Environmental Justice Winter 2005

Sacred Peaks - Housing - Rural Landfill - Building Research Capacity

Tribes Unite to Protect Sacred Peaks

by Robert Tohe

Editor's note: Since 2004, DataCenter has been working with the Diné community to facilitate workshops around research and provide research support, including in-depth profiling of campaign targets.

"The mountains communicate with one another ... [the Peaks] is a living being. It is our leadership mountain. It gives us the ability to govern ourselves. It helps us as a guide in life. Whatever befalls this mountain will eventually befall all people." -Kathleen Manolescu

Southwest Indigenous tribes stood united against the proposed [ski resort] expansion by the US Forest Service for the San Francisco Peaks at a Tribal Summit held in Flagstaff, AZ, on February 12, 2005.

The Save the Peaks Coalition is spearheading the battle to save this sacred mountain—the San Francisco Peaks—as a geographic and spiritual monument and marker. Traditional practitioners, who regard the San Francisco Peaks as the residence of Holy Spirits who have influenced, guided and supported Native people, have expressed deep concern over the lack of adequate tribal consultation on the part of all of the governmental and commercial interests involved in expanding commercial activity on the San Francisco Peaks.The coalition is in an effort to continue dialog with Forest Service Supervisor, Nora Rasure and her staff, who at the Summit heard day-long testimony from elected tribal representatives, tribal cultural preservations officials and spiritual leaders, urging Forest Service not to advance any plans until issues such as using reclaimed water to make artificial snow are addressed by a separate Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS offers three scenarios, of which one is a "no-action" (no-development) alternative to development. However, the Forest Service has been supporting development on the Peaks.

The Tribes are currently formulating a joint declaration based on the summit results. All Tribes have unanimously supported the no-action alternative. The coalition expects to hold more summits this spring to focus attention on San Francisco Peaks and other sacred sites. Crucial partners in the Coalition include DataCenter, Sierra Club, and Diné Bidziil Coalition. Funding for the tribal summits comes through Christensen Fund.

For further information, see: www.savethepeaks.org
For information about The Snowbowl Effect, a documentary by Klee Benally on the struggle to protect the San Francisco Peak, see: www.savethepeaks.org/snowbowleffect

Robert Tohe is a Diné leader and advocate, and environmental justice organizer for the Sierra Club's Southwest EJ program. The Sacred Mountain Weaving is by Robert Tohe, who comes from a family of accomplished weavers. All six sacred mountains are depicted, including the San Francisco Peaks. Photo and excerpt from Kathleen Manolescu, "Weaving a Vision," Leading the Way: The Wisdom of the Navajo People, Vol. 2 No. 6, June 2004.

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Slumlord Empire Unmasked

Demonstrators demand justice for tenants of the Morrison Hotel, Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of Strategic Actions for a Just Economy.

The Morrison Hotel in Los Angeles, immortalized on the cover of a 1970 Doors album, has returned to the headlines as the target of a high profile anti-slumlord campaign led by Strategic Actions for a Just Economy. Morrison Hotel tenants put up with years of living amidst rats, roaches, chipping lead paint and raw sewage leaks, only to be served with eviction notices meant to empty the building so that it could be sold. When tenants spoke with SAJE organizers, Morrison management retaliated by shutting off electricity and even locking people out of their homes. Tenants and SAJE fought back. It took 50 demonstrators and intervention by the police and city housing officials for tenants to win back access to the building. Since then, the City Attorney has filed a criminal complaint, the City's Housing Department has taken over rent collection, and the tenants have filed their own lawsuit. What distinguishes the Morrison Hotel campaign was SAJE's research that uncovered a pattern of widespread, repeat violations and willful negligence by the owners, the Danpour family. [read full story]

For more information, contact SAJE organizer Andrea Gibbons (213-745-9961, ext 224), or Kim Rodgers (510-835-4692 x306) at the DataCenter.

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Victory! Dump Expansion Halted

Opponents of a proposed expansion of the Potrero Hills Landfill in Solano County, California, scored a major victory in June. Facing widespread community pressure, the County Planning Commission voted 3 to 2 against certifying the proposal's environmental impact report (EIR).

Potrero Hills Landfill is adjacent to one of the largest wetland areas in the United States. The marsh covers nearly 84,000 acres of state (and county) protected wetlands and wildlife preserve. Florida-based Republic Services, the third largest waste management company in the nation, is seeking to double the size of the landfill, allowing it to add 1 million tons of garbage per year to the site.

After attending a DataCenter research workshop, members of Citizens Against the Dump Expansion (CADE) used state government websites to uncover a long list of violations at the landfill. Republic Services had claimed zero violations. The company's history of negligence became a key point in the Commissioners' refusal to certify the EIR.

In anticipation of the company's appeal of the decision, DataCenter is continuing to work with community members to reveal Republic Services' poor track record around the country. Residents opposing the landfill see their fight as perhaps the first in a series that attempt to solve emerging urban and rural conflicts, CADE member Dwight Acey said.

For further information, contact: Citizens Against the Dump Expansion.

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Little Village Builds Campaign Research Capacity

In June, the DataCenter conducted a research training in Chicago with the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO), a community organization in Chicago's largest Latino neighborhood, South Lawndale. Founded in 1998, LVEJO grew out of a school environmental justice group originally formed by students and parents. LVEJO's mission includes "building a sustainable development program for our neighborhood and region that incorporates utilizing indigenous community talent, assets and leadership in democratic decision-making for our future. In order to balance our economic, environmental and social needs, a broad network of leaders working with our neighbors, block clubs, local businesses, schools, churches, parks, agencies and grassroots base organizations is being built."

LVEJO board, staff, interns, youth and volunteers all participated in the training, which covered campaign research skills and strategy. We worked on demystifying research and practiced Internet research. Looking at two of LVEJO's areas of work: healthy schools (obesity and asthma) and more park space, we worked on developing campaign strategy. A power mapping exercise on the effort to create more park space helped visualize the existing power relations and potential groups of people/organizations to mobilize.

For further information, see: Little Village Environmental Justice Organization.

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