By Macy Meinhardt, Voice & Viewpoint Staff Writer
The San Diego City Council unanimously approved the adoption of an Environmental Justice Element within their General Plan. The element aims to reduce health risks associated with industrial impact and redlining in disadvantaged communities—such as air quality, food access, pollution exposure, and more.
“I want to take advantage of this opportunity to let you know that there is a [factory] plant in front of my house that makes a lot of contamination, and has very strong odors. We are elderly people, from a low socioeconomic status right now. We are living there because we don’t have resources to move anywhere else,” said Roberto Corall, a resident of Barrio Logan.
Corral’s testimony during the July 1st City Council meeting speaks to environmental imbalances throughout the city caused by segregated development patterns and inequitable investment. The adoption of the Environmental Justice Element (EJE) is in compliance with CA Senate Bill 1000 mandate for local agencies to create environmental justice goals and policies to reduce health risks in disadvantaged communities.
Environmental justice, when action is taken, ensures that people of all races, cultures, and incomes are equally and equitably valued, protected, and served, according to the EJE draft.
Areas qualified to be included in the EJE are: Barrio Logan, San Ysidro, mid-city Heights, and Southeastern San Diego. Other areas include Encanto, Downtown San Diego, Otay-Mesa, Kensington-Talmadge, and Paradise Hills-Skyline.
The EJE report maps out seven objectives that build upon current policies and programs already in place, and a list of proposed actions to be brought into the communities in the future.
In regards to the speed of implementation for the Environmental Justice Elements’ plans, Council President Sean-Elo Rivera expressed the sentiment, “justice delayed is justice denied.”
“We have communities that have been breathing unhealthy air and have had all kinds of toxins floating around their communities for a very long time,” said Elo-Rivera.
Promoting Healthy Food Access
According to the San Diego Hunger Coalition, 1 in 7 residents in San Diego struggle with food insecurity, which refers to a lack of access to healthy and fresh food options.
Action items related to this include maintaining a supermarket needs index, streamlining processes for community gardens and urban farming, and incentivizing grocery stores to offer healthy and affordable food options.
Safe and Healthy Homes
Incentivizing middle-income and affordable housing in high-resource communities and developing an affordable home development master plan are also actions the EJE proposes to enact.
In terms of environmental justice, however, the notion of development serves as a catch-22. While development can generate jobs and supply critical housing demand, it also increases air pollution and exposure to surrounding neighborhoods.
This challenge was brought up during council discussion on the element’s adoption.
“I struggle with the question of, how do we do both?” said District 1 Councilmember Joe LaCava.
Pollution Exposure and Air Quality
The proposed action the element includes is tackling pollution exposure and air quality in disadvantaged neighborhoods. One of their recommended actions is to conduct a study to assess economic and environmental effects on incompatible industrial land, such as factory plants in neighborhoods.
Inclusive Public Engagement in City Decisions
Asserting that the community input is the leading guide for the element’s implementation, the city planning department proposes to add more funding to expand their outreach. Whilst representing some of the most diverse demographics in the region, multiple residents expressed the need for translation services to be included in this expansion so all voices can be heard and understood. The element also proposes to host a series of public events over the year where staff can gather feedback from the community. To learn about upcoming events visit: www.sandiego.gov/planning/environmental-justice-element
Climate Change and Resilience
Addressing climate change and the impact it has on vulnerable communities is also a part of the element. Case in point; the January floods.
Major emergency events serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need to prioritize equitable development and environmental justice to ensure that all communities, regardless of their development patterns, are resilient,” the staff report states.
Action items the EJE proposes are prioritizing green infrastructure for stormwater capture, water quality enhancement, and flood prevention, especially in vulnerable communities like those surrounding the Chollas Creek Watershed.
“We will be looking at this document for years to come and implementing solutions to remediate the disproportionate health hazards affecting Black and Brown and low income communities in our city,” said District 8 resident Julie Corolles in regards to elements’ adoption.
“Today is not the day to step back,” Corolles concluded.
