Race, Poverty & the A journal for social , Environment and environmental justice

Volume IV, Number 4Nolume V, Number 1 $5.00 Spring - Summer 1994

Opportunity for Environmental Justice? by Carl Anthony

The Bay Area is a region hard hit by defense cutbacks. Ten military bases are scheduled for closure in the next few years. These downsizing actions will result in the transfer of 20,553 military personnel out of the region, 17,760 direct civilian job losses, and an estimated 51,000 indirect job losses-a total of almost 90,000 jobs lost in the region. As many as half of these Bringing it All Back Home jobs will have a direct impact on by U. S. Representative communities of color. The Navy estimates that toxic clean up of its Ronald V. Dellums facilities in the Bay Area will cost over In the Summer of 1993, the Naval Hospital among other major and $1 billion. In many places the ground President and Congress accepted the minor military facilities in the Bay Area. water and soil pollution may be seeping federal Base Closure and Realignment Prior decisions had already closed into African American, Latino, and Commission (BRAC) recommendation Hamiliton Air Field and Hunter's Point Asian American neighborhoods adjacent to close Alameda Naval Air Station and Naval Shipyard. to closing military bases. At the same the Alameda Naval Aviation Depot, the The challenges that these closures time, an estimated 10,000 acres of Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Naval presented to the Bay Areacommunity publicly-owned unsubdivided urban Station Treasure Island and the Oakland were immediate and complex. The land, thousand of housing units, other

see DELLUMS, page 39 see OPPORTUNITY, page 40 Page 2 Spring - Summer 1994 Race, Poverty & the Environment Editors Notes Race, Poverty & the For low-income, working class, and Whether the community is the City of communities of color, economic Alameda, Oakland or San Francisco, Environment conversion is not just an opportunity, but Vieques, Puerto Rico, Kadena, Okinawa, Guest Editor Martha Matsuoka necessary for the survival of their Subic, the Philippines, or Kaoolawe in Editors communities. With the closure of Hawaii, these communities struggle to deal Carl Anthony Luke Cole military base facilities, the remissioning with the land use and employment legacies Managing Editor of national laboratories, and restructur- left by the defense industry. All are cur- Hannah Creighton ing of defense-related industries -- most rently struggling to redirect now scarce Contributors of which are located in these communi- public dollars to forge a path away from Marc Baldwin l Ronald Dellums ties -- economic conversion is the military colonialism. Lauren Hallinan ~MaryliaKelley necessary redirection of public invest- In this country, the military buildup to Winona LaDuke ment toward the neglected issues of our support the Cold War, coupled with rapid Ann Markusen l Greg Mello Juan Montes l Birgit Neuer communities -- unemployment and suburbanization, has left inner cities in Suzuyo Takazato l Roy Takurni crime, environmental hazards, the lack desolation. Ironically, the catalyst for Bernie Whitebear of decent affordable housing and suburbanization following World War 11, Jo Ann Wilkerson l Joel Yudken disinvestment in transit, commercial and was initiated by earlier federal conversion Intern l Heather Abel industrial activities. See EDITOR'S NOTES, Race. Poverty & the Environment is published four times a year. Articles are 01994 by their authors; please repro- In This Issue... duce WE by every means, and give authors credit for their work. Bringing it All Back Home, Subscriptions are $15/four issues, $30 for institutions, or free for low-income by Congressman Ronald V. Dellums...... 1 persons and community groups. Articles, stories, reportbacks, resources Opportunity for Environmental Justice?, by Carl Anthony ...... 1 and general information are all accepted with appreciation. Send submissions Taking Back , by Bernie Whitebear...... 3 and subscription checks to WE, c/o Earth Island, 300 Broadway, The Indigenous Perspective on Feminism, Wlilitarism and the Suite 28. San Francisco, CA 94133. Environment, by Winona LaDuke...... 7 RPE is a joint project of the California Rural Legal Assistance Challenging U.S. Militarism in Hawaii and Okinawa, Foundation and the by Roy Takumi...... 8 Urban Habitat Program. Trials of Okinawa: A Feminist Perspective, by Suzuyo Takazato...... 10 Editorial Policy Race, Poverty & the Environment is a Los Alamos Lab: Toxic Johannesburg of New lblexico quarterly newsletter dedicated to publishing by Juan Montes...... 1 1 material exploring the intersection of race, poverty and the environment. The views Labs Kill, by Marylia Kelley...... 12 reflected in Race, Poverty & the Environment are not necessarily those of the editors, A Vision for Livermore Lab, by Marylia Kelley and Greg Mello...... 13 California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, or Earth Island Institute. Reintigrating Our Communities, by Martha Matsuoka...... 14 Mission Statement Fighting for Community Needs Through Restoration Advisory Boards The mission of Race, Poverty & the by Jo Ann Wilkerson.. .18 Environment is to provide an authentic voice for ...... environmental justice. RPE aims to service its readers with news, articles, book reviews, Labor: Call to Action...... 21 theory, resources and notices that examine and provide evidence of the relationship among race, Conversion Up Close: Labor's Agenda for Change poverty, and the environment. Further, we must by Marc Baldwin...... 22 continue to build the bridges that have been tentatively constructed in the past few years Dismantling the Cold War Economy, between mainstream environmentalists and by Ann Markusen and Joel Yudken ...... 24 grassroots environmentalists, in a way which preserves the autonomy of community groups. Expanding the Rights of the Poor, by Lauren Hallinan ...... 31 RPE presents the voices and experiences of a sector of society in a manner that is accessible to The Wall Comes Down: Konversion in Germany, by Birgit Neuer...... 37 grassroots organizers and activists, environmen- tal professionals, concerned citizens, and policy Military Conversion Resources...... 45 makers alike. Race, Poverfy & the Environment Spring - Summer 1994 Page 3 Taking Back Fort Lawton Meeting the Needs of 's Native American Community Through Conversion by Bernie Whitebear

Editors note: We want to thank the author for sharing one hospital to the next under the mistaken assumption that this draft with us. The author notes that this is a first draf. the Federal government was responsible for the welfare of all Thejkal document will attempt to include all the names of Indians. those involved with the invasions and occupations at Fort In reality, the two federal assistance agencies responsible Luwton. Ifany of our readers know of anyone involved, for administering the trust status and "advocacy" of American please contact the author at (206) 285-4425. The final Indians,. the (BIA) and the Indian document will be printed for the 25th Anniversary of United Health Service (IHS), had developed a policy that in effect Indians in March 1995. meant that "once you left the reservation, you were no longer The March 1970 invasion and occupation of Fort Lawton, Indian." A technical translation basically meant that the BIA an active military base in the northwest section of Seattle, and IHS restricted their services to Indians who still was an attempt by Seattle's Native American community to resided on or near reservations and were under the administra- establish a land base to serve the largest urban Native tive authority and jurisdiction of Tribal Governments. American population west of Tulsa and north of San Fran- This policy, which began with the government's attempt to cisco. move the Indian people off their ancestral lands and into the Before the invasions and occupations, which lasted mainstream of society, is known as the "Termination Era of approximately three months, there were no Federal, State, the Fifties." In an attempt to end trust status and liquidate all County or City funds available for services to Native tribal assets, the federal government set up relocation pro- Americans in Seattle. The only social services were provided grams moving thousands of Indians into cities with promises by an organization of Indian women, operating from an old of better employment and educational opportunities. church, existing primarily on donations and volunteer help. This was the final injustice to Indian people by the govern- The organization was the American Indian Women's Service ment, after having stolen all but 55 million acres of our land, League. Pearl Warren was the director, and Joyce Reyes was and presided over the decimation of our culture and religion. the Leag~e'sPresident. Other important members who have The grand planners of the Eisenhower administration saw this since passed away were Ella Aquino, Josephine Kauffrnan, Dorothy Lombard, and Tillie Cavanaugh. Mary Jo utterf field, Alma Chastain, Adeline cia and Lindsay This nation had to reassess its priorities Buxton continue as important members of the community and live up to the more than 300 treaties it today. The only other services available were provided by an used as a premise for stealing Indian land. Indian free clinic, operating from donated space at the Marine Public Health Hospital three nights a week, staffed by volunteer doctors, nurses and stocked with donated pharma- as the coup de grace in segregating our people from our last ceuticals, which were stored in the lady's restroom. The vestiges as a distinct race of people. Indian free clinic later organized as the Seattle Indian Health In 1969, Indians in the San Francisco Bay area occupied Board and today is the largest Native American organization Alcatraz Island, in an attempt to use the former federal prison offering medical, dental, and mental health services. site as the location for a Native American cultural center. During the pre-invasion period in Seattle, Indians had Alcatraz was deactivated as a federal penitentiary in 1963, little experience in preventative health care, seeking assis- shortly after what is believed to be the only successful escape tance only in energy or life threatening circumstances. This from the "escape proof' prison. A Native American inmate, A1 situation was the result of our people being ping-ponged from Carnes, was reported to have been an accomplice to the three Page 4 Spring - Summer 1994 Race, Poverty & the Environment

