Voces From the Field
A New Cuban Crisis Threatens Florida's Coasts
by Voces Verdes members and advisors on 02/16/12
This article originally appeared on The Huffington Post on 02/03/12.
Ever since Cuba's intent to drill within 70 miles of Florida's coast has become known, concerned Floridians have been reeling with how to protect our treasured Florida Keys. For many Floridians (myself included), this is a very charged issue. It's no secret that having Cuba drill for oil is itself a hugely political issue-- exiles and many others outraged at Cuba potentially developing significant oil resources. Add to that the fact that a spill in the area would seriously endanger one of the country's most sensitive ecosystems, (and an economic engine for Florida tourism) and you have a firestorm.
This would not be the first time that oil could generate a windfall for a dictator. We have been enriching unstable governments for years due to our deadly addiction to oil. But so far, our consumptive dependence on oil has only prompted us to deal with threats to our national energy security from our oil "dealer's" threats to increase prices, block the Strait of Hormuz, and manipulate markets knowing we're at their mercy. In this case, the oil producer is also a neighbor and the risk to the iconic Florida Keys has truly brought the threat home.
The Keys are known as the recreational fishing and scuba diving capital of the world. Extensive coral reefs on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in Florida are home to some of the world's most diverse ecosystems, mangroves, sea grass, coral reefs and marine life and the related tourism it generates is no small sum. In 2010, Florida welcomed 82.3 million visitors who spent more than $62.7 billion; and the industry provided employment to nearly a million residents. Each year, Florida generates more than $37.3 billion and 452,811 jobs to Florida's economy on fisheries, wildlife, and activities carried out in its waters.
We all suffered through the tragic disaster of BP's Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. There was no global precedent to guide the emergency response at such depth and no one could have imagined the economic and environmental consequences that recklessly drilling 5,500 feet deep would cause. Now, this drilling platform, the Scarabeo 9 is poised to drill deeper yet, and the plan in the event of a spill or explosion, is completely out of our hands.
For Florida, this massive platform is now a looming menace and a stark reminder of the price of our oil dependence and precisely why we need to stop drilling pristine places.
We need great political will to pave the way towards a clean energy future and sometimes fear can be a great motivator. In this case, fear that Cuban oil development would result in Cuba becoming an oil producing country or causing a spill that would pollute our beloved backyard has motivated some who generally don't recognize the environmental toll of drilling, to speak out against it. It has also resulted in a bipartisan group of legislators including Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio to introduce a bill in the Senate (S. 1836), and David Rivera (R-FL) along with a group of 16 bipartisan co-sponsors to do the same in the House (H.R. 3393) calling for penalties on oil spills-- without limitations.
The risks of drilling are real and not limited to drilling done by countries who we don't play well with. Yes, the dangers of a spill in Cuba are real and out of four hands, but even where U.S. drilling is concerned, the president's National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling concluded the oil industry lacked the kind of safety culture that could prevent another disaster. And even here, the government lacks the authority and resources necessary to police the industry. We cannot waste another opportunity to take measures to ensure the safety and well being of our communities by holding polluters and policy makers accountable.
Let's not wait for the next disaster. We must make an effort to wean ourselves from oil now or continue to face big risks and deal with situations like these where dictators are all too ready to become the next "oil dealer" to feed our dirty oil addiction. It's time to call on our leaders in Congress to protect special places from drilling, protect our oceans, adopt adequate penalties and most importantly to support a swift transition to a clean and vibrant energy future.
Remembering Dr. King's Dream and the Importance of Environmental Justice for All
by Voces Verdes members and advisors on 02/16/12
This article originally appeared on The Huffington Post on 01/16/12.
I am a huge fan of Martin Luther King Jr. Ever since I can remember, Dr. King's speech has moved me in a way that few others can. So when the topic came up during a meeting with a colleague, I felt compelled to write down my reflections on just how much we still need to heed Dr. King's message today.
We don't need to go far to see that hate is alive and well. The recent presidential debates have consistently rewarded the most hateful answers by candidates with rousing applause. Need we recall the round of applause Rick Perry got when he bragged about the number of executions carried out under his watch; or the question submitted by anti-immigrant group FAIR featured in the Fox/Google: "Are you going to exert an effort to stop the abuse of U.S. citizens by illegals?"
Everywhere we turn we see attempts to divide and oppose. Many "all-stars" in the party of "NO" on Capitol Hill have made their names by opposing health care, clean air, clean energy, even voting rights. Some leading the charge , as Robert Greenwald wrote today, are Tea Party funders, Charles and David Koch, who have their hand in everything from ensuring we don't have clean air to helping the proliferation of voter suppression laws across the country. All of which impact the poor seniors, minorities and disabled citizens the most.
This country was founded on freedom and equality, yet those who like to quote the amendments of the constitution most seem to ignore that these rights inure to all citizens (and in some cases even to non-citizens - for those who continue to view certain immigrants as less than human). That was the essence of Dr. King's dream and life's work: equality.
Unfortunately, even almost 50 years after his death, his dream is still a dream for many. The largest minority groups in the country, African Americans and Latinos, continue to see less wealth, more poverty and worse unemployment than whites. The nation's poverty rate rose last year to 15.1 percent, the highest level in 17 years. The fall was worse for women, Hispanics (about 27 percent) and African-Americans. And if recent years have taught us anything it's that poverty, for many of us, is only a few paychecks or an illness away from becoming our reality.
And inequality goes further yet. Affecting people daily even in some our greatest cities. Need proof? Pay a visit to your local landfill, toxic dump or coal-burning power plant. Odds are pretty good that the people living near that plant are poor, and in many cases black or Latino. Those of us who are able to drive home, away from these polluted areas, can pretend that we left the impacts of this pollution behind us, but we're kidding ourselves. Pollution knows no boundaries, and while it may not be clearly present outside our doors, its impacts, like the impacts of hate and inequality, affects us all.
Attacks against environmental protection must be viewed for what they are, attacks on us all, on our health, on our economy and the future of our country. Laws like the Clean Air Act save lives, reduce prevent heart disease, and child illnesses and help to create equal opportunity by making it possible for healthy people to live, work and thrive.
On this Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, I share my dream, that clean air and safe food and water be available to everyone without distinction. Only then will we have true equality.
Obama Vows to Stand with EPA
by Voces Verdes members and advisors on 02/16/12
This article originally appeared on The Huffington Post on 01/12/12.
Yesterday, President Obama visited the Environmental Protection Agency for an employee town hall to praise the work of the agency on protecting the environment and public health. In his first time ever visit to EPA, Obama told the staff that he would "stand with [them] every inch of the way as [they] carry out your mission to make sure that we've got a cleaner world."
This visit comes at a time when EPA is in the crosshairs of many in the Republican Party both on the campaign trail and on Capitol Hill with repeated claims that environmental protection cannot co-exist with job growth. But as NRDC President Frances Beinecke stated, "an agency that can create 31,000 short-term construction jobs and 9,000 long-term jobs and prevent tens of thousands of premature deaths with just one clean air standard has proven that public health protection and economic growth go hand-in-hand.
The President is right, "we don't have to choose between dirty air and dirty water, or a growing economy." Americans need jobs and good health to prosper in the competitive global economy of the 21st century.
Nowhere is this truer than in minority communities where blacks continue to face high unemployment rates with the rate increasing slightly from 15.5% to 15.8%.
Unemployment among Latinos has improved slightly, but continues higher than the national average at 11%.
Sadly, these communities are also the ones most badly battered by pollution. In 2011, NRDC published a report examining the impact of air pollution on Latino communities and the millions of children affected by ozone pollution (a leading cause of lung disease), mercury (a potent brain toxin) and other toxic air pollutants.
Fortunately, in a long awaited gift to children everywhere, the President signed the first ever limits on mercury pollution. Unfortunately for the 50 million Latinos affected by ozone, the calls President's statements this Tuesday won't undo his September 2011 decision to delay a revision of the ozone standard, capitulating to industry and leaving millions of Americans' health at risk.
President Obama is correct when he said: "When we put in place new commonsense rules to reduce air pollution, we create new jobs building and installing all sorts of pollution-control technology." If the administration continues to support EPA, these new jobs can and will go a long way in employing Latinos and blacks who have these skills and are eager to put them to good use.
EPA's work "touches on the lives of every, single American every, single day and help[s] make sure that the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the foods we eat are safe."
We shouldn't force Americans to sacrifice such basic rights and protections nor burden the most vulnerable populations with the worst impacts.
Our leaders in Washington must allow EPA to do its job if we want these protections and jobs to materialize. President Obama's visit shows his intent to do just that.
Linda Escalante contributed to this postA Long Awaited Victory for Children, Families, and Our Future
by Voces Verdes members and advisors on 02/16/12
This article originally appeared on The Huffington Post on 12/23/11.
This week, the EPA announced the adoption of historic safeguards against mercury and other toxic air pollution which will help to protect our children from increased risk of brain damage, cerebral palsy and other neuro-developmental problems. The Mercury and Air Toxics standard, or MATR is a major new measure to protect kids and families from mercury, toxics and other pollution from power plants.
Among the most dangerous of these pollutants is mercury, a neurotoxin that damages the developing brains and nervous systems of fetuses and young children. Mercury exposure can lead to delayed developmental milestones, delayed speech and other language problems, reduced IQ, problems with motor skills, and a laundry list of other health issues.
As the mother of two young children, I truly am grateful for this important action. Nothing could be more devastating to a family than a child with preventable brain damage. Not only have EPA and the president taken decisive action to protect future generations, they have also helped to prevent thousands of premature deaths, heart attacks, and serious respiratory illnesses, thus saving struggling families enormous health care costs, work days lost and much suffering.
This historic rule will benefit our nation as a whole and Latino families everywhere who are in the line of fire from air pollution preventing the harmful effects of these pollutants, such as respiratory diseases, developmental problems and heart attacks in our communities.
This rule protects our health while also creating thousands of jobs from the manufacturing, engineering, installation and maintenance of pollution controls to meet these standards, potentially including 46,000 short-term construction jobs and 8,000 long-term utility jobs. This is an important move to protect the public health while ensuring a brighter future for our communities.
