H-20 Correspondence – Diana Sanchez
From: Diana Sanchez [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2022 1:55 PM
To: CityClerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment for Agenda Item No. 20 for 1/18/22 City Council Meeting
-EXTERNAL-
Hello Board Members,
My name is Diana Sanchez and I am a member of East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice and a resident of Long Beach who grew up in South Gate, CA. I’m here to express our strong opposition to the negative declaration approach (the no impact conclusion) for the World Oil Project. This massive new oil storage facility requires robust environmental review to assess appropriate mitigation and alternatives to this project.
The negative declaration for this oil storage facility ignores the reality on the ground in overburdened communities and the very real harmful impacts of this expansion, it is unjust. The World Oil Project would have a range of harmful impacts on surrounding communities including emitting hundred of thousands of pounds of toxic air pollution. I grew up with asthma and had to get an emergency surgery to remove my tonsils because I was no longer breathing, which i'm positive is directly related to living near toxic industries.
The Long Beach City Council must demonstrate leadership and show their commitment to impacted residents and environmental justice.
I urge the Council to require the Port to prepare an environmental impact report for this project to protect our health and safety. I hope you have the good consciousness to stand up to this powerful industry by not allowing new oil infrastructure projects to be rubber-stamped without meaningful environmental review.
Thank you,
Diana Sanchez (She/ Ella)
Covid Organizer
http://eycej.org/
East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice