Environmental Justice
For the past few months I have had the great pleasure of working on a documentary for the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition. The coalition is a non-profit organization gaining momentum in environmental justice a topic emerging under the environmental umbrella. The EPA defines Environmental Justice as such, “Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. EPA has this goal for all communities and persons across this Nation. It will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.”
The lower Duwamish River is an interesting site for that it is one of the most toxic Superfund sites in the country. Over the years, chemicals and toxins have found their way into the river through drainage systems and water runoff. The neighborhoods along the river have thus become affected. These include the South Park and Georgetown communities. It is not only a problem for these disadvantaged neighborhoods, the Duwamish River runs directly into Elliott Bay and out to Puget Sound.
Due to environmental regulation a majority of industry along the river has been cleaned up. But, there is still a lot that needs to be done to transform this Superfund site. Major figure heads in the cleanup have been the DRCC (Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition), the Port of Seattle, the Environmental Protection Agency, the City of Seattle, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
If you would like to contribute please check out the DRCC website for more information: http://www.duwamishcleanup.org/index.html
Quote: ~ EPA
Grass Stain 