escapees, who have never been cap- look forward to the City receiving the widening philosophical split developing tured. Rewards are still being offered for land for the exclusive use as a park. No as to the future course of action. More their capture. mention was made of the desire of the conservative members favored a more Also in 1969, news surfaced that Fort American Indian community to diplomatic and low-key approach -- to Lawton, an active army base in Seattle, participate in the City's future plans for wait for the City to receive the property was going to become surplus property. the property nor the City's intention to and resubmit their requests at that time. The City of Seattle had hopes that the include Indians in the planning process. The other, more impatient and property could revert to city ownership Follow up meetings within the untrusting members of the organization and be used for a grand park, somewhat Kinatechitapi organization revealed a favored a more extreme course of on the scale of Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia. At that time, federal law required that non-federal entities such as the City of Seattle pay between 50-100% of fair market value in order to receive surplus property. This was an exorbitant cost that the City could not afford. U.S. Senators Henry M. Jackson and Warren G. Magnusen, from State, two of the most influential Senators in the U.S. Senate, introduced amendments in Congress to the U.S. Land and Water Conservation Act of 1965, to reduce costs for surplus property from 50-100% to 0-50%. In effect if the amendment passed, the City of Seattle would be able to receive its multimillion dollar property at zero cost. Members of a newly formed Ameri- can Indian organization in Seattle under the name of "Kinatechitapi," (Blackfoot for "All Indians") began making overtures to the City's leaders, request- ing that a portion of Fort Lawton be set aside. They wanted to create an Indian Cultural Center similar to the one planned by the "Indians of All Tribes" occupying Alcatraz Island in San Francisco. The City administration, obviously not taking the request seriously, responded that the Indians should wait until the City received the property and then they would review the request. They suggested that in the meantime, the Indians submit their request to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This action displayed their ignorance of both the BIA's restricted service policy, which excluded urban Indians, and also the disregard and disfavor urban Indians held for the BIA. A few weeks later, then Mayor of Seattle, Wes Uhlman, and Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson held a press conference on the Fort Lawton property, promising the community that it could Race. Povertv & the Environment S~rino- Summer 1994 action. The conservative members said spots sealed the decision to invade and House's Henderson Hall. The two that if anyone pursued any of the more occupy Fort Lawton. caravans with vehicles displaying red extreme remedies being discussed, The "Moccasin Telegraph" worked cloth banners from car aerials, traveled they could not use the name. surprisingly well and within days on different routes to their two different Kinatechitapi. This position was numbers of supporters began arriving in invasion sites. Although an attempt was accepted and respected by all mem- Seattle. Confidence increased with the made during the pow-wow to observe bers, and its was understood that if a arrival of Richard Oaks, the charismatic more activist element evolved, it leader of Alcatraz, and Grace Thorpe, would more likely split off and form a daughter of the legendary athlete, Jim new organization, and both organiza- Thorpe. The March 8, 1970 tions would pursue their goal of On-going demonstrations by Ameri- invasion and occupation of gaining some of the Fort Lawton can Indian soldiers stationed at Fort property. Lewis south of Tacoma and near Franks Fort Lawton was an at- After considerable discussions, the Landing, brought together other coali- tempt by Seattle's Native activist element feared that unless tions represented by Private Deni American community to some extreme actions were taken, Leonard, fishing rights activists Don and Indian interests would wane and Janet McCloud, A1 and Maiselle Bridges establish a land base to dissolve as mere pipe dreams. and their daughters Susette, Valerie, and serve the largest urban It should be noted that, at this Alison. Sid Mills and Hank Adams, Native American popula- period in time, a great many efforts founders of Survival of American were on-going throughout the nation. Indians, gave increased emphasis to the tion west of Tulsa and Seattle had the Students for Demo- impending occupation. north of San Francisco. cratic Society (SDS), the Black This coalition was responsible for Panthers, United Black Contractors, actress 's presence at Fort Vietnam War and United Farm Lewis at the same time as the first the utmost secrecy, the next day, radio Workers protestors. Indian Tribes had invasion of Fort Lawton, March 8, 1970. news repots broadcast the ongoing become embroiled in fishing rights The support and presence of the interna- invasion and were received on the struggles against the State since the tionally known actress gave the invasion caravan's car radios. early 50s. Fish-ins resulted in Indian and occupation world-wide attention and The caravans reached their target sites tribal men and women and their captured the imagination of the world on both the north and south sides of Fort supporters being physically beaten and press. American Indians were attacking Lawton and the Indians proceeded to arrested by State and County police. active military forts along with one of climb fences, move in tipi poles and The assassinations of President the nation's leading opponents of United canvases, and set about occupying the John F. Kennedy, his brother Senator States involvement in the Vietnam War. property. The Military Police (MP) and Robert Kennedy and the great civil It seemed that what began as an effort to Army personnel responded by marching rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., secure a land base for urban Indians had in formation and setting up skirmish lines further enraged people, including suddenly taken on a bizarre, ready-for- in an attempt to close off further access to Indians, who felt that this nation had prime-time, movie scenario, complete the interior areas of the fort. On the south to reassess its priorities, and live up to with soldiers, modem day-Indians, and side, Military Police tried to arrest a the more than 300 treaties it used as a anti-war activists. Without really number of Indians who had entered the premise for stealing Indian land. In appreciating it at the time, the Indian Army chapel while Sunday church essence, it seemed there was no other movement had achieved through Jane services were in progress, much to the choice than to follow the activist Fcinda's presence, a long-sought credibil- surprise and indignation of the parishio- efforts of a growing number of ity which would not have been possible ners. dissidents, discontent with the nation's otherwise. As arrests and jailing in the fort disregard for human equality. The evening before the first invasion, stockade of the "American Indian Fort The stage now seemed set to follow a pow-wow was held at the Filipino Lawton Occupation Forces" continued the path of the "brothers and sisters" Community hall in south Seattle on a throughout the afternoon and early on Alcatraz, and attempt to physically street today named after Martin Luther evening, hand-to-hand combat happened occupy the Fort Lawton Military Base. King, Jr. The purpose of the pow-wow frequently as tempers flared on both sides Information from the Indians of All was to announce the invasion plans to due to overly aggressive handling by the Tribes on Alcatraz that some of the the largest possible gathering, including MPs. group would be willing to travel to times and locations of the marshalling This pattern of urban guerilla warfare Seattle and join the occupation efforts area for the organizing of car caravans. occurred again and again: Invasion, added incentive to the on-going The next day as scheduled, two half- arrests, jailings, letters of expulsion from discussions. Similar commitments of mile long columns of vehicles began military property, physical escort off the "envoys" from Canada and other hot- forming at the Southend Neighborhood fort, re-invasion. Sarina - Summer 1994 Race, Poverty & the Environment

The Army began getting heat from Remington, and Bernie Whitebear. $600,000 to the American Indian the Pentagon about not being able to Congressman Brock Adams received Women' Service League for a Social secure Fort Lawton and responded by the Indian delegation in his office and Services Center. This $600,000 moving in two companies of troops pledged to support their efforts with underwrote the Seattle Indian Services from and fourteen truck- Senators Jackson and Magnuson. Commission, the City's only Native loads of concertina wire. In what In November 1970, a delegation American Public Development Author- seemed like overkill, the Army from United Indian Nations including ity. cordoned off the Fort with concertina JoAnn Kauffman, Dr. Frances The United Indians developed a wire and manned foxholes, leaving Svensson, Ron Gibbs, Randy Lewis and Master Plan which was approved by the only the main gate accessible. A tipi Bernie Whitebear attended the National City and provided for the development encampment was set-up at the main Congress of American Indians Conven- of several facilities: the Daybreak Start gate of Fort Lawton, and on-going tion in Anchorage, Alaska. The conven- Arts Center, the Heritage Resource demonstrations to block traffic into the tion passed a resolution requesting then Center which included an Archives and fort continued to be a constant harass- Bureau of Indian Affairs Commissioner, Library, a Performing Arts Center, a ment to the MPs. Louis Bruce, to place a freeze on the Restaurant, the Peoples lodge, a multi- After about three months, Indian Fort Lawton property while in its use facility, and a traditional Northwest leaders felt the encampment was Excess Status, thus blocking the City of Coast Longhouse. becoming more of a liability than an Seattle's eligibility for the property. Ground breaking for the Daybreak asset, and plans were made for its Cities, being non-federal agencies are Start Center took place on September dismantlement. A press conference was only eligible to apply for federal 27, 1975 and was completed and scheduled at the Main Gate encamp- property if the property has passed from dedicated on May 13, 1977. Funding ment to explain the next course of "excess" to "surplus" status. The author, for the Center came from the City of action. The MPs were ecstatic about the Vine Deloria, Jr., and newly elected Seattle, the Economic Development plans and were eager to assist in the President of the NCAI, Frank Administration, U.S. Department of tearing down of the tipis. Their Ducheneauz supported the effort. Commerce, private donations from the jubilation was short-lived when they The Administrative Freeze was Colville, Quinault, and Makah Tribes, discovered that the press conference enacted by Commissioner Louis Bruce. and corporations. was called to reaffirm the Indian's Eventually, political pressure by the The Daybreak Start Center serves as claim to Fort Lawton. On signal, Department of Interior on the BIA the Headquarters for the United Indians hundreds of Indians, followed by forced an end to the freeze, but not until which owns two other major Service television news cameras, stormed past considerable attention was given to the Centers in the City, and leases space for the surprised MPs for one last invasion United Indians plan by the federal another Center in . of Fort Lawton's only access, through Department of Health, Education, and The United Indians employs over 100 the concertina wire. Welfare (HEW). HEW solicited staff and operates 11 separate programs. Thus the United Indians of All applications for use of the Fort Lawton The United Indians is also working Tribes Foundation was born, adding property and Regional Director Bernard on a Master Plan for the 21st Century "United" and "Foundation" to the name "Buck" Kelly accepted the United which includes a Pre-school through borrowed from Alcatraz to show Indians' application for part of the Higher Education campus, Native distinction between the two sister property prior to the City of Seattle's American Veterans Center, Student and efforts. application filing through the Depart- Homeless Housing, and Long Term The invasions and occupations had ment of Interior (DOI) for all of the Care and Housing for Indian Elders. achieved one major objective, gaining property. The 21st Century Master Plan -- A commitments of support from the local The General Services Administra- Native American "Commons"-- is the residents of Seattle. Over 40 non- tion, responsible for final disposition of United Indians contribution to the Indian organizations throughout King federal surplus property, ordered the City's Urban Villages and ComPlan County now supported the Indian's United Indians and the City to negotiate visionary planning efforts for the next claim to part of Fort Lawton. and submit a single application before 100 years and beyond. A delegation from United Indians any property would be transferred. Bernie Whitebear (Colville), is the managed to fly to Washington, D.C. After negotiating from July to Novem- Executive Director of the United and testify before Congressman Morris ber of 1971, it was agreed that the Indians of All Tribes Foundation. Udall's committee on Senator United Indians would lease 20 acres for Jackson's Amendments to the Land and a 99 year period (with options for Water Conservation Act of 1965, later successive 99 year leases without referred to as Senator Jackson's Fort renegotiation) and have full develop- Lawton Bill. This delegation included ment and administrative authority to Gary and Beverly Beaver, Randy build its cultural center. United Indians Lewis, Grace Thorpe, Douglas also required the City to provide Race. Povertv & the Environment Snrina - Summer 1994 Paoe 7

The Indigenous Perspective on Feminism, Militarism and the Environment by Winona LaDuke

Indigenous women understand that our struggle for The process of militarizing our men causes a disruption of our autonomy is related to the total need for structural change in order. this society. We realize that indigenous people in industrial I understand very well that militarization has strongly society have always been and will always be in a relationship influenced how men relate to women in our society. It is the of war, because industrial society has declared war on indig- cause of many problems. As a result, we are talking about hard enous peoples, on land based peoples. challenges. We are talking about the fact that the system must To look within a bigger context, when I say indigenous totally change if indigenous peoples are to survive. We are peoples, I'm not only talking about Indians. All people come talking about the fact that this is a system of conquest. That is from land-based cultures. Some have been colonized longer the essence of capitalism. That is the essence of colonialism. than I have, which means they have got more work to do. And conquest means destruction of peoples, which is inte- According to an article by Jason Clay in Cultural Survival, grally related to sexism, to racism, to all the other "isms." It is there are 5,000 indigenous nations in the world today, and also intimately related to death, because there is no way that a there are one hundred and seventy-one states. Indigenous society based on conquest can survive on this earth. nations have been around for hundreds of thousands of years. We've basically run out of room for conquest. There are no They share common territory, common language, common more frontiers. The West is an American state of mind. history, common culture, and a common government or Nobody's going anywhere. There's no place else to go. We political organization. That is the definition of nation under have to look at how we can make a systemic change in this international law. Nations exist in the Americas, in Malaysia, society so there's a meaningful change-not only change in and elsewhere in the world. The Kayapo people in Brazil are a the social and political relations between people, between men nation; the Penan of Malaysia are a nation; the Palestinians and women, but also between this society and the consump- and Kurdish people are nations. Throughout the world, there tion of resources. are indigenous nations. We have come to accept more It is within this context that I believe that indigenous commonly that there are only 171 nations and these are states. women embrace other social movements, embrace them to the That is because we are told to accept them by these same extent that they are interested in systemic change. The powers. These 171 states have, for the most part, been around women's movement is in a good position to take on structural since World War 11. We need to understand this context. change. Because there are so many women in this country, the Most indigenous women understand that our struggle as women's movement has the numbers and the potential to women is integrally related to the struggle of our nations for engage in real change. I believe that women are able to have control of our land, resources, and destinies. It is difficult for more courage in our work and in our struggle than men indigenous women to embrace or even relate to the progres- exhibit. I really think that's true. It's a very difficult struggle. sive parts of the women's movement. It is not about civil But I myself really don't have anything else to do with the rest rights for us. It is not about equal access to something. It is of my life. The fact that we are women and we are intimately about "Get off my neck." From our perspective, that is what it related to the forces of renewal and life means that we are is all about. much closer to an optimism in our understanding of things Yet industrial society and the military machine continue to than are many men in this society. devastate our communities. Throughout the Americas, The war has brought home the concept of Armageddon. indigenous women are speaking out against militarism. Our Indigenous and land based societies don't look at this time as a people, specifically our men, are being militarized by the death. They look at it as a time of Earth Renewal, which is a American, Guatemalan, and other states. There were 82,000 much different understanding and perception of things. I think Indians serving in Vietnam from August 1964 to May 1975. that women, because we are women, are more in touch with Indians had the highest rate of service for all ethnic groups. that way of looking at things, which is what gives us the It was the same in the Persian Gulf War. I read an article in the ability to be courageous and be in there for the long struggle. Lakota Times: five hundred Lakota men were in service in the Winona LaDuke is a journalist, community organizer and Persian Gulf. That is a horrendous statistic considering that we president of the Indigenous Women's Network, a continental are only two percent of the population. Militarism changes and Pacific network of native women. Reprintedfrom War how men relate to women, the earth, and their communities. After War, City Lights Review 5, Nancy J. Peters, ed. (1992). Page 8 Spring - Summer 1994 Race, Poverty & the Environment

