The Board of Supervisors Land Use Committee today unanimously passed my resolution requiring the City’s Port and Department of the Environment to develop a policy that prohibits the transportation and export of hazardous fossil fuel materials including crude oil, coal, and petroleum coke. These materials are incredibly hazardous to our communities and our environment and we must continue to leverage our City’s infrastructure and purchasing power to protect our City. Thank you to the San Francisco Commission on the Environment and the A. Philip Randolph Institute for your partnership on this issue. --- *** PRESS RELEASE *** Supervisor Malia Cohen Calls a Hearing to Address How to Keep Hazardous Materials off Port Property and Away from Community San Francisco, CA – The Land Use and Economic Development Committee of the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution requiring the City’s Port and Department of the Environment to develop a policy that prohibits the transportation and export of hazardous fossil fuel materials including crude oil, coal, and petroleum coke in San Francisco, following a hearing called for by Supervisor Malia Cohen. Accidents transporting these materials have resulted in more than one million gallons of spilled crude oil from rail cars in the last four decades and because these materials are commonly transported by open-top rail cars some of the material escapes into neighborhood communities and ecosystems. The environmental community has identified the industrial use of coal, petroleum coke, and crude oil as one of the worlds biggest contributors to climate change. The discussion around Supervisor Cohens proposal began earlier this year when community members and environmental advocates began raising questions about whether a proposed bulk cargo terminal planned for Pier 96 in Bayview Hunters Point might one day be utilized to export these types of fossil fuel products. “These materials are incredibly hazardous to our communities and our environment,” said Supervisor Malia Cohen. “San Francisco has always been a leader on environmental justice and climate change issues and we must continue to leverage our City’s infrastructure and purchasing power to protect our City.” The Port of San Francisco has consistently demonstrated environmental leadership by saying no to coal export proposals time and time again, said Joshua Arce, President of the San Francisco Commission on the Environment. Supervisor Cohens environmental advocacy around this issue has helped the Port and Department of Environment to develop a plan to prohibit these type of hazardous fossil fuel materials from export at the new Pier 96 cargo terminal in her district. Low-income communities of color, especially those directly affected by the environmental impacts of the transportation of these types of materials, must participate in policy discussions on issues such as this, said Jacquelin Flin, executive director of the A. Philip Randolph Institute who represents workers and residents in southeast San Francisco. Supervisor Cohen has been a real community leader in empowering residents with information, engaging them on environmental issues, and, most importantly, taking action to protect our most vulnerable residents, our youth, and our seniors. The resolution will be considered by the full Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, October 7. ### SF Environment A. Philip Randolph Institute San Francisco
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 18:55:21 +0000
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