People Organizing to Demand Environmental & Economic Rights

On Monday, March 15th, 2010, the Board of Supervisors Land Use Committee will hold a hearing on the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) and the Department of Public Health's (DPH) efforts to create health protective truck routes in southeast SF.  In the Excelsior, almost half (44%) of households live nearby high volume roadways.  They breathe in polluted air that causes coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, aggravates asthma and heart disease, and can lead to lung cancer and even premature death.  PODER and the Chinese Progressive Association led a community campaign to urge the City to take action on this ticking time bomb, which led to the city passing a resolution in November 2008 and forming an inter-agency working group to address the concerns.  All three southeast supervisors, including John Avalos (D11), Sophie Maxwell (D10), and David Campos (D9) have joined forces to oversee DPH and MTA's efforts.  "These are life and death decisions made by our MTA every day.  Because of the community's efforts, city agencies have stepped up to reduce the impact of concentrated traffic pollution on local neighborhoods," said Charlie Sciammas, community organizer with PODER.