and had entered into agreements and treaties with the United Challenging U.S. States recognizing the sovereignty of Hawai'i. Despite this recognition, on January 16, 1893, 162 U.S. Militarism in Marines invaded Hawai'i and made possible the overthrow of the Hawai'ian Kingdom. It is important to point out that the reason for the landing of troops was to "protect American life and property." Like the "Formosa Incident" of 1872 which served as an excuse for Japan to intervene in the affairs of the Ryukyu Kingdom, this served as the reason to intervene in the affairs of the Hawai'ian Kingdom. The overwhelming majority of native Hawai'ians actively by Roy Takumi opposed the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai'i. Despite their efforts and the efforts of their leader, Queen Lili'oukalani, Hawai'i was annexed to the U.S. in 1898. Editor's Note: The following is excerpted from a speech So we have similar situations where two independent given in Okinawa, Japan as part of the Japan Peace Confer- kingdoms were invaded by military force and were the victims ence Against Military Bases and Alliances in November 1989. of coercion, manipulation, broken treaties and outright illegal I have visited Okinawa several times and was immediately acts. struck by how similar it is to Hawai'i. The main industries are What is the current situation? Again, the parallels are tourism, sugar and the military. It is the most militarized striking. Militarily, Hawai'i and Okinawa play important roles prefecture in Japan, just as we in Hawai'i are the most milita- in the overall military strategy of the United States. rized state in the U.S. Like Hawai'i, it has a population of a Hawai'i is one of the most densely militarized states in the little over a million. An island, Iejima, is used for target nation. Approximately seven percent of Hawai'i's lands are bombing like the island of Kaho'olawe in Hawai'i. It is the controlled by the military. Oahu is by far the most burdened only prefecture in Japan where American dollars are accepted, with fully a quarter of its land used for over 100 installations symbolic of the dominance of the U.S. military. scattered across the island. There are 64,000 military person- Historically, there are many parallels. In February 1609, nel and 70,000 dependents who comprise over 11 percent of Satsuma invaded Ryukyu Kingdom with a force of three the population in Hawai'i. thousand soldiers forcing King Sho Nei to sign documents Okinawa is the most militarized prefecture in Japan with 20 pledging loyalty to Japan. The kingdom survived, in name, for percent of its land used for over 80 bases controlled by the 268 years. On March 27,1879, King Sho Tai was forced to U.S. military. One quarter of the U.S. Air Force's Pacific- abolish the Ryukyu Han and Okinawa Ken was established. based fighters fly out of Okinawa. And there are over 35,000 These times were characterized by the attempted destruction military personnel stationed on this small island. of the Okinawan language, culture and traditions. They were We can see how military bases have had a heavy impact on forced to identify themselves as Japanese and loyal subjects of the lives of the people of Okinawa and Hawai'i. Globally the the Emperor. U.S. maintains over 1,500 bases and military facilities in Hawai'i has a similar history. Hawai'i, like Okinawa, was foreign countries with more than 1,000 having some role in an independent Kingdom. It was recognized by the leading the U.S. nuclear infrastructure. They are located in approxi- governments of the world as an independent sovereign nation mately 650 distinct locations in 36 different countries and territories around the world. The U.S. has 540,588 military personnel permanently stationed in foreign countries, plus 82,142 afloat.(l) In many countries, these forces are armed with nuclear and chemical, as well as "conventional," weapons. In the past, the U.S. government has resorted to coups, political destabiliza- tion, support for dictators and direct military intervention to obtain or retain bases and miltary access in other nations. Military bases are frequently justified as a necessary part of a country's defense. However, many experience both foreign and domestic bases as perpetuating, rather than preventing, global violence and denying, rather than securing, rights to self-determination and sovereignty. Addressing the presence of military bases is key to building a just and peaceful world. The use of military forces as a Oklnawa Is located at fhe center of the means of superpower domination and a solution to regional concentric circles in map above. Shadedarea in enlargement at right indicate U.S. base conflicts is now in question. There is growing opposition in sites, which occupy20X of fhe island. the U.S. and abroad to the presence of military bases. From Race, Poverty & the Environment Spring - Summer 1994 Page 9

Afghanistan to Honduras, from Belau to ing impact of the bases in Okinawa and Pacific movement changed to the Aotearoa, from Okinawa to West Hawai'i has been its impact on indig- Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Germany, people are resisting the enous peoples. The bases have meant movement as indigenous peoples made imposition of foreign military forces the confiscation of large tracts of land all of us aware that without indepen- and weapons. from native peoples. In Hawai'i, there dence, without justice, without a At the community level, more and are many examples of this. Perhaps the landbase, then being nuclear-free is more local governments at the city and most sensitive issue concerns the use of meaningless. state level are getting involved with ceded lands. These are lands which We must learn from the courageous national and foreign policy issues. At were returned to Hawai'i when it struggles being waged in the island the recent U.S. Conference of Mayors, a became a state in 1959 to be used for nations of the Pacific such as Belau. We resolution calling on the President to the betterment of the native Hawai'ian must rid ourselves of national chauvin- work toward a comprehensive test ban population. Included in the 1.7 million ism that has divided us. We must treaty with the Soviet Union passed. acres of ceded lands are approximately recognize the leadership role of The states of Iowa and Hawai'i and the 200,000 acres set aside exclusively for indigenous peoples in the struggle for city of St. Louis, Missouri recently native Hawai'ians to homestead, ranch self-determination. established Offices of International or farm. Presently, more than half of the But above all we must dream. We Affairs. lands that the military controls are must dream of a nuclear free, indepen- Even the governor of Okinawa, ceded lands. dent, and economically secure Pacific. Junji Nishime, who visited the U.S. in Similarly, in Okinawa, there are We must dream of recreating societies April 1988, has requested that the U.S. many examples of the military confis- based on mutual cooperation and Defense Department conduct an overall cating land. Iejima is one. In the 1950's, understanding. We must dream of real relocation study concerning U.S. the U.S. expropriated over half the security for our people meaning jobs, military bases in Okinawa. island and it presently controls 30 houses, schools, parks, and productive, Between 1985 and 1989 eighteen percent. Like Kaho'olawe, it is used as peaceful use of the land. But as we all cities and towns formally voted against a bombing range. know, to realize our dreams, that there the Air Force erecting Ground Wave Over the years there has been comes a time when we have to get up Emergency Network (GWEN) commu- resistance to the bases led by indig- and get to work. nications towers. The Air Force claims enous peoples in both Hawai'i and That time is now. that the towers are necessary to ensure Okinawa. In Hawai'i, the Protect proper communication during a nuclear Kaho'olawe Ohana has led the opposi- NOTES war. The towers, says GWEN Project tion to the bombing of this sacred 1. American Friends Service Committee, director Nancy Foster, have become an island. One of the leaders of the PKO, National Disarmament Program, Briefing Paper, March 23, 1989. opportunity for communities "to the late George Helm, summarized his 2. "Local Activists Chop Away At Gwen confront the nuclear arms race in their thoughts as to why he protested the Towers," Bulletin of Municipal Foreign Policy, own backyards."(2) continued bombing: Autumn 1989, pp. 44-45. For more information Over the past decade, organizations "What is national defense when what on the campaign, contact: Nancy Foster, The GWEN Project, P.O. Box 135, Amherst, MA focused on the needs of women and is being destroyed is the very thing the 01004. people of color in the U.S. have begun military is entrusted to defend, the 3. George Helm, "Personal Statement- to develop alternatives to U.S. foreign sacred land of Hawai'i? The spirit of Reasons for Fourth Occupation of Kaho'olawe," policy. Examples of this include Black pride is left uncultivated, without truth in Ho'iho'i Hou, ed. Rodney Morales (Honolulu: Bamboo Ridge Press, 1984), p. 55. organizations challenging U.S. policy and without meaning for the children of toward South Africa, women's groups the land, cut off from the land as a fetus Roy Takumi is a State Senator for addressing the connection between the is cut off from his mother. National the State of Hawai'i. He formerly served military budget and cuts in social defense is indefensible in terms of the as Program Director of the Hawai'i services, and Korean groups organizing loss of pride of many of the citizens of Area Ofice of the American Friends on reunification issues. Hawai'i. Call me radical for I refuse to Service Committee, a Quaker organiza- As we enter a new period of rela- remain idle. I will not have the for- tion founded in 1917 which works for tions between the two superpowers, we eigner prostitute the soul of my being, peace and social justice. The views see new opportunities to institutionalize and I will not make a whore out of my expressed in this paper are not neces- the perspective of women and Third soul (my culture)."(3) sarily those of the State of Hawai'i or World Americans into the East-West In Okinawa, groups such as the the AFSC. dialogue. Hitotsubo Hansen Jinushi-Kai and the We also see the opportunity to build Imo-No-Kai are based on the principle ties of solidarity with indigenous of self-determination. peoples who have suffered greatly This is the challenge for the peace under the onslaught of military bases. movement in the U.S. and in Japan. It is For example, perhaps the most devastat- no accident that the Nuclear Free Page 10 Spring - Summer 1994 Race, Poverty & the Environment

Trials of Okinawa: A Feminist Perspective by Suzuyo Takazato As an Okinawan whose only memory is of World War I1 Today, the decreased value of the dollar against the yen battlefront Okinawa, postwar United States military occupa- today means that GIs in Okinawa have greatly reduced tion and, subsequently, Japanese civilian administration, I spending power; thus, they limit their off-base entertainment supported the movement for Okinawa's reversion to Japan in to one or two drinks in a seedy club featuring a Philippine the 1960s. I believed that Okinawa's return to Japan, now floor show and to meeting young Japanese women tourists governed by a strong Peace Constitution, was preferable to from the mainland on the streets of Okinawa or in a local continuing under a U.S. civilian administration strongly tied disco. GIs also engage in short-term sexual liaisons with local to the heavy U.S. military base presence on our small island. junior and senior high school girl students, resulting in Of course, many benefits came with Okinawa's reversion to pregnancies discovered only after the man has completed his Japan in 1972. No longer did Okinawans need to secure short term of duty in Okinawa and shipped out. passports to travel to Japan. As a social worker and counselor, I spent 10 years listening We were now protected by Japan's Peace Constitution, to the heartbreaking stories of Okinawan women whose lives which forbade Japan to have aggressive military force. were destroyed and disrupted by the violence of militarism. Despite this, today Japan Self Defense Forces personnel The real wounds of war are not the destroyed buildings, rather number 270,000 and Japan's defense spending ranks number the destroyed human hearts of Okinawans and Americans. three in the world after the United States and the Union of In addition to the injury wreaked on the women of

Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). We were also under the Okinawa, social pollution imposed on Okinawan society by , protective umbrella of the U.S.-Japan Mutual Security U.S. military bases includes crimes committed by U.S. GIs Treaty. All laws effective in Japan were now in effect in and their dependents involving theft, assault, homicide, and Okinawa as well. This included the Prostitution Prevention illegal smuggling of weapons and drugs. Law, which had been passed by the Japanese Diet in 1956 After 46 years, major pollution caused by the presence of and enacted in Japan in 1958, but was not effective in U.S. military bases in Okinawa continues today. The ear- Okinawa until after reversion in 1972. splitting roar of fighter planes engaged in take-off and landing One of the anticipated benefits of reversion, the removal drills are endured by Okinawan citizens living around the of dl U.S. military bases from Okinawa, has still not taken bases, aided by of the soundproofing of homes and schools place. The fervent desire of Okinawan citizens to regain provided by the Japanese Defense Administration Agency and possession of their own family land has been ignored for 46 paid for by Japanese taxpayers. years. Today, 75 percent of the U.S. military presence in The level of sound pollution in schools near bases causes Japan is located in Okinawa, where 20 percent of the land is teachers and students to speak in abnormally loud voices and occupied by 45 bases accommodating 57,000 American develop nervous symptoms; children are unable to play on military personnel and dependents. In addition to the U.S. school playgrounds. Artillery drills mar the hillsides and cause military bases in Okinawa today, Japan Self Defense Forces fires; trees are chopped down; and mountains are carved away bases also occupy a portion of Okinawan land. in northern Okinawa to build Green Beret urban guerrilla Looking back, I realize that the reversion movement and warfare training facilities, causing the ocean and nearby resort reversion itself totally overlooked the problems of women. beaches to turn red after every major rainfall. Okinawan women who survived the battlefield assault faced The U.S. military presence has left a permanent mark on a new battle in postwar years: the sexual assault that contin- Okinawa and Okinawan society. While there have been some ued throughout U.S. military occupation and the U.S. positive aspects to the introduction of American culture, civilian administration. Many Okinawans agree that the Okinawa has been permanently scarred by 46 years of earnings of women who served U.S. GIs enabled Okinawa to American military presence. It is time for the U.S. military to survive the total devastation in early postwar years. Many leave, and for Okinawan people to reclaim their own identity such women who single-handedly reared the children of and determine their own future. American GIs bear deep emotional scars today. Okinawa, the only part of Japan to suffer a land battle, was The U.S. military bases in Okinawa have played a vital sacrificed by the Imperial Japanese Government to protect the role in the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars, training emperor and the Japanese mainland. One-third to one-fourth and dispatching military personnel to the battlefronts. On of the civilian population died in the bloody three-month battle each occasion women in Okinawa have become cornmodi- between the defending Japanese military and the invading ties to be bought, used and deposed of to assuage the fear American forces. Okinawans who somehow avoided the and frustration of the warriors going into battle or returning heavy gunfire were ordered by Japanese military to commit from the battlefront. Today Filipinas are imported to replace mass suicide to avoid the shame of being captured. Okinawan women in the clubs around the military bases. Suzuyo Takazato is an activist in Naha, Okinawa. She has They are exploited as cheap labor, and because they cater to sewed as an elected Naha City Councilperson and as the the sexual needs of American GIs, are described as "the Chair person of the Social Concerns Committee of the breakwater to protect the people of the town." Okinawa District, United Church of Christ in Japan. Race, Poverty & the Environment Spring - Summer 1994 Page 11

lawsuits have been filed against the Lab by people that worked Los Alamos andlor lived in the Lab and now have cancer. With the media exposure of the high number of brain tumors and other cancers found in LANL workers, the Labs Lab moved quickly to do damage control. Community health ~anelssuch as the Workinn" Grouo to Address Los Alamos Toxic Johannesburg Community Health Concerns, selected by LANL and chaired by Lab public relation types, was established. The expressed of New Mexico purpose of this DOE-funded group is to "allay public fears following claims of an elevated brain cancer rate in LOS by Juan Montes Alamos." Following 26 meetings of this group, which some- in the New LOs how mostly focused on one peach tree with excessive tritium Alamos National Laboratories (LANL), and its political entity levels, their finding were not surprising. =A review of radionu- Los A~~OSCounty, constitute an island of white, middle and ,-lide concentrations in annual samples of Los Alamos-grown upper-class transient scientists and engineers isolated from the produce (1975-1990) showed that they had never been higher surrounding, Chicano and Pueblo communities. Historically, and than those found in produce grown in the rest of northern N~~ to this day, it is these communities that compose the overwhelm- ~~~i~~ as a result of world-wide fallout from atmospheric ing numerical majority of inhabitants of this beautiful, forested white waste barrels identified by residents on old mountain region. While the state of New Mexico ranks third aerial photos turned out to be -blemishes on the old photos or highest in poverty in the country, LOSAlamos County has the irregular shaped materials near construction projects." After a third lowest poverty rate in the entire nation. This economic massive release of radioactive iodine in 1985, their analysis disparity has resulted in LANL being a major area employer, with showed, athe maximum iodine uptake by a member of the a great majority of the lab's 12,000 blue collar workers coming was at least a million times smaller than is routinely from Pueblo and Chicano communities in the valley. The used in medical diagnostic tests," and the total radio-iodine massive, daily commuting of brown workers to the white "City releases since 1943 were uestimated as a few curies, cornpa- on the Hill" is reminiscent of the daily trek taken by rable to the amount released annually by a 500- the natives from the homelands to Johannesburg, bed hospital during thyroid treatments." South Africa. Historically, At one of the initial meetings to establish this Hidden in secrecy for the past fifty years, the of color group, Chicano and Pueblo members of the birthplace of the Manhattan Project, LANL has surrounding communities attended and requested solidly maintained that its work has been strictly have been that any health studies done be expanded in scope research and for the excluded from to include their communities. They stated that weapons complex and that its environmental record the nuclear unfortunately, Los Alamos did not exist in a has met the highest degree of scientific integrity. vacuum and that the radionuclides routinely or However recent revelations have cast serious doubts weapons accidentally vented into the atmosphere would be as the these debate by 60th carried by the prevailing winds onto the valleys. from the 50th Anniversary celebration of LANL the DOE and The dumps and liquid discharges were draining does not mention the 3.2 million curies released into downstream into their water supplies. They also the atmosphere in routine and accidental releases anti-nuclear argued that in terms of a stable study population, over the last 10 years, nor does it mention the more the Chicano and Pueblo communities had been than 2,500 area dumps mostly unlined, that contain there before, during, and would be there after the a toxic radioactive soup which LANL scientist Labs and that the LANL population was a mostly admit cannot be categorized because of sloppy or transient and very mobile population. These arguments, nonexistent record keeping. The literature also fails to mention rational and logical as they may seem, proved to no avail and that the Omega West reactor has been leaking 3 gallons per hour the chair of the group informed the chicano and heblo Over an number years and has been draining representatives that DOE had only funded the health studies with other radioactive liquid discharges into arroyos and eventu- for Los ~l~~~~ county. lt should be nbted that L~~~l~~~~ ally into the Rio Grande, a major water supply for the arid County did not exist until the late 1970s when it seceded from Southwest. impoverished Rio Arriba County so as to not share its tax For the past year, Chicano and Native American groups have base. been in dialogue with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and currently, L~~Ltsworking G~~~~to ~dd~~~~L~~ the Agency for Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Alamos Community Health Concerns is requesting that CDC to assure that any health assessments and dose reconstruction and ATSDR recognize them as the site specific studies done are inclusive of the majority inhabitants of the area. advisory panel for all health studies. chicano and pueblo A little over a year ago, the media reported 22 cases of brain groups have united and are opposing the designation of the tumors believed to be directly associated with radiation releases illegitimate and unrepresentative entity. officials from both from LANL. Since then, several individual and two class-action CDC ATSDR have publicly stated that this group is not Sarina - Summer 1994 Race, Poverty & the Environment and will not be the site specific commu- nuclear weapons facilities are sited and the threat to future generations. The nity advisory panel, in the words of one within communities of color, secrecy health studies being undertaken by high-ranking ATSDR official "over my and the jobs blackmail factor have DHHS can only be effective and dead body". Even with these encourag- effectively excluded participation. The accurate if inclusion and participation ing words, affected communities must notion that people of color don't care are primary goals in the process. be ever vigilant to assure that these about the health of oneself and family is upcoming health studies are inclusive a primary consideration regardless Juan Montes is the director of and that any community panels estab- whether employed by DOE or living by education and programs for the Rural lished are representative of all poten- these dangerous facilities. Rural African Alliance for Military Accountability, a tially affected populations. Americans living and working at the national organization dedicated to Historically, people of color have Savannah River Site, Chicano farm giving voice and vote to low-income, been excluded from the nuclear workers and Native Americans living rural people, especially communities of weapons debate by both the DOE and and working at Hanford or LANL all color living in the shadow of nuclear anti-nuclear groups. While many of the care about the health of their children weapons facilities. For information, call 505/586-1241. LABS KILL A History of Livermore Lab by Marylia Kelley Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was uranium as well, including a "criticality accident" (an founded in 1952 by Edward Teller and E.O. Lawrence to unplanned nuclear chain reaction) involving uranium. design, develop and test thermonuclear (hydrogen) bombs. Additional contamination has occurred due to the "burn- Its mission, then as now, has been the continued develop- ing" of uranium and plutonium chips and filings in order to ment of "new generations" of nuclear weapons, which has oxidize them. This process, according to an internal LLNL included the MX missile and the neutron bomb. Livermore report, clogs filters and spews particles into the air. Lab is also the birthplace of Star Wars, including the New LLNL projects also raise concerns. A uranium scandal ridden, nuclear bomb-pumped, X-ray laser and the enrichment demonstration plant is projected to add more recently canceled Brilliant Pebbles scheme. incrementally to the burden of airborne uranium, as well as The lab is now pioneering the "next generation" of produce dangerous wastes. LLNL has also begun building nuclear production technologies slated for full scale use at an on-site pilot plant which could employ up to 100 additional Department of Energy (DOE) plants. In short, workers making plutonium triggers for bombs, work LLNL can be viewed as the "brains" of the DOE complex; previously done by the Rocky Flats Plant, now shut down the engine that drives the nuclear cycle. because of contamination. The hidden history of LLNL is the ongoing saga of Initial estimates show that the Bay Area has already environmental degradation which is inextricably linked to been subjected to about 1 million curies of radiation from the development of nuclear weapons. Tri-Valley CARES the nuclear weapons labs in Livermore. This is roughly has documented numerous accidents, spills and leaks, equal to estimates of the radiation dumped on Hiroshima perhaps the most serious being the releases of radioactive by the atomic bomb. hydrogen (called tritium), plutonium and uranium. Airborne releases have been only one part of the lab's Since 1960, (the first year for which any information is effect on the environment. Over 40 years of weapons available) LLNL's known airborne releases of tritium have research, on site fabrication of test bomb components and totaled approximately 750,000 curies. One curie is a large poor environmental practice has resulted in severe soil and amount of radioactivity, equal to 37,000,000,000 radioac- ground water contamination at LLNL's main site in tive disintegrations per second. Dr. John Gofman, former Livermore and Site 300 testing range. Both locations are Associate Director at LLNL and founder of its biomedical on the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund list department, estimates these known releases have caused of worst contaminated sites in the country. 120 cancers and 60 cancer deaths in Livermore. Additional According to a 1988 study, LLNL generates over 4,000 tritium has been released in open air tests at site 300, tons of toxic and radioactive waste each year. An internal between Livermore and Tracy. A lab report says these lab report revealed that 90% of this waste is produced by releases may resume. weapons and weapons-related programs. There have been airborne releases of plutonium and Race, Poverty & the Environment Spring - Summer 1994 Page 13 A Vision for Livermore Lab

