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Anyone catch the article in the East Bay Express last week, Oakland Officials Withhold Air Pollution Plan?
Image from D. Ross Cameron
The Air District is actually watchdogging City plans and the potential for a significant increase in air pollution in West Oakland, where air pollution is notoriously unhealthy. This might be a first for me but, kudos BAAQMD!
The Air District even suggested some great ideas to mitigate the increase in air pollution associated with the redevelopment, like infrastructure for electrifying trucks and vegetative barriers to trap diesel and particulate matter. Not to take too much credit, but you read our EXHAUST-ed! report, didn’t you BAAQMD?
But, before we all jump on board and condemn the redevelopment at the old Oakland Army base due to the increased pollution from increased truck, rail and ship traffic; I think it missed one crucial element regarding air pollution in West Oakland, the relocation of the recyclers.
The redevelopment of the old Oakland Army Base will actually help reduce some of the toxic air pollution within the West Oakland community.
Image from Stephen Loewinsohn
Currently, there are two industrial metal recyclers located within residential areas of West Oakland. Air samples have revealed elevated levels of lead and cadmium in the air surrounding McClymonds High School and many residents trace these air contaminants back to the heavy metal recyclers that are located right across the street from their homes.
After a unified effort between the residents and the business owners, the City agreed to support the relocation of the scrap metal recyclers, from their current location to a much more industrial site at the old Oakland Army Base. This creates a ‘buffer zone’ or breathing space between the community and the heavy industry, reducing the air emissions, noise, traffic emissions and additional trucks in residential areas.
Either way, considering it’s often times the residents who are forced to demand detailed info from the Air District; it’s nice to watch the Air District hunt down and demand the detailed info they’re looking for. So, now that the tables have turned, let’s kick back a little and watch it unfold.
But- if you’re an Oakland resident, you should probably call your City Councilmember and remind them that the redevelopment of the old Army Base is an opportunity to install a zero-emission infrastructure to protect our children’s’ health and keep Oakland moving forward.
Ray Kidd, a community leader in West Oakland, California talks about the air quality concerns in his community and how Global Community Monitor helped them out with the bucket brigade.
Usually when you read a news story about the environment, the great conflict takes center stage – jobs versus the environment, community members versus corporations, health versus toxics. That’s why I was shocked (and heartened) by the recent article in the East Bay Express, The Recycler Relocation Project. Of course, the article includes statements from a wide range of individuals – from corporate executives and a city-wide developer to community members and environmental justice organizations. But the thing that’s so interesting about this story is that everyone is pretty much agreeing with each other: The two metal recyclers, currently located in residential areas of West Oakland, would be better suited at the old Oakland Army Base next to similar heavy industry.
The community has carried the pollution burden too long, the recycling facilities want to expand their business and the developer sees great opportunity in it. What’s groundbreaking here is that there is a clear and feasible win-win solution for residents and industry. Additionally, the move will stimulate new economic development that will benefit the entire city. The expansion of the recycling industry will create more jobs and the vacated land that the recyclers currently occupy could be ideal for small businesses serving the neighborhood.
The problem here is that this isn’t a new idea. It has actually been discussed by City Council for years. And, if you’ve been following along, West Oakland already agreed in Jean Quan’s Town Hall meeting back in early February. Yet, progress continues to move very slowly in order to come to a decision on the issue.
Ultimately, it’s going to come down to us, the people with a broader vision, to tell the City Council our concerns and press for urgency. We need to come together on the issue and unite with other Oakland residents to show the City Council how important this relocation is. So sign the petition, get your friends and neighbors to do the same, and let’s create win-win story we all want to read about.
Oakland has finally signed a deal (with the folks who masterminded the awesome redevelopment of the grand old Fox Theatre) to develop the 118 acre Army base abandoned since 1999.
But first they’ll need to do a massive toxic clean up from what the Army left behind. It’s estimated they’ll need 300,000 cubic yards of ‘clean dirt’ to replace the toxic sludge which likely will have to go to a hazardous waste landfill.
Where can they get it – from the new bore of the Caldecott tunnel perhaps, which would put that stuff to good Reuse. That’s the second ‘R’ of the old environmental modicum: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Turns out Oakland could accomplish the two other R’s by another common sense move as well. You see, nearby in West Oakland, there’s a potentially great green redevelopment space along Mandela Parkway and Grand Avenue. With the freeway gone and the new parkway greening up with plants and trees, new businesses like Brown Sugar Kitchen have sprouted up and green infill housing has also moved in.
But the old three Rs are only going to get us so far, and that’s why we also need to be talking about the fourth R…Relocation.
In West Oakland there’s some old less desirable industrial factories cluttering up the landscape and bringing large amounts of toxic diesel truck traffic through the neighborhood.
And the businesses in question are – get this- recyclers, so you get the third R in the deal.
So that’s why Councilmember Nancy Nadel and others are pushing to have these old grandfathered plants, which emit toxic pollution and dust, relocated from near schools and homes to the Army Base. You also can reduce the diesel emissions by keeping the trucks closer to the Port.
So relocating the recycling facilities that include a large industrial aluminum melting plant far away from neighborhoods and green businesses is a true win-win-win for West Oakland.
And that gets us the fourth R (Relocation) that is becoming increasingly important in so-called ‘mixed use’ zones where new homes and businesses end up next to less than desirable old industrial neighbors.
Admittedly, industrial relocation faces a struggle from competing land grab factions on the council, but let’s hope a green future and common sense win the day. Life expectancies in West Oakland are already 10 years shorter than the rest of SF Bay Area folks because of air pollution. The fourth R will mean cleaner air and a healthier West Oakland.
Air Hugger 