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Contact Information
Website: http://www.greenaction.org
StaffPage =
http://greenaction.org/?page_id=602
Address: 559 Ellis St
San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: (415) 447-3904
Fax: (415) 447-3905
Email: greenaction@greenaction.org
Contact: Bradley Angel
Position: Executive Director
Introduction
Greenaction mobilizes community power to win victories that change government and corporate policies and practices to protect health and to promote environmental justice.
Vital Stats
Greenaction and Community Victories
- April 2005 Victory! U.S. Dept. of Energy decides NOT to send Moab uranium tailings to the International Uranium Corporation Mill/dump next to the White Mesa Ute reservation…and agrees the waste must be moved to a safe location away from the Colorado River! Read the DOE announcement.
- 2/28/05 Victory: Global Energy Resources drops incinerator in disguise proposed in Cochise County, Arizona. Read background.
- 11/16/04 Victory: Community & Greenaction defeat Plastic Energy LLC's incinerator in disguise proposed for Hanford, California. Read more in English and En Espanol
- 10/18/04 Greenaction and Coalition Defeat Alameda Gasification "Incinerator In Disguise" Great Victory for Health, Environmental Justice & Renewable Energy! Read the fact sheet, action alert and press coverage.
- 4/1/03 Victory! Toxic Polluter LeSaffre Yeast (Formerly Red Star Yeast) Announces Closure in Face of Growing Community Protest! Victory for Health and Environmental Justice! Read Press Coverage in SF Chronicle and and the campaign background!
- Winter 2003 Greenaction and Santa Cruz area residents stop incinerator proposal! Read the fact sheet and action alert / Aviso En Espanol, news articles and background information.
- Victory! Arizona Toxic Polluter IWU Shut Down After Long Fight! Read coverage in The Arizona Republic and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality!
- Victory! Tribal Members & Greenaction Celebrate Victory against Stericycle Waste Incinerator at Gila River Indian Community reservation in Arizona! Read the press coverage in The Arizona Republic and in industry journals (Solid Waste Report and Native American Report) about the closing of the incinerator!
- Victory! Community Defeats Shell's Expansion and Stops Cancer Threat! Read about the issue and the victory won by San Francisco community groups, parents, teachers, students and Greenaction! Read the letters from Chinese Progressive Association & Greenaction!
History
Founding Year: 1998
California Communities Against Toxics (CCAT) was formed in 1989 by community activists and community environmental justice organizations from across the state to share information, support each others efforts, and challenge polluters and their friends in government. California Communities Against Toxics launched Greenaction to fulfill an important need and role that no other organization in the entire United States is now providing. Greenaction engages in action-oriented dynamic campaigning in support of diverse community struggles for health and environmental justice, and for real solutions to problems of industrial pollution and government inaction in the face of the health and environmental crisis.
Greenaction holds polluters and government accountable on environmental, public health and worker health and safety issues. Greenaction plays a vital role in publicly challenging local, State and Federal regulatory agency inaction and complicity in the face of toxic and radioactive threats and rising rates of cancer and other illnesses. Many government agencies have done little to promote serious solutions. Communities directly impacted by toxic threats and the general public are faced with polluter-friendly policies in terms of permit decisions, lax enforcement of violations at industrial facilities, and the revolving door between government and industry. Polluters and many government agencies fear serious public participation in decision-making, and they often refuse to allow serious public input unless strongly challenged.
As a vigilant watchdog, advocate and active campaign organization, we are holding industry and government agencies accountable. With our extensive contacts, we are able to mobilize a large and powerful network of community, health and environmental groups, coalitions and activists to take action and pressure government agencies and polluters. Backed by solid information and strong campaigning, we are attracting the attention of the policy makers and industrial polluters. We pressure government agencies to fully involve the public in decision-making and to protect the public health and environment on a community, state and national level. As many communities hardest hit by environmental problems are often poor and without access to government decision-makers, Greenaction's expertise has a critical role.
Current Projects
- Bayview Hunters Point, San Francisco, CA: Clean up PG&E site, and Reduce Pollution at Pan Glo! Greenaction is leading a community effort to encourage the dismantling of the now-closed PG&E power plant and to watchdog PG&E’s planned cleanup of contamination at the site. We have been meeting with PG&E, city officials and residents to encourage a timely, comprehensive and safe remediation of the site. We also met with officials from Pan Glo Services, a major polluter in Southeast San Francisco, and they have agreed to work to reduce pollution from their operations.