by Marylia Kelley and Greg Mello Tri-Valley CAREs, a community group in Livermore nuclear weapons complex, and not stimulate growth in nuclear California, planning expert Greg Mello, and economist Bill development elsewhere. Converting Livermore would Weida -with the help of a large network of contacts at the contribute to the growing consensus that the days of nuclear labs, in academia and government, and in citizens' groups- weapons as instruments of U.S. foreign policy are nearly over. are drawing together a vision for the conversion of Lawrence Another tactic is to look at LLNL's role in the local, state Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). We want the labs to and national economy and predict how cutbacks in weapons become institutions that nourish the roots of peace and social funding will affect the state, Alameda County and the City of equity, rather than nuclear terror. Livermore itself. The regional effect is far less than most Our effort takes place in the midst of a national debate on people think. We are examining the technology transfer the proper role of government in civilian research and devel- process in depth, and comparing LLNL's strengths to the opment. This debate is crowded with buzz-words, such as: desires articulated by industry, both locally and nationally. "Dual-use" -- the promotion of civilian technologies which Last month, Secretary O'Leary submitted what she parallel or are the same as military ones; described as the DOE'S first post-cold war budget to Con- Technology transfer" -- improving civilian technologies by gress. That budget contained some cuts for LLNL, reflecting funding nuclear weapons research; the declining importance of nuclear weapons research and "Critical technologies" -- technologies for which an estab- development. Unfortunately, LLNL is now attempting to lished industrial lobby has articulated a request for funding; staunch its budgetary wounds with giant dangerous weapons- "Competitiveness" -- aiding companies, often transnationals, releated projects like the National Ignition Facility, and to against their foreign competitors, also usually transnationals. carve out a niche for itself in manufacturing nuclear weapons Into this largely wrong-headed debate, we hope to bring components, such as plutonium pits, uranium parts, and high another set of values, reflected in phrases like "sustainable explosives. development," "global responsibility," "green technologies," It is in LLNL's favor to abandon these initiatives and to and "community partnership." Our task is to articulate these invest in science and technology that is of greater interest to values in a form that will enter the debate in Washington, and the country and to the region, and which does not pose nuclear alert the various decision-makers to the tremendous waste, proliferation dangers. If LLNL invested the energy it now puts cost to our communities and danger of continuing "business as into promoting its nuclear weapons agenda into positioning usual" at Livermore. itself to address urgent national needs, its future would be We are designing a research and development program for bright, and morale at the Lab would be buoyed by a renewed LLNL which could help the nation make the transition to a sense of purpose. Tri-Valley CAREs designed an alternative greener economy, one that uses far less energy and fewer budget, one that reflects our values for energy conservation, once-through materials. Our vision of LLNL's future includes environmental restoration and sustainable industry. basic scientific research facilities, as well as user facilities and Our economist and planner will work with us to understand consultation centers for academics and industrial visitors. We Livermore's management structure, and ways it might be imagine a laboratory much more integrated into the California modified to better serve a civilian mission. From the outset it economy. While LLNL would become smaller than at present, is clear that managers whose careers have been formed within its economic contribution would be far greater. the nuclear weapons culture need to be replaced with those Our plan must, however, contain a big dose of reality about who come from civilian labs, industry or academia. We and the ongoing nuclear weapons mission at Livermore, because the Livermore community are working toward a people- the weapons-addicted management of LLNL has not yet centered conversion plan, one that puts employees first and awakened from its nuclear dreamscape. One tactic is to make a increases their options. If people are so empowered, they can critique of the tremendous overlap in facilities and programs make decisions that would substantially convert Livermore between the three nuclear weapons labs. We compare these Lab. vastly overblown programs-now supported by a very vague Marylia Kelley is the Project Coordinator for Tri-Valley notion of "stockpile stewardship"-with more reasonable CAREs. She also serves on the East Bay Conversion and stewardship needs. We are focusing especially on the new Reinvestment Commission. Greg Mello is an engineer, facilities that, if built, will further entrench Livermore's planner and conversion analyst who is writing a conversion current role. We are convinced that conversion of LLNL could study of LLNL for Tri-Valley CAREs. benifically affect Los Alamos, Sandia, and the rest of the Page 14 Race, Poverty & the Environment Reintegrating Our Communities by Martha Matsuoka

BASE CLOSURESIN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA ESTABLISHING A STRATEGY FOR Within the next decade, more than 10,000 acres of land, COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION AND BASE RE-USE waterways, and marsh in the San Francisco Bay Area will be To ensure that the needs of such communities are ad- relinquished by the U.S. Department of Defense to be utilized dressed, the Urban Habitat Program has established a regional for non-military activities. In the current round of base framework that shows how the impact of base closure and closures, more than 11,000 civilian workers will lose their conversion will affect the San Francisco Bay region, particu- jobs, many of which are well-paid blue collar positions. The larly the communities that are located in the flatland areas of closure of military bases and military support facilities such as the San Francisco Bay area where many of the closing bases hospitals and administrative support centers, marks the end of are located. Conversion Working Paper #1 uses this Frame- a chapter of military investment and expansion that has work to assess the regional impacts of civilian job losses influenced the regional economy, land-use patterns, and caused by the closure of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard and formation of communities. the naval facilities located in Alameda County. The purpose For the region, economic conversion represents an opportu- of our analysis is to focus on the intersection of militarization, nity to redirect economic structures heavily dependent upon the environment, and the low-income, working class and publicly funded defense related activities. For individual communities of color and to designate the "flatland" region communities in the region, it is also an opportunity to address where these relationships are most evident. the long-term disinvestment caused by the publicly funded Within this regional flatland context, we focus on case buildup of the cold war. Long neglected areas such as employ- studies of base closure and conversion in Alameda County and ment, health, education, and public works, particularly in the Solano County. Within this framework, we focus on case urban core, if left unaddressed, will undermine the long-term studies of base closure and conversion in Alameda County and viability of any conversion strategy. Solano County. These include the Alameda Naval Air Station

Flatland Region in the Bay Area by Zipcode

u Source: IURD/Urban Habitat Program Inset I Race, Poverty & the Environment Spring - Summer 1994 Page 15 and the Naval Depot in the City of directed toward public use and benefit The establishment of a regional Alameda, as well as the Public Works to meet existing community needs. context that highlights a sub-region Center and Oak Knoll Hospital in Many neighborhoods and regions called the flatland, as well as the Oakland, and Mare Island Shipyard in suffered from the lack of public neighborhoods that are located adjacent the City of Vallejo. These facilities are investment during the buildup of the to the military bases. currently closing under the third round cold war. A profile of the civilian workforce of closures and represent major indus- Local communities are the primary currently at-risk of losing their jobs at trial sites that are located on the bay stakeholders in the conversion process the facilities in Solano and Alameda shoreline. These facilities employ the and must be involved and participate Counties largest number of civilian workers. The fully on the conversion planning and An analysis showing the geo- closure of both facilities is expected to decision-making processes. graphic relationship between job loss be complete in 1997. Conversion from former defense- and the region, flatland, and base The research provides a basis for related land uses and economic devel- neighborhoods.. future advocacy work on behalf of the opment, provide an opportunity to Our paper presents a nine-county communities that have played host to establish new models for sustainable assessment of socio-economic charac- the military facilities, suffered from the land-use and economic development. teristics of the region, defines the loss of jobs in base closure, or that will Lessons learned from the civil rights, region's flatlands as the those commu- be heavily impacted by future re-use of environmental, and peace movements nities that lie adjacent to the shoreline the facilities, and that all have a voice in provide us with a greater knowledge of the Bay and describes the economic, the conversion activities that will about the inevitable exhaustability of social, and environmental characteris- determine their futures. our natural resources, as well as models tics of the flatland. To ensure that economic conversion for building community-based institu- Most of these communities neighbor addresses the existing needs in these tions and enhancing social ties that bind the closing industrial bases in the Bay communities, our approach embraces communities together. Area and are located in what we refer to three key principles: The paper is divided into three as the "flatlands". Within these Public conversion funds must be sections: communitieswe find the highest levels

Civilian Employees At-Risk of Job Loss by Home Zipcode Bases: Mare Island, NADEP, NAS, Oak Knoll, PWC (Total = 10,052)

