By Joe Feller, Solano Group Chair
The Sierra Club speaks with one voice! There is no better slogan highlighting recent events in the long running battle against the Orcem cement factory and VMT deep water port in Vallejo. Beginning with an open letter to the City Council by Victoria Brandon, Chair of the Redwood Chapter, to a powerful letter to the editor by State Director Kathryn Phillips, the Club responded to misinformation from the Orcem/VMT proponents.
Local Sierra Club members are continuing the fight against this toxic facility located in a residential neighborhood. Club members and allies, Fresh Air Vallejo and LaDonna Williams have attended BAAQMD (Bay Area Air Quality Management District) meetings and BCDC (Bay Conservation and Development Corporation) events. They are being aided by efforts from the National Clean Air Team which has provided resources and information that will be submitted to the City Council on the documented dangers of “green cement” production.
Additionally, the Club’s Beyond Coal campaign has provided immeasurable support to the efforts opposing this port. Providing legal resources to the local members and our allies has highlighted the possible use of this proposed port for international shipping of coal.
Finally, the Bay Chapter has taken a giant step towards banning coal shipments from the Bay Area. Aided by the Redwood Chapter and the Mother Lode Chapter (representing Stockton), the Bay Chapter took the lead in hiring a full time organizer for the coal issue.
In the face of this opposition, the applicants for this project are showing frayed relations internally and with the City of Vallejo. While the cement folks have submitted their Final Environmental Impact Report, the VMT applicants have not. There are also outstanding fees that haven’t been provided to the City. A final Environmental Justice Assessment has not been authorized due to the lack of fees that the applicant agreed to remit. So there is no estimate if or when the applicants will complete their submissions. An update to the City Council will be provided on March 12th.
Again, the Sierra Club speaks with one voice. No recent effort in the Redwood Chapter has better shown the depth of the Club’s commitment to local efforts and the breadth of that effort and the resources that the Club can bring to bear on unsustainable development. The Solano Group wishes to express their gratitude for these efforts by the many folks who are actively assisting in this fight.
Peter Brooks, just horsing around before a hearing at Vallejo City Hall. Peter is a Sierra Club member and president of Fresh Air Vallejo.