Editors, Daily Planet:
Our compliments to the Daily Planet for Suzanne La Barre’s interesting article "Watchdog Group Will Sue Pacific Steel." Many have called or e-mailed us with the same questions: are you proposing to clean up PSC once and for all--or close them down? What about the jobs and the tax base? We’d like to clarify our position:
We have never asked for the closure of PSC; we clearly have demanded they stop polluting our air! It is up to PSC to determine if, how or when they will do so.
cleanaircoalition.net is not in favor of dirty jobs and companies that expose their workers and our neighborhoods to toxics 24/7. We side with, and fully support, our neighborhoods.
I know this is a tough situation for many--including the Ecology Center and local politicians who have complex loyalties and relationships with the powers that be in B-Town, but our focus is dedicated to the citizens living in our neighborhoods who have long suffered from both the toxic rain of PSC and the lack of political will to fully remedy the problem. Cleanaircoalition.net will continue to try to find ways to work on the PSC problem with any and all individuals and groups who are interested in cleaning up the noxious, toxic vapors that PSC relentlessly vents into our air from its chimney stacks on 2nd Street. Anyone who has suffered from this nuisance may join this suit.
We will be posting regular updates on our progress at www.cleanaircoalition.net.
P.S.: Please let your readers know about Councilmember Linda Maio’s community meeting at 7 p.m. on Feb. 15 at the Berkeley Senior Center. Everyone who is interested in this situation should join the cleanaircoalition.net and other interested groups and attend this public meeting. (We understand that PSC will actually show up this time to meet the people they are endangering daily!)
Willi Paul
Founder and Project Director |
