People living near oil refineries in the East Bay and the Port of Oakland are urging air quality officials to examine who has access to clean, healthy air.
The comments wafted up during a special meeting by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District that was intended to train staff about diversity and bias on Wednesday.
Officials agreed that there is a clear connection between harmful emissions and neighborhoods filled with the working class and people of color.
“It's more than just about red-lining,” said board member Nate Miley. “It's about institutional and structural racism that took place. The issues around implicit bias, white privilege, et cetera need to be talked about.”
The air district is working with the Government Alliance on Race and Equality, a network of government agencies around the country. GARE has developed a year-long program to train local agencies in advancing racial equity, and 33 air district employees have participated so far.
Members of the public stressed that air quality has a serious impact on a community’s quality of life, causing asthma and other public hazards.
“It will never make sense to me that the Bay Area, a place with a thriving economy which considers itself a leader in sustainable practices, and a place which strives for equality would have some of the most polluted air in the country,” said a woman who said she's from the advocacy group Generation Our Climate.