Employees

Source: lURD/Urban Habitat Program "v' Inset Paae 16 Sorino - Summer 1994 Race. Povertv & the Environment of unemployment, crime, environmental closure be felt throughout the region, but 41 percent of flatland Asian households degradation, and economic dislocation particularly at the neighborhood level earn less than median. due in part by the diversion of public where job losses will impact stable The flatlands also represent a funds to support defense-related Cold- communities and exacerbate the condi- concentration of environmental toxics. War activities that had little benefit on tions in our already at-risk neighbor- Industrial sites have been vacated and these communities. The desolation of hoods. have left behind toxics that go these communities is exacerbated by Recognizing the relationships unremediated, creating potential public policies that encourage suburban land- between the development of our region's health risks to residents. Data from the use and encourage the flight of people land use, economic activity and the Regional Water Quality Board in and resources into racially segregated profile of the communities that reside Oakland for example, show that of the communities far from the urban core. here, will help direct the successful City's 392 reported sites, 91 percent are Ironically, suburbanization is the reintegration of former military land, located in the flatland neighborhoods of product of World War I1 economic facilities, and workforce into the region West, Central, and East Oakland where conversion-when veterans, evacuating that they are a part. the communities are predominantly the cities, began moving their families poor communities of color.4 to racially exclusive suburbs. In THE FLATLANDS AND BASE NEIGHBORS Similar examples of unremediated addition, federal subsidies, many times Closing industrial bases are located in leaking underground storage tanks larger than all poverty programs the region's flatland areas that are occur in the flatland neighborhoods in combined, stimulated suburban shop- characterized by a highly multicultural, San Francisco where 75 percent of the ping malls, office parks and millions of and economically at-risk neighborhoods. City's reported hazardous sites are jobs, many of them defense dependent.' located in the South of Market, With the help of UC Berkeley's Bayview Hunters Point, Mission, Institute for Urban and Regional The purpose of our analy- Potrero and Western Addition neigh- Development, we used a Geographic sis is to focus on the inter- borhoods. Fiftythree percent of these Information System (GIs) computer section of militarization, the sites are located in Bayview Hunters application to map these characteristics Point alone. The majority of the to show the geographic relationship environment, and the low- residents in these communities are low- between neighborhoods and closing income, working class and income people of color. The Silicon military bases. Personnel data obtained communities of color and to Valley flatlands to the south contain 29 from the Department of the Navy identified Superfund sites, making it enabled us to map by zipcode where designate the "flatland" one of the most contaminated areas in civilian workers live throughout the region where these relation- the nation. Considering too, that the region. ships are most evident. flatland communities located near the The study's findings illustrate of the Bay are built on sand, fill and have critical relationship between displaced waterlogged soils, these unremediated workers, particularly workers of color, More than 25 percent of the region's contaminants continue to pose not only and the neighborhoods where they live. households of color occupy the flatlands public health threats to residents but Layoffs of workers will occur in which make up only approximately 20 threats to the Bay it~elf.~ specific communities, where the loss of percent of the region's total land area. These economic and environmental individual salaries will ultimately affect This concentration of diverse households conditions are most evident in the households, and the commercial and create a multicultural band of communi- flatland neighborhoods that border social viability of these neighborhoods. ties that live the closest to the Bay. For closing military industrial facilities. The Concentrated loss of incomes in African-American households this pattern Naval Air Station in Alameda for individual communities will weaken the is evident as regionally African American example, is bounded by the Oakland stable ones and exacerbate conditions in households comprise only 8 percent, more Estuary on the north, the San Francisco already at-risk communities, particu- 58 percent live in the flatland region.* Bay to the south and west, and a larly those in the flatland areas that The flatlands also represent a concen- residential neighborhood on the east. already experience high levels of tration of lower-income households. In Thirty-eight percent of the households economic dislocation and 1990,48 percent of all flatland house- living just east of the Naval Air Station disinvestment. holds earned less than median household earned less than $25,000 a year in 1990. These case studies illustrate the income of $40,000. (See map.) Sixty-six Of these households, 47 percent of the characteristics of civilian worker percent of all African American house- population are people of color, prima- employed by the Department of Navy holds living in the flatlands for example, rily A~ian.~ and show how their job losses will earn less than the regional median. More The close proximity of these affect the region, particularly in the than 50 percent off Native American, neighborhoods to the Naval Air Station neighborhoods where these workers Latino and other non-white households also raises critical environmental issues live. It is clear that the impacts of living in the flats earn less than median. related to the clean-up of identified Race, Poverty & the Environment Sorino - Summer 1994 Page 17 hazards on the base site. A total of 20 base. potentially contaminated sites have The neighborhoods While the re-use of our military bases and redirection of military-related been identified by a Navy Assessment where the workers of color study for further study in the Remedial industries will not solve all of the Investigation process to determine reside will be the most persistent urban problems that we face clean-up strategies. These contaminants heavily impacted by in- today, it is a start. It is also a bench- mark for recalling and capitalizing on result from a range of industrial creased unemployment, activities operating on the base that past lessons learned about the preserva- include metal plant, operation of a loss of disposable income, tion and conservation of our natural power plant, waste disposal, aircraft and potential downturn in resources, as well as systems to achieve social and economic justice. Integrating maintenance, vehicle fueling, missile commercial viability within reworking, and aircraft maintenan~e.~ these experiences into the planning and In Solano County, the Mare Island these residential communi- implementation of new land use and Naval Shipyard is an island separated ties. economic development in the conver- from the adjacent City of Vallejo by the sion process will put us on a course that Mare Island Strait, and bounded on all recognizes limited natural resources, the sides by the San Francisco Bay. color reside will be the most heavily capitalizes on human resource potential, The Shipyard's most immediate impacted by increased unemployment, and creates systems that are socially residential neighbors in the City of loss of disposable income, and potential equitable and ultimately sustainable. Vallejo are those households that make downturn in commercial viability within up the inner city portions of the City -- these residential communities. 'Anthony, Carl. "Converting and Revitalizing the Inner City". Positive Alternatives._Center for constituting the neighborhoods of Economic Conversion. Summer 1992 Roosevelt Terrace and the central city.8 CONCLUSION U.S. Census. 1990. We find that these neighborhoods are The socio-economic characteristics ' Daniel O'Connor. "Leaking Underground primarily people of color (45%) where of the flatlands as well as the environ- Storage Tanks in the Bay Area". Urban Action 1993. pg. 49. 36 to 73 percent of households within mental challenges and the ecological 41bid.pg. 50. seven census tracts earn less than resources of the land area that surrounds These neighborhoods are comprised of census $25,000 a year? these closing facilities, establish a tracts 44274, 4276, and 4277, located in the City critical starting point for any base of Alameda. Data is taken from the 1990 Census. Governor's Office of Planning and Research. THE WORKFORCE AND JOB LOSS closure and conversion strategy. This California Military Base Closures, Summary As of March 1994, there were context provides an integrated and Information. July 1993. approximately 11,000 workers em- place-specific approach to understanding Mare Island constitutes census tract 2508; ployed at the five facilities in the two impacts of closure such as the loss of Roosevelt Terrace makes up tract 25 17.02, and the City Center consists of tracts 2517.01, 2516, counties including: Mare Island Naval jobs and the scale of toxic cleanup, as 2509,2507.01 and 2507.02. Shipyard (MINSY), Alameda Naval well as developing any set of strategies U.S. Census, 1990. Aviation Depot (NADEP), Alameda to address these impacts and develop Naval Air Station (NAS), Public Works strategies for re-use of the military Martha Matsuoka is the Director of Center (PWC), and Oak Knoll Naval facilities. Not only is this approach the Economic Conversion Project of the Hospital. necessary to ensure that base conversion Urban Habitat Program. Copies of the Our research presents an overall strategies serve adequately as comrnu- report, "Reintegrating the "Flatlands": profile of these civilian workers and nity revitalization strategies, without it Conversion Working Paper #I" are illustrates where in the region these new tracts of land will be developed available for $20.00 ($15.00 for workers live. This approach is neces- within a vacuum and at public expense community-based organizations). Send sary to compare with the existing socio- of the neighborhoods that they should check and request to UHP, Earth Island economic conditions within the region ideally become a part. Institute, 300 Broadway, Suite 28, San and show how additional job losses will Understanding the relationship Francisco, CA 94133. impact the region and specific neighbor- between these workers and the impacts hoods within the region. Our finding their job loss will have on neighbor- show that the home residences of the hoods within the region is critical to workforce are widely distributed establishing strategies for conversion throughout the nine county region and and re-use. How we view the new the entire Bay Area will be affected to additions of displaced labor in adjacent some extent by the impending base communities as well as the region as a closures. However, the neighborhoods whole, force us to consider planning within the region will incur the greatest approaches that are regional and impacts. More specifically, the integrated in scope, rather than to plan neighborhoods where the workers of simply within the boundaries of the Page 18 Race, Poverty & the Environment

Fighting For Community Needs: Restoration Advisory Boards

by Jo Ann Wilkerson Despite the expansion of community involvement afforded boards are advisory panels, a second, but equally important, by restoration advisory boards, participation is meaningless if result of this project is an organized citizenry who are pre- citizens do not understand the technical issues they are pared to force accountability from military base considering. An educated citizenry is necessary to provide decisionmakers. oversight of environmental restoration decisions or the cleanup of military facilities will be led by the military itself. THE BASE COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Besides cleanup of contaminated sites, members of Keesler Air Force Base, the Naval Construction Battalion restoration advisory boards and concerned citizens must be Center and Columbus Air Force Base are located in military- educated about economic opportunities afforded by the dependent communities where a large percentage of the cleanup. Historically, people of color have borne the brunt of population either work for the Department of Defense or in an pollution and receivednone of the benefits associated with the industry which is military dependent. In fact, the defense growth of the environmental restoration industry. sector comprises a large portion of Mississippi's economic In October 1993, Xavier University in New Orleans, activities. Defense spending accounts for 7% of total state Louisiana received an Environmental Protection Agency grant purchases in Mississippi, while the national average is for a project designed to organize people of color to serve as approximately 4%.' Besides Keesler and Columbus Air Force community representatives on Department of Defense Bases and the Naval Construction Battalion Center, there are restoration advisory boards. Restoration advisory boards seven other major defense installations scattered throughout coordinate public participation at military base sites. The the state. Defense contractors in the state include General boards are made up of people directly affected by base Motors, Litton Industries, Trinity Industries, Raytheon cleanup activities and include persons living adjacent to the Company, and Barrett Refining Corporation. bases and representatives of labor, environmental and civic Despite the strong presence of the military-industrial groups. The sites chosen for this demonstration project were complex, Mississippi is a very poor state. One out of every Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi; Columbus Air four Mississippi residents lives below the poverty level. Force Base, Columbus, Mississippi; and the Naval Construc- According to the 1990 census, the per capita income was tion Battalion Center, Gulfport, Mississippi. $9,648, the lowest in the nati~n.~In1993, the unemployment The project team was charged with raising the conscious- rate in the Biloxi-Gulfport metropolitan area, where the ness of citizens who have traditionally been locked out of the Keesler Air Force Base and Naval Construction Battalion decisionmaking process regarding environmental and eco- Center are located, was 5%. However, the unemployment rate nomic issues related to base cleanup. These people have a of people of color in the area was approximately 9%. The right to participate in decisions to reduce the environmental unemployment rate in the five counties (Lowndes, Chickasaw, threat in their neighborhoods, and must be empowered to press Clay, Monroe and Oktibbeha Counties) economically depen- for real participation in environmental restoration decisions. dent on the Columbus Air Force Base was 6%. The unemploy- Accordingly, the goals of the project were to: 1) strengthen ment rate for people of color was 11 %.3 citizens' right to know, and encourage the participation of The presence of the military-industrial complex is espe- community persons in military environmental restoration cially noticeable on the Gulf Coast of the state where signs of activities; 2) provide environmental education and information military installations dot the interstate. Besides Keesler Air that is not easily accessible to these citizens; and, 3) encourage Force Base and the Naval Construction Battalion Center, the the participation of the entire community in economic oppor- Naval Station Pascagoula, the Air National Guard, the Army tunities afforded by base cleanup. Ammunition Plant, the NASA John Stennis Space Station, and The primary result of this project is that African Americans other facilities are located in a "gunbelt" on the Gulf Coast. are prepared to serve as restoration advisory board members Military retirees settle in the community, local chambers of who have meaningful roles in decisionmaking, planning and commerce have divisions which concentrate on military affairs implementation of military base environmental restoration and the area celebrates a day called "Salute to the Military."4 activities at each base site. Because restoration advisory The importance of the military to the entire state makes it Race, Poverty & the Environment Snrina - Summer 1994 Page 19

difficult to organize for the enforcement Department of Defense efforts to of environmental accountability. People of color have encourage public participation, with the Besides the pro-military atmosphere of borne the brunt of pollution collaboration of the African American each base community, there are other church, provides legitimacy and some factors to complicate any environmental and none of the benefits credibility in African American organizing effort. First, there are no associated with the growth communities. Through the collabora- visible emissions from any of the environmental restoration tion, the Department of Defense installations. This is in contrast to some empowers communities of color to plan of the petrochemical companies on the industry. Only with strong, and control the outreach process, and Gulf Coast of Mississippi and along the united community backing provide people of color leadership and Mississippi River in Louisiana. For will community members of participation. example, the fumes from the Interna- With the organizational foundation tional Paper plant in Moss Point, restoration advisory boards laid, communities next need strong, Mississippi can be seen and smelled for have the strength to bring organized groups to exercise the right to many miles along the Mississippi Gulf adequate pressure to bear participate in cleanup decisions. The Coast, especially at night and on project utilized the expertise of veteran weekends. Second, to most African on government officials. community organizers with strong ties Americans who were born during and to religious institutions and other after World War 11, the bases have community-based organizations. They always been located in the community. and the Keesler and Columbus Air utilized the principles of environmental Again, this is in contrast to petrochemi- Force Bases. There has been little effort justice to help implement model public cal companies in the area which usually from any of the bases to involve participation programs which included move to already populated settlements. residents of these communities in public people of color and base neighbors. Third, and perhaps most important, participation efforts revolving around This project built on the leadership roles since the Truman administration, the environmental restoration activities. played by the Reverend James Lewis military hired people of color when Public participation efforts at the Black, Dr. Howard Gunn and Pat very few institutions would. Keesler and Columbus Air Force Bases Bryant. These men are recognized Despite the difficulties of organizing have been minimal, and no technical community leaders who have organized African Americans in a military review committee or restoration people of color regarding social justice dependent region, it is a misconception advisory board is in place. The Naval issues for many years. that they don't care about the environ- Construction Battalion Center has a Reverend James Lewis Black of ment or their health. People of color in technical review committee with one Biloxi, Mississippi was responsible for Mississippi have a long history of community representative who is white organizing the Biloxi, Mississippi environmental justice activism. These and does not live near the base. No community to serve on the Keesler Air activities range from relentless people of color sit on the technical Force Base restoration advisory board. grassroots struggles at the four review committee. Many members of his church, Faith Superfund sites in the state to the Tabernacle of Praise, work or live near mobilization of thousands of persons to RECRUITMENT IN BASE COMMUNITIES the base. He is Executive Director of protest the permitting of major landfills To make community persons aware UJAMA Community Services, the in African American communities. of public involvement opportunities at social services arm of Faith Tabernacle Nevertheless, the military dependency military installations, a comprehensive of Praise, and board chairman of the of the citizenry and the secrecy of outreach plan for people of color and Gulf Coast Rescue Mission, an organi- military environmental violations have base neighbors was implemented at zation that feeds, clothes and houses shielded base installations from people each base site. Organizations with indigents. Reverend Black is general of color environmental activism. strong roots in the community, particu- manager and principal owner of WQFX African Americans living near or larly African American churches, were Radio Station in Gulfport, Mississippi. working at base installations care about sought to provide the organizational He is also founder and host of two the health of their children and the foundation necessary for community television ministry programs. Through threat of toxic contamination to future people to participate in cleanup deci- his radio station and television broad- generations. These people want and sions. The church has always been casts, Reverend Black has effectively need to be involved in any public important as a vehicle for social change spread the message throughout the participation efforts to remove the in the African American community. Mississippi Gulf Coast that African environmental threat in their comrnuni- Thirty years ago, African American Americans have a responsibility to be ties. churches in Mississippi served as involved in military base environmental There are significant numbers of sanctuaries for "freedom schools" restoration activities. To further African Americans who live near the where African Americans learned to improve the accessibility of base Naval Construction Battalion Center, read in order to register to vote. information to people of color and base Page 20 Race, Poverty & the Environment

