Good morning, Inequality Insights readers. I’m Wendy Fry.
This week’s dispatch comes from CalMatters’ water reporter Rachel Becker. Becker reported this week on how the San Francisco Bay-Delta, California’s largest estuary, is dealing with extreme environmental challengestogether with low water flows, algal blooms, and concrete and agricultural runoff. These points are notably affecting low-income immigrants from Asian international locations and different folks of colour who depend on fishing within the Bay-Delta for meals.
The U.S. Environmental Safety Company (EPA) is investigating claims that California’s administration of the Bay-Delta has discriminated towards these communities. The allegations are that the State Water Assets Management Board didn’t replace water high quality requirements, which decide how a lot water is diverted to cities and farms, and has excluded tribes and Black, Asian, and Latino residents from the policymaking course of.
Fishing is an important supply of meals for a lot of low-income residents, corresponding to King Lee, a 72-year-old retired janitor from Hong Kong who fishes virtually day by day at San Francisco’s Pier 7. For folks like Lee, dwelling in one of the crucial costly cities on the earth, a great catch means a meal shared with household and buddies, whereas a poor catch means counting on rice and greens for sustenance.
Fishing “is my main job now,” Lee advised CalMatters. “Here, a lot of people do the same thing. Not much money.”
Environmental justice teams and tribes have filed a discrimination criticism, accusing the state water board of permitting the Bay-Delta to deteriorate into an ecological disaster, disproportionately impacting Native tribes and communities of colour. The EPA’s investigation will look at whether or not the state’s actions have violated civil rights legal guidelines by failing to guard these weak populations. State water board officers haven’t commented on the specifics of the investigation however have acknowledged that they’re offering the EPA with related info to display compliance with civil rights legal guidelines.
DON’T MISS
- Sterilization reparations. California over a long time sterilized 1000’s of individuals in state prisons, state-run properties and hospitals. Lawmakers created a reparations program for them, however it has denied most functions.
- Group land trusts. California allotted half a billion {dollars} to assist group land trusts throughout the state. However finances cuts and paperwork have land belief advocates again the place they had been in 2020: searching for state assist to protect inexpensive housing.
- Brutal historical past. A brand new legislation requires California college students to be taught Native American historical past in a manner that features the mistreatment and views of tribal members.
- Wage theft. The state Labor Commissioner generally struggles to get again pay to employees when it reaches wage theft settlements. It tries social media, TV and hotlines. However cash owed to workers remains to be sitting in state accounts.
- Lithium tax. Will poorer communities in Imperial County lose out on funding to restore ageing roads, parks and different companies due to the controversial manner county supervisors have proposed dividing up funds from a lithium tax?
- Financial growth. Ford introduced this previous June that it could develop its subsequent era of small, inexpensive EVs in Lengthy Seaside – creating practically 500 manufacturing jobs. To make sure that communities traditionally overlooked are meaningfully included, Lengthy Seaside is growing an Financial Inclusion Motion Plan with native companions to higher join numerous communities with new clear power jobs like these.
Thanks for following our work on the California Divide group. When you’re right here, please inform us what sorts of tales you’d like to learn. E-mail us at inequalityinsights@calmatters.org.
Thanks for studying,
Wendy and the California Divide Staff
