- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A message from League of United Latin American Citizens
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
View as web page:
[link removed]
September 13, 2023
Contact: David Cruz - (818) 689-9991 Mobile
[email protected]
CALIFORNIA LULAC CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT LATINO COMMUNITIES FROM TOXIC
LEAD EXPOSURE
=================================================================================
Chapter of Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Says
Continued Use of Leaded Aviation Fuel Is Hurting Our Health
Washington, DC – California LULAC stands united with other state and national
community groups in its commitment to environmental justice, public health, and
the well-being of Latino communities. The statewide chapter is urgently calling
upon its members, allies, and concerned citizens to join in taking action to
combat the insidious and persistent threat of leaded aviation fuel (avgas) and
demand FAA Reauthorization not require the sale of leaded fuel.
"LULAC calls on its members to contact their Senators to demand FAA
Reauthorization not require the sale of leaded fuel," says Jacob Sandoval, CA
LULAC State Director. "We must ensure our long-fought and hard-won progress
toward a shift to unleaded fuel and electric alternatives is not lost. Congress
is expected to act on the FAA bill this month as the reauthorization passed in
2018 expires at the end of September," he adds.
Furthermore, this pollution disproportionately impacts communities of color and
lower-income populations, as the majority of the 20,000 airports nationwide that
are sources of ongoing lead air pollution are located in areas with predominantly
minority populations. It is clear that avgas use is a glaring example of
environmental injustice.
As Jose Barrera, LULAC National Vice President for the Far West has stated,
"There's absolutely no excuse for mandating the sale of leaded avgas. LULAC
members are stunned and angry that Congress refuses to listen to scientists while
claiming to care about our families and the environment. They don't care. They
don't care because our families are brown, plain and simple. Neither party can
claim to be above racism. Refusing to shift from leaded fuel is proof of that."
Serena Alvarez, Esq, President of San Jose LULAC Council 3090, emphasizes the
disproportionate impact of leaded avgas on minority communities: "Nearly 100% of
the 52,000 people living within 1.5 miles of Reid-Hillview Airport in East San
Jose, CA identify as nonwhite, with roughly 80% speaking a primary language other
than English at home. Leaded avgas is a serious environmental and racial
injustice. There's absolutely no excuse for mandating the sale of leaded avgas."
The continued use of leaded avgas poses an ongoing environmental and public
health crisis. Despite the phase-out of lead from automobile gasoline over 50
years ago, aviation gasoline still contains tetraethyl lead, with 100LL avgas
containing up to 2.12 grams of lead per gallon. According to the EPA, lead
emissions from piston-powered aircraft, primarily from 100LL combustion, are the
largest single lead source in recent years, accounting for 70 percent of the
nation's lead air pollution in 2017.
Sandoval underscores the dire situation: "Health disparities and elevated blood
lead levels among young children are unconscionable. A century is far too long to
wait for an end to lead pollution, and we demand Congress stop it now. We must
take action and speak up for children and their families."
# # #
About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and
oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans
and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000
councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and
advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of
today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org [ [link removed] ] .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Make sure you receive email from LULAC. Add
[email protected] to your approved senders list.
This email was sent to:
[email protected]
Click here to unsubscribe from email sent by LULAC.
[link removed]
Paid for by LULAC ( [link removed] ) and not
authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Contributions or gifts to LULAC are not tax-deductible.
Design by Plus Three [link removed]
Powered by ARCOS [link removed]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
