SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), an organization fighting toxic pollution in San Diego and Tijuana, reports that local leaders Sen. Toni Atkins and Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher have scored 100 percent on the annual Environmental Justice Scorecard. Late last month, the California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA) released the report detailing 2016 voting records of California’s state policymakers on legislation addressing environmental injustices in low-income communities of color.
“In San Diego’s neighborhoods south of I-8, environmental justice issues like poor air quality have a devastating impact on the health of children and families,” says Diane Takvorian, executive director of EHC. “It’s uplifting to know that we have leaders like Atkins and Gonzalez-Fletcher in Sacramento fighting for the health of our neighborhoods.”
According to CEJA, many legislators have improved their attention to environmental justice issues since the first scorecard was released in 2014. This year’s report also includes the first-ever agency assessment, which aims to grow environmental justice leadership in state agencies that play an important role in protecting vulnerable communities.
“Environmental justice communities are hit first and worst by the impacts of pollution and climate change,” says Takvorian. “Especially during these uncertain times for environmental policy, we cannot overstate the importance of holding decision makers accountable for choices that impact low-income communities of color.”
To access the full report and see how other San Diego legislators scored, click here. For more information about EHC, click here.