- International Campaign Supports Tohono O’odham Indigenous Peoples Fight against Mexican Hazardous Waste Dump Project. Greenaction is helping traditional and ceremonial leaders of the O’odham peoples in Mexico and the U.S. oppose Mexico’s plans to build a giant hazardous waste landfill near villages and sacred sites in Quitovac in Sonora, Mexico. We brought together a huge alliance of environmental justice and Indigenous groups, and Greenaction is working with tribal members to hold protests in Arizona, California and Mexico in October. In a big victory, we have forced the Mexican government to retract their claims that the project had received full approval.
- North Salt Lake City, Utah: Shut Stericycle Medical Waste Incinerator – Sterilize, Don’t Burn the Waste! Greenaction is working with families living next to the Stericycle incinerator and with parents whose kids go to schools recently built nearby. Stericycle burns medical waste shipped there from many states, emitting dioxin and other pollutants into the air. We want Stericycle to switch to safer non-incineration technologies that will protect the health of residents and workers. We helped organize a large community forum and debate featuring Greenaction, Stericycle, and government officials, attended by 150 people. There were four major newspaper stories about the issue and community concern continues to increase.
- No Desert Rock Coal-Fired Power Plant on Navajo Reservation (New Mexico)! Greenaction is working with the Navajo group Dine CARE and grassroots tribal members living to defeat a proposed coal-fired power plant that threatens community health, traditions, culture and would increase global warming. Greenaction Director Bradley Angel and Greenaction Board member Dave Harper from the Colorado River Indian Tribes conducted a training and strategy session for community members in August.
- California, Arizona & around the World: Resisting the Onslaught of “Incinerators in Disguise”. Greenaction is continuing our campaign to defeat industry attempts to site gasification, pyrolysis and plasma arc incinerators for treatment of hazardous, solid, medical waste, sewage sludge and tires. While the industry claims these technologies are “recycling” and “renewable energy,” in reality these “incinerators-in-disguise” heat wastes and then burn the toxic gases and produce toxic emissions. We support pollution prevention, increased recycling and real renewable energy instead of incineration technologies. Our new report on this issue, including case studies, is available on our website www.greenaction.org. We are providing information to communities, environmental groups, government agencies and media around the world on this issue.
- West Berkeley, California: Stop Pollution from Pacific Steel Casting! Safe Jobs and Clean Air! Greenaction is supporting residents in their fight to stop noxious odors and significant emissions from Pacific Steel Casting. We are pressuring the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to do their job and force PSC to eliminate the odors and dramatically reduce pollution. We want healthy air for the workers and the community.
- Kettleman City, San Joaquin Valley, California: Stop Proposed Toxic Waste Dump Expansion! Greenaction is helping this farmworker community fight expansion of the nearby Chem Waste Management hazardous waste landfill, as well as fighting plans for proposed sewage sludge dumping near the town. We are training youth and women on environmental health issues and leadership skills.
- Stanislaus County, San Joaquin Valley, California: Campaigns against incineration and pesticide drift! Greenaction and the Grayson Neighborhood Council are continuing our campaigns against the Covanta garbage incinerator and against pesticide drift in this low-income Latino area. We are currently working with residents to encourage county and city officials to support recycling instead of incineration. Greenaction also spoke at a forum in Fresno in September as part of the National Environmental Justice Bus Tour. We are active in the Central California Environmental Justice Network & Central Valley Air Quality Coalition.
- Richmond, California Environmental Health and Justice Project launched. Greenaction and the West County Toxics Coalition have launched a major campaign to stop new pollution and reduce existing pollution in this community that suffers from refineries, chemical plants, waste treatment facilities and other dirty industries. In late June we helped residents stop the siting of a crematorium that would have emitted large amounts of toxic mercury adjacent to homes.
- From East Palo Alto, CA to the Gila River Indian Community, Arizona: United Against Romic! The fight to close the Romic hazardous waste plants in East Palo Alto, California and the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona is gaining momentum. Greenaction has united the Native peoples of Gila River and Youth United for Community Action (from East Palo Alto) to stop Romic’s pollution of both communities. As a result of our increased pressure, and Romic has recently received large fines in both communities.
- White Mesa Utes, Navajo, Greenaction & allies fight against International Uranium Corporation in Utah. We work with White Mesa Utes, Navajo and other area residents, Dine CARE and other allies to fight IUC’s attempt to accept wastes with very high radioactive content at their “mill”/dump in southern Utah next to the White Mesa Ute reservation. Our goal is to close IUC due to pollution and desecration of Indian sacred sites.