neighbors, Reverend Black has offered ing opportunities was summarized for installations in people of color commu- the use of his church as a repository for community persons, and a listing of nities to other concerns such as the installation restoration program resources, including sources of capital and thoroughness of cleanup at installations documents and summaries. technical assistance was developed. The in these communities. Another Dr. Howard Gunn was responsible intent was for community people to be environmental justice concern involves for community organization in the five informed of potential economic opportuni- the question regarding the destination counties that surround the Columbus ties related to military toxics cleanup. The of toxic garbage from military installa- Air Force Base in Columbus, Missis- Department of Defense estimates that the tions after removal. In the Columbus sippi. He is the minister of a church in total cost of facility cleanup will be $25 Air Force Base installation restoration the area and the director of the East billion. The Environmental Protection program documents, the base officials Mississippi Multi-County Safe Environ- Agency places this figure at $100 billion, state that they send most hazardous mental Association, a federation of while the General Accounting Office states wastes to a landfill in Emelle, Alabama, environmental justice groups in that $200 billion is a more accurate figure. an African American low-income northern Mississippi. He has been a 6Cleanup at these facilities will take at community. Participants in the freedom fighter for over forty years, and least forty years to complete, and environ- workshop will be shown that the was an active member of the United mental cleanup and restoration promises to dumping of poisons in their communi- League of Mississippi, a social justice be a growth industry well into the next ties is not only a local or regional organization that pushed for voting and century. occurrence, but a national and even human rights issues. Dr. Gunn has The effects from assisting people of international one. made a conscientious effort to select color businesses in developing potentially In addition, workshop participants individuals to support the project who very lucrative relationships with major will discuss the environmental restora- are already established leaders in the military environmental restoration tion programs at each base installation. community, including local and state contractors ripples out to the surrounding For each site, the information from elected officials. Most of his commu- community. African American businesses installation restoration program nity meetings are held at Mary Holmes employ many people of color in the locale documents was summarized to approxi- College, an African American junior and the surrounding region. The busi- mately twenty pages to increase the college, where he was a former presi- nesses, which are mostly small, serve to readability and accessibility of the dent. diversify an economy which is too documents. The summaries include Pat Bryant also served on this dependent on the military-industrial easy-to-read maps of the bases showing project, and was responsible for complex. African American enterprises the contaminated sites and their developing the Naval Construction also make a substantial contribution to the proximity to base neighbors. The Battalion Center community in local tax base. appendices of each summary include a Gulfport, Mississippi to support and section concerning the poisons of demand a restoration advisory board. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION concern and a section of environmental He is Executive Director of the Gulf AND LEADERSHIP terms with which citizens should be Coast Tenants Organization, a federa- The project team will soon begin the familiar. tion of tenant and environmental justice most important phase of the effort -- An environmental education study organizations in Louisiana and Missis- environmental education and leadership guide comprised of relevant articles sippi. Most of his organization's work is development training workshops. Resi- about military toxins and environmental focused in "Cancer Alley," an eighty- dents of base communities must be justice will be developed for each base five mile corridor bordering the empowered with information that will community. Participants will review Mississippi River between Baton Rouge allow them to organize their communities, articles such as the Executive Summary and New Orleans where more than 135 and apply political pressure which will of Toxic Wastes and Race, written by petrochemical companies have located. force accountability from the military. the United Church of Christ's Comrnis- Staff persons of the Gulf Coast The content of the workshops will be sion on Racial Justice in 1987. The Tenants Organization were utilized to tailored to each community and base site, document gives statistical evidence of assist in organizing public housing and will include the following topics: 1) the disproportionate number of tenants who live across the street from federal and state environmental laws/ dumpsites in people of color and low the Battalion Center. environmental justice; 2) toxins and income communities. The strategy for attracting African health; and, 3) economic development. Americans and other people of color The program begins with an orientation COALITIONSAND COMMUNITY outside the immediate networks of the session for participating leaders to discuss ORGANIZATION community organizers was to market environmental justice issues and the After the education and leadership the project to entrepreneurs. Local impact of environmental racism in their development phase, each community businesspersons were invited to communities. Environmental justice organizer will assist participants of the recruitment meetings. Department of issues regarding the military will be workshops in organizing coalitions to Defense literature concerning contract- expanded from issues of the location of the encourage the establishment of a Race, Poverty & the Environment S~rina- Summer 1994 Page 21

restoration advisory board by each military installation. Organizers will assist in focusing the issues for the LABOR: groups, but each community group will define its own short and long-range goals and determine the objectives to accom- A Call to Action plish the goals. Goals and accompanying Economic Conversion in New Hispanics from apprenticeship objectives will include timely cleanup of England was launched by a few programs and tactics employed by the military facilities, pollution prevention, committed individuals and quickly peace movement that have alienated as well as community representation on became an effort that reached across defense workers. restoration advisory boards. state, industrial and organizational This fall the UAW Region 9A held After the restoration advisory board lines to involve hundreds of labor a week-long retreat for 300 labor and membership selection phase is complete, and community leaders in the coalition activists at their Black Lake each board will develop its operating Northeast. This effort will continue retreat center. An eight-hour, small procedures, decide the necessity of to work for increased involvement group, educational curriculum, that formally chartering the group under the of conversion activists in and raises issues which divide and unite Federal Facilities Advisory Committee outside the labor movement. coalition partners on conversion, was Act, and select community and installa- In less than a year, A Call to enthusiastically received at the event. tion co-chairpersons. Hopefully, $e Action has grown from an idea to an Another major focus of our work community co-chairs and other members important labor-led mobilizing force has been the development of model of the boards will be selected from the for defense conversion in New legislation which challenges "business coalitions which the project team helped England and nationally. Our kick- climate" economic development develop. off conference in June, 1993 programs that give public funds to At the same time restoration advisory attracted over 200 labor leaders from business without clear public goals or boards are developing, the team will the New England states who accountability measures. The continue to assist in organizing the base endorsed an ambitious program to legislation requires that companies communities around military toxins move a military conversion agenda that receive state support for defense issues. Because the boards are advisory into corporate board rooms and state conversion and economic develop- panels, the inclusion of persons of color and national capitols. This repre- ment involve labor and community on restoration advisory boards does not sents the first major effort where organizations in the planning process necessarily mean their voices will be . unions have joined together to and set clear goals. In a major victory, heard. Very few officials make decisions endorse a regional conversion we passed this legislation through the that require additional funding (such as program as a response to defense Connecticut House and Senate this complete cleanup) without being forced cuts. In the following months, A session and it is currently awaiting the to do so. The decisionmaking power Call to Action's resolutions were Governors signature. While several which restoration advisory boards wield passed by every New England state "social compact" bills have been is in the organized community backing AFLICIO, setting conversion as a introduced nationally, this is the first of the boards. Only with strong, united priority. Through all our efforts, we such bill to pass. It will provide an community backing will community have reached out to build relation- important model for other states in the members of restoration advisory boards ships between labor, peace activists, region and country. have the strength to bring adequate state legislators and communities of pressure to bear on government officials. color. Our July conference included For information, please contact A Nevertheless, this inclusion strategy, a session on coalition work that Call to Action, c/o UAW Region 9A, 111 with community support, should further raised tough coalition issues such as South Road, Farmington, CT 06032,203- democratize environmental decision- union exclusion of black and 674-0143 . making and empower disenfranchised people to speak and represent them- selves. sion, April 1994. D.C.: United States General Accounting Office, July Notes "Salute to the Military," The Sun Herald, 1993), p. 3. I Virginia Mayer, Local Oflcials Guide to September 19, 1993. JO Ann Wilkerson is Program Man- Defense Economic Adjustment, (Washington, D.C.: United States Environmental Protection or National League of Cities, 1992), pp. 13-15. Agency, Interim Report of the Federal Facilities 'gerfor the Deep South Center f Anita Lee, "Mississippi Stakes All on Riverboat Environmental Restoration Dialoaue- Committee, Environmental Justice, Xavier University Gambling," Planning, December 1993, p. 15. (Washington, D.C.: United States Environmental of buisiana. Mississippi Employment Security Commission, Protection Agency, February 1993), p. 2. Mississippi Labor Market Information for United States General Accounting Office, Affiative Action Programs, (Jackson, Missis- Superfund, Backlog of Unevaluated Federal sippi: Mississippi Employment Security Commis- Facilities Slows Cleanup Efforts, (Washington, Page 22 Spring - Summer 1994 Race, Poverty & the Environment