Each year EPA's new air toxic pollution rules will prevent 11,000 thousand premature deaths, 4,700 heart attacks, 130,000 cases of childhood asthma and 6,300 cases of acute bronchitis while preventing mercury exposure to children that can adversely affect their developing brains -- including effects on their ability to walk, talk, read and learn.
This rule and these cost-savings are especially important to the Latino community because according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Latino children have higher levels of mercury in their bodies compared with non-Hispanic white children. With 39 percent of Latinos living within 30 miles of a power plant, emissions controls are a critically needed and welcome safeguard. For this reason numerous Latino organizations have expressed their gratitude for this important rule in a letter (read the letter at www.vocesverdes.org).
There are about 1,350 coal- and oil-fired units at 525 power plants across the country. These are the largest industrial sources of mercury in the United States and emit approximately 80 toxic pollutants in all, such as arsenic, lead and other heavy metals as well as acid gases. They not only poison the air we breathe but also pollute our lakes, rivers and streams -- and the fish we eat from those bodies of water. So even those of you who feel immune because a dirty power plant isn't in your back yard may still be at risk if you decide to eat fish.
The bottom line is, no matter who you are or where you live, we cannot continue to sacrifice the health of our families and communities to protect polluters.
These standards for mercury and other air toxics will help to reduce mercury emissions from power plants and help children across the country avoid preventable birth defects and learning delays and have a brighter, healthier, more productive future. Finally, putting people overOut of Sight, Out of Mind
by Voces Verdes members and advisors on 02/16/12
This article originally appeared on The Huffington Post on 10/27/11.
We've seen poll after poll: Congress is out of touch with what Americans want. On my last trip to Washington I was curious to see why even some who have traditionally recognized the importance of a healthy environment have gone south. What I found were not answers but fear and a clear sense that they live by the old adage: out of sight, out of mind.
Here's how it works in Congress: if you're not in their face or calling them constantly you don't factor into the decision. Period. Those who have decided to vote against our health are afraid. Afraid of the big polluters in their districts who camp out in their offices warning them of the dire scenarios that will ensue if they support clean air. Campaigns cost money and they need to keep their friends who have it happy. And since the average person who is affected by pollution doesn't send their lobbyist into their office regularly to ask them to protect their family's health (after all average people don't have lobbyists), they've decided we must not care or worse, we just don't matter.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
According to new polls conducted for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the League of Women Voters (LWV), and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Americans oppose attacks on clean air.
Among the national poll's major findings:
• Roughly 7 out of 10 Americans (69 percent) agree with health experts who support reducing toxic air pollution from industrial sources and oppose those in Congress who say they must overrule the EPA to protect jobs; three out of four women overall and 73 percent of Latino women agree with health experts.
• Seven out of 10 support EPA requiring stricter limits on the amount of toxic chemicals that industrial facilities can release and 69 percent favor EPA limiting the amount of carbon pollution that power plants and industrial facilities can release. Among women overall, 77 percent support stronger toxics limits and 78 percent support limiting carbon pollution; 76 percent and 77 percent of Latino women support those limits, respectively.
Clearly, we care.
• 70 percent of Americans disapproved of Obama's decision to block the smog standard while only 30 percent approved. Roughly eight out of 10 women (79 percent) overall and 71 percent of Latino women disapproved of Obama's decision on ozone.
• Nearly four out of five Americans (78 percent) want EPA to hold corporate polluters accountable for pollution they release. Of these, over four out five women (83 percent) and 80 percent of Latino women share this view.
Clearly that shows we care.
These results should not be surprising, after all, who wants to live in a place where the air is unsafe to breathe? The answer seems logical, yet to many in Congress these answers don't seem to matter. What matters is protecting polluters and ultimately, they think, their jobs.
This is not only unacceptable, it's also false. Sure, polluters may back and fund campaigns, but voters are not stupid.
We no longer buy the mantra that protecting our health from polluters who don't want to clean up their mess will cost jobs. Protecting families from the pollutants that cause asthma, neurological disorders, cardiac disease, and premature death has put millions of Americans to work. We've seen past Republican and Democratic presidents alike support environmental regulations without the alleged "the sky is falling" scenario come true. And most of all, we've had enough of watching our Congress, who are supposed to represent our interests, ignore us simply because we don't have lobbyists knocking down their doors.
Americans support stricter safeguards against the toxic pollution and chemicals released by power plants. That much is true. Women and Latino women particularly want stronger protections from toxic air and carbon pollution. As those seeking reelection know well: women and Latinos will vote in large numbers right alongside the millions of black, white and other voters who are just as tired of watching Congress protect tax breaks for big (talk about rich!) oil companies, coal companies and polluters, at our expense.
After all we know that at the end of the day it's our families, our children who will have to deal with the pain and expense of asthma, lung disease, cardiac problems and even deaths that will result from failing to make polluters clean up their act. Neither the government, nor any big polluters are going to bail us out when that happens.
It's time to call them and tell them we care and we vote. Only then will they stop ignoring us.