- Defending the Sacred Ward Valley Film Project. Greenaction and the Mohave Cultural Preservation Program have launched a project to distribute the new film “Defending the Sacred.” The film tells of the successful fight by the five tribes of the Colorado River Native Nations Alliance, Greenaction and a big coalition that saved Ward Valley, the Colorado River and sacred Indian lands from the proposed nuclear waste dump. Please donate $20 to Greenaction for the video or DVD.
- Colorado River Indian Tribes, Arizona: Shut down Westates Carbon! Greenaction is helping Colorado River Indian Tribes members oppose the continued operation of the Westates/US Filter hazardous waste facility on tribal lands. Westates emits dioxin and other pollutants, but the U.S. EPA has allowed the company to operate without proper permits or full environmental review.
- Invisible 5 Audio Tour Project. Greenaction, POND and artists joined together to produce a two-CD set that is a self-guided audio tour of Interstate-5 in California between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Invisible-5 traces the invisible toxic landscape along the interstate through stories of people and communities fighting for environmental justice, set against natural, social and economic histories. The project combines voices of residents, community organizers, farmers, historians, geographers, and advocates, with field recordings, sound, music, and archival audio.
Past Projects
Campaign Report, Winter 2005-2006
- Bayview Hunters Point, San Francisco, CA. “If the government and PG&E won’t close the Hunters Point Power Plant, the People Will!” Community Sets April 11th Deadline for closure of dirty power plant! The fight to close the polluting PG&E Hunters Point power plant is coming to a climax. Community groups and Greenaction will protest in December to keep pressure on the state agency called the “California Independent System Operator” (ISO) to finally close the PG&E power plant. Tired of repeated broken promises, community groups and Greenaction are calling on residents and supporters to come to the power plant on April 11th, the day the plant will either be closed down by the government….or will be closed down through nonviolent protest.
- Resisting the Onslaught of “Incinerators in Disguise” Across the Country and the World. Greenaction is continuing our all-out campaign to defeat the waste industry’s attempt to site incineration technologies such as gasification, pyrolysis, and plasma arc for treatment of hazardous, solid, medical waste, sewage sludge and tires. While the industry claims these technologies are “recycling” and “renewable energy,” in reality these “incinerators-in-disguise” burn toxic waste gases and produce toxic emissions. We support pollution prevention, increased recycling and real renewable energy instead of incineration technologies.
- Red Bluff, CA: Residents & Greenaction Battle Against InEnTec’s “Plasma Arc” Incinerator Permit. Residents are fighting InEnTec’s plans for a medical waste “plasma arc” treatment plant that would heat the wastes and then burn the toxic gases, emitting toxics into the air. Greenaction and a citizens group have appealed InEnTec’s permit, and the appeal process is underway. We alerted residents to this project after the government failed to inform the community, and we are helping with technical expertise and organizing. Hundreds of residents have attended the appeal hearings and a community protest was held November 19th.
- Kettleman City, San Joaquin Valley, California: Stop Proposed Toxic Waste Dump Expansion! Greenaction is helping this farmworker community fight expansion of the nearby Chem Waste Management hazardous waste landfill. Greenaction joined a big crowd of angry residents to oppose the dump expansion at the October 19th meeting sponsored by Kings County and State agencies. Kettleman City was the site of the historic victory in the early 1990’s against a proposed hazardous waste incinerator. We are conducting a training program for women in the community on environmental health issues and leadership skills.
- Stanislaus County, San Joaquin Valley, California: Campaigns against incineration and pesticide drift! In the spirit of the great farmworker union leader Cesar Chavez, Greenaction and the Grayson Neighborhood Council are planning an April 1st march and rally for environmental justice and against the Covanta garbage incinerator located in Crow’s Landing. In response to our campaign, Stanislaus County and the City of Patterson are expanding their recycling programs. We are educating residents about the dangers of pesticide drift and are teaching leadership and organizing skills to women and youth. We participate in the Central California Environmental Justice Network and Central Valley Air Quality Coalition.
- Medicine Lake, California: Save Sacred Indian Site & Wilderness from Calpine’s Proposed Power Plant! Greenaction is supporting the Pit River Indian Tribe and their Dahu Lah As Sacred Site Defense coalition in their efforts to stop Calpine’s proposed geothermal power plants that would desecrate Medicine Lake and the beautiful areas nearby. Greenaction will join the tribal-led coalition in protest at Calpine’s headquarters in San Jose this winter, and in an ongoing nonviolent spiritual gathering at Medicine Lake starting in early spring 2006.
