failure to complete the environonmental justice analysis required under Title VI, despite the fact this community is 64% peoples-of-color. In reward for selling out his community Mr. Glover successfully ran for the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisor. He won this election as a result of the tens of thousands of dollars received by these same polluting industries- who went so far as to create a political PACT located in Sacramento (Soft money) to fund 2/3 of his campaign costs. These same companies also funded the states governor who appoints the California Energy Commissioners who decided not to do the required EJ analysis. 

This is just one community in the state, there are many statewide with this same un-level playing field. This is all being perpetrated on California's communities-of-color under Governor Davis's "Environmental Apartheid" siting process for siting power plants in our state.

Clearly what we need from EPA is to be on the side of protecting the environment and public health - not the political careers of local officials. We need EPA to send a clear message to these local agencies that is we who your working for - not them. We want you to protect us not side with the state and local agencies, and the polluters. We need EPA to set up a mechanism to provide Alternative Dispute Resolution services between the public, and these agencies, which includes mediation services, and a funding mechanism for public participation. We need EPA to level the playing field so all parties including the public irrespective of income or race can participate in a meaningfull and informed manner.

Mike Boyd-President, CARE mike.boyd@aspect.com