Submit your comment by 4/14!
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John,
We all deserve to live in a community where we can breathe clean air, drink clean water, and safely enjoy greenspaces, rivers, and lakes. And Tribes must be able to harvest healthy salmon, free from toxics, as they have since time immemorial. You have an opportunity to work toward this future by making a public comment.
Most of the 14,000-plus toxic waste sites across Washington state still need to be cleaned up. This pollution is not just confined to industrial facilities either. Toxic waste sites exist in neighborhoods in your community --disproportionately affecting people of color and Tribes. Despite this, the state’s environmental cleanup law does not prioritize cleanups in the places where people like you and your neighbors live.
You can change this.
After nearly 30 years, the Department of Ecology is finally updating the state environmental cleanup law and they are accepting public comments. The updates must include environmental justice and climate change considerations to reduce the burden on our most impacted communities. Make your voice heard by 3PM on Friday 4/14!
The data is clear: People of color and low-income communities bear a disproportionate share of health risks from exposure to toxics. This includes increased risk for cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. The environmental cleanup law doesn’t currently factor this into deciding when, and how, toxic waste sites are cleaned up.
And don’t forget to register to join us for a webinar this evening Thursday, April 13th at 5:30 PM. We’ll discuss the public comment opportunity and hear stories of the impact of toxic sites on Tribes and local communities.
Katie Byrnes (she/her)
Toxics & Stormwater Policy Manager
Washington Conservation Action