- From East Palo Alto, CA to the Gila River Indian Community, Arizona: United Against Romic! The fight to close the Romic hazardous waste plants located in East Palo Alto, California and the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona is gaining momentum. We helped bring together Youth United for Community Action, an East Palo Alto youth group, with the Gila River Alliance for a Clean Environment. We joined YUCA’s protest and spoke at the public hearing on Romic. As a result of our joint efforts, government agencies have increased enforcement, and Romic has recently received large fines in both communities.
- West Oakland, California: AMCO Chemical Superfund Site. We are working with the Chester Street Block Club Association to make sure the US EPA does a thorough, safe and prompt cleanup of the AMCO Chemical vinyl chloride Superfund site. We are pressuring EPA to use the safest possible technology to remediate the toxic site that is located next to homes and a children’s playground.
- White Mesa Ute Reservation and Moab, Utah: VICTORY against radioactive waste dumping proposal! We helped White Mesa Ute and Navajo tribal members, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, the City of Moab and other allies win a big victory when the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) decided to move the radioactive tailings from the defunct Atlas Uranium Mill on the banks of the Colorado River to a safer location. The campaign also forced DOE to reject sending the waste to the International Uranium Corporation plant next to the White Mesa Ute reservation. We are working with tribal members and other allies to close the IUC mill due to pollution and desecration of Indian sacred sites. We will attend the upcoming January 5th hearing in Blanding, Utah to oppose new proposed shipments of highly radioactive wastes.
- North Salt Lake City, Utah: Progress in the Campaign to Shut the Stericycle incinerator! Our community outreach for the State’s August 31st public hearing resulted in a big turnout of irate residents who moved into a new neighborhood next to the incinerator without being told about the facility. Residents want the incinerator closed and call on Stericycle to replace it with a safer, non-incineration treatment technology. A community meeting will be held this winter to build the campaign to close the incinerator.
- Defending the Sacred Ward Valley Film Project. Greenaction and the Mohave Cultural Preservation Program have launched a project to distribute the new film “Defending the Sacred.” The film tells of the successful fight by the five tribes of the Colorado River Native Nations Alliance, Greenaction and a big coalition that saved Ward Valley, the Colorado River and sacred Indian lands from the proposed nuclear waste dump. The video or DVD can be purchased from Greenaction for $17.
- Support the Gwich’In Indian Nation in Alaska: Save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge! Greenaction urges everyone to contact the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to urge them to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from proposed oil and gas drilling. Call (202) 224-3121 today and every day!
- Colorado River Indian Tribes, Arizona: Shut down Westates Carbon! Greenaction is helping Colorado River Indian Tribes members in opposing the continued operation of the Westates/US Filter hazardous waste facility on tribal lands. Westates emits dioxin and other pollutants, but the US EPA has allowed the company to operate without proper permits or full environmental review.
- Environmental Justice Air Quality Coalition. Greenaction is working with community groups across the Bay Area to pressure the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and other agencies to protect air quality and uphold environmental justice. The coalition held a well-attended protest at the offices of the U.S. EPA on September 27th to blast the agency’s environmental racism.
How you can help
Volunteer Page: http://greenaction.org/?page_id=423
Donation Page: http://greenaction.org/?page_id=439
Join our volunteer and activist network! We are developing a strong volunteer activist network to support our campaign activities. Volunteers will help in the office and in the field. Activist network members will respond to action alerts from their homes, workplaces or directly involved in our campaign work.
Become a founding supporter donor! Greenaction actively seeks supporters and donors who believe that everyone has a right to clean air, clean water and a healthy environment. Greenaction supporters are involved through activism and financial support. Greenaction supporters will be asked to donate annually $10, $50, $100, $500, $1000 or more. Donations are welcome and are tax-deductible.
Calendar of Events
Online Calendar: http://www.greenaction.org/index.shtml
2006 November 11
- 11am Berkeley, CA - March and Rally to Protest Pollution from Pacific Steel Casting! Protect Community Health!
2006 Month 02
- Event description. Describe the event briefly : who, what, where, when, how
Please add your events to the SV Community Calendar linked below
Silicon Valley Community Calendar
News
To create your own articles, and link to them from here, see news-sample.
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