experimentation. The groups share an optimistic view of the capacity of government to develop and maintain new industries, a view hotly contested in both state and federal political arenas. In spite of considerable political obstacles, coalitions of peace Up Close: activists and labor unions are generating industrial policy proposals to reorient defense plants toward civilian markets. Labor's Agenda Squaring off against hostile conservative forces at the state and For Change national level, activists are drawing new battle lines to support industrial extension services that provide advice and funds to firms, and targeted training programs that prepare workers for by Marc Baldwin new job opportunities. But one question is still worrying union A typical week for Me1 Olsson, president of United Auto locals. How real are the prospects for conversion right now? Workers Local 571, might start with a meeting with his employer, Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut, about lobbying SPOTLIGHTING SUCCESSES for another submarine contract. But the next day might find The landscape of examples of real conversion is not as him side by side with peace advocates at a rally for conversion barren as many believe. At the Hummer factory in South Bend, from military to civilian production. Like other presidents of Indiana, members of UAW Local 5 work on camouflage defense-dependent local unions, Olsson faces a stark dilemma. HumVees, vehicles used to carry troops, as well as Hummers Lobbying for defense contracts yields clear, immediate for firefighters. Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford recently benefits, while the payoffs from conversion efforts are distant received $3 million in state funds to turn its aircraft engines and uncertain. And when a local president stands for re- into turbines to generate electricity efficiently. Rockwell, in election, it's usually the concrete gains that win votes. addition to making bombers, recently purchased Allen-Bradley As budget cuts eliminate more and more defense contracts, to lead its push into commercial electronics. Small companies however, the need to plan for conversion is becoming increas- are converting, too. At Quadrax Corporation in Rhode Island, ingly obvious to local unions. So in spite of the risks involved, the carbon fiber material used in Seawolf submarines is now more and more local union presidents and international unions being shipped overseas to make tennis rackets. are actively supporting conversion. Former adversaries in the The media often overlooks stories such as these, as they are labor and peace communities are struggling to find common not as "newsworthy" as those about thousands of jobs being ground, and regional efforts across the country are gathering lost when conversion efforts fail or never get started. And the momentum. trend toward conversion is just beginning. When the Clinton Historically, progressive activism around conversion issues administration made over $400 million available to fms has fallen into two distinct categories, economic conversion planning civilian products, it received 2,850 proposals. and industrial retention. Economic conversion begins from the According to a survey of 148 senior executives of defense premise that the defense economy should be converted to a companies by the Winbridge Group, DRV McGraw Hill, and civilian one. Motivated by the risks of weapons proliferation, the Fraser Group, 78% of the respondents are planning peace advocates have focused on reducing the defense budget commercialization efforts over the next five years. Three out of and redirecting military spending. four firms that have already studied commercialization Unions, on the other hand, have often resisted efforts to possibilities have begun marketing a new product. eliminate weapon systems that their members produce. They have favored the industrial retention approach, which has THE HURDLES reflected workers' concerns by focusing on plant-level conver- Despite these successes and the ground swell of conversion sion, the nuts and bolts of changing production, and resisting coalitions and state-level pro-conversion activity, there are still plant closings. While individual peace activists sometimes distressingly few examples of complete conversion from joined in these efforts, for a long time peace groups rarely got defense to civilian product lines. Far more prevalent have been involved in the industrial retention struggles of workers' firms' decisions to sell divisions or close plants. Merging, organizations and labor-community coalitions. shutting down, and selling off defense divisions has itself That all changed in the late 1980s. Key peace activists become a minor industry. In a world of shrinking defense began to take a keener interest in plant-level conversion. markets, none of the largest contractors has stepped up to the Without it, the workers in the plants could never fully support a challenge of going fully commercial. civilian economy. Likewise, on the labor side, the scale of With declining defense budgets and heightened competition, defense cuts and the need for community allies have led more why are there so few prominent conversion success stories and more local leaders to set aside old fears and resentments. In among large defense contractors? There is no easy answer, but state after state, local peace organizations have risen to most failures stem from the breakdown of key links in the statewide prominence and reached out to local efforts for plant chain of events that leads to conversion. conversion. The result is a shared commitment to pursuing a Conversion is a process with several stages, each of which broad economic agenda through local plant-level activity and requires time and money. A company must identify an alterna- Race. Povertv & the Environment S~rina- Summer 1994 Paae 23 tive product, assess the market for that commercialization plans. Now labor-community coalitions are product, design the product, change their The federal government could and setting their sights on Washington. The manufacturing system to produce the should use its vast purchasing and Call to Action in New England is a case new parts, and market the result. This regulatory power to lure defense firms in point. Although still in its infancy, the takes managerial time, substantial into new markets. Some states have Call to Action program places heavy financial commitment, and new agree- taken the lead in this regard, encouraging emphasis on federal action. The steering ments with affected workers if they are new development through regulations committee for that effort developed a set represented by unions. and special funding. In California, for of principles to guide conversion policy, Any firm that wants to change example, the zero emissions requirement a list of three top priority initiatives product lines will face such a process, for cars will help create a vast market for (establishing alternative use committees, but defense firms face a series of electric and hybrid vehicles. At the same creating incentives and accountability for additional problems. In the DRINcGraw time that it instituted the regulation, the company actions, and providing federal Hill survey, defense industry executives state made funds available to the and state purchasing to provide new cited a lack of in-house capabilities, Machinists Union and former defense markets for converted firms), and a long- inadequate knowledge of alternative contractors to initiate the Calstart term, comprehensive strategy for markets, and lack of support from top project, which links dislocated defense conversion. management as dominant reasons for workers to future electric car component By linking the twin ideals of local failure. Of these bamers, it is the last suppliers. As it combined regulations industrial retention and new national point-lack of top management sup- with funding to help workers and firms economic priorities, the proposals that port-that most often decides success or meet the new requirements, the Califor- Call to Action and others are advancing failure in conversion activity. If they are nia project could serve as a model for could form the basis of a new industrial sufficiently committed, managers can federal intervention in conversion. policy, a means to recapture the vast hire new workers whose skills will investment that taxpayers have made in improve the firms' capabilities and CAN WE GET THERE the military-industrial complex and to knowledge of markets. This level of FROM HERE? direct it toward civilian ends. As these commitment is too rare. At best, compa- Until recently, federal support for regional efforts join together to push for nies pursue funding for such efforts but defense conversion took two forms. It federal support, the prospects for a fail to find it. At worst, the process of provided training money for dislocated serious national commitment to defense conversion never begins. Instead, workers and assisted communities with conversion are looking brighter all the executives of many defense firms try to their diversification planning, but it time.. scare their workers into opposing devoted no funds to plant-level activity. conversion, claiming that conversion Without federal money to help firms Marc Baldwin is a Research Associate efforts would make the company look explore new market opportunities, to for the United Auto Workers. less serious about doing defense work. purchase equipment they need to meet To address this lack of commitment new civilian demands, or to establish among top managers, labor-oriented labor-management committees for conversion advocates have called for conversion planning, conversion labor-management "alternative use committees" to be established in every plant. These committees, linking the The federal government shop-floor knowledge of production could and should use its workers to the engineering and market- vast purchasing and regula- ing expertise of managers, are a critical structure for conversion. Often produc- tory power to lure defense tion workers, with their jobs and firms into new markets. communities on the line, have a deeper interest in plant-level conversion than do corporate presidents or vice-presidents. generally hasn't happened. In the This article is reprintedfrom Presidents and CEOs of defense firms absence of such federal support, unions and Sense Magazine, a may be safe from the employment and local industrial retention coalitions progressive economics magazine effects of selling off a defense division tried to fill in the gaps with state published six times a year. First- or closing a few plants. Plant level resources. The Clinton administration year subscription costs are $18.95 managers and workers, on the other has taken some steps toward federal and may be ordered by writing to hand, don't have the luxury of distance. plant-level conversion support through Dollars and Sense, One Summer St., They need alternative use committees so the Advanced Research Projects Somerville, MA 01243. they have an organized forum for new Administration, but far more effort and product ideas and structure to implement funding is needed. Page 24 Sarino - Summer 1994 Race. Povertv & the Environment Dismantling the Cold War Economy by Ann Markusen and Joel Yudken Looking out his window at the Chicago skyline, the Illinois Until an effective adjustment strategy is found and the Institute of Technology Research Institute's vice-president for Pentagon is no longer the primary supporter of innovation, the business development, Morton Klein, thought for a bit when nation is not likely to move forward on the domestic economic asked what he and other Chicago defense contractors might do front. It is just too costly to bail out savings-and-loans and if there is a serious military build-down. "Well," he said, banks, pay for higher unemployment benefits, and continue to brightening up and reflecting on the dozens of chemists and spend $300 billion a year on military preparedness. Unless one chemical engineers in his heavily defense-dependent lab, "we or more of these federal commitments changes, there will wouldn't need to be the Illinois Defense Technology Associa- simply be no money left for new initiatives. Morton Klein may tion. We could be the Illinois Waste Treatment Association!" have to wait a long time for his waste treatment research Such remarks illustrate the interest of some private-sector contract (and communities around the country will continue to managers in the adjustment problem and offer glimmers of wrestle with a growing waste disposal crisis). hope for a post-cold war economy. Unfortunately, managers like Morton Klein do not repre- TOWARD A NURTURING ECONOMY Public denials aside, the United States has had an industrial policy for fifty years. The policy has accomplished a great Typical is the attitude of Stanley Pace, deal. It has ensured that the U.S. military is technologically the CEO of General Dynamics, who believes strongest on the globe. In either cold war or hot war confronta- tions, American missiles, aircraft, computers, and satellite- that his Only recourse in the based intelligence- and guidance- systems can count on domi- face of threatened budget cuts is to hunker nating. With its military might, the U.S. government has been down, lay off workers, and wait. He has able, when it so wishes, to unilaterally play the role of the world's cop as it did exceptionally well in the Gulf War of faith that military spending inevitably will 1991. pick up again. The closet U.S. industrial policy has created whole new industries that stock the military arsenal -- the aerospace, communications, and electronics complex. Hundreds of sent the mainstream of the military contracting world. More billions of defense dollars, year after year, have gone into typical is the attitude of Stanley Pace, CEO of General constructing an American advantage in these industries, both Dynamics, who believes that his corporation's only recourse in direct arms production and in commercial products such as in the face of threatened budget cuts is to hunker down, lay off aircraft, computers, and telecommunications. Hefty export workers, and wait. He has faith that military spending inevita- sales in these industries are the fruits of years of public-sector bly will pick up again. Such a strategy may help to frighten cultivation, both in the R&D greenhouse and in the deep and communities and Congress into holding the reins on defense reliable furrows of government sales. cuts. But in the end it is a losing strategy for the nation. Yet the assembling of this very special and deep expertise, There will be no peace dividend without a coordinated and nourished at public expense, has not helped to stave off a slow highly visible alternative to the military-based economy. stagnation in the American economy. Why has the harvest Many industries, along with their workers and communities, been so lean? First, the closet industrial policy has been very badly need some form of help in making the transition. Given expensive, adding to the budget deficit and absorbing capital the risks associated with change, however, firms are stone- that might have been used elsewhere. Second, it has under- walling and workers and communities are scared. Meanwhile, mined older sectors as it nurtured new ones. scientists, engineers and academics wony that if they bite the Third, radical but selective technological change has hand that feeds them, no other source of funding for research created new problems of worker retooling and displacement and development will materialize. The military-industrial and artificially rapid obsolescence of plants and equipment. complex is paralyzed by inertia. As the laissez-faire paradigm Fourth, it has created new forms of environmental degradation dissolves under the weight of economic recession and finan- that pose high costs to the present and future economy. cial crisis, only the piecemeal and limited dual-use technology Finally, it has permitted other players in the international policy has been put forward as an attempt to fill the void. economy, particularly foreign companies backed by their Race, Poverty & the Environment Spring - Summer 1994 Page 25

governments, to capitalize efforts have been made on the "free" basic research to cope with the specter available in the United of military cuts. States and to adapt it to Companies have begun commercial uses, outpac- research and develop- ing U.S. firms. ment on large transpor- Perhaps most important, tation systems, hoping though, is that the price for to switch from military our military preeminence aircraft to mass transit. has simply grown beyond Unions have pushed for our ability to pay. The bulk worker retraining and of the nation's debt is alternative use vlan- attributable to the defense ning. Communities buildup of the 1980s. have attempted to Deficits are not necessarily L . h,\.P convert some military bad; if they are invested in bases and defense areas such as infrastructure plants. But for the most and education, they part, the results have contribute to the nation's been disappointing. future productivity. But Piecemeal approaches, spending borrowed money lacking the kind of to fashion ever more powerful integrated deadly and baroque framework provided by we; the Pentagon's cradle- the to-grave financing, have can manufacturing indus- not been able to tries. Regardless of the replicate the perfor- nation's foreign policy mance of the military- trac industrial system. As a the result, many contractors have to be cut by atleast continue to pursue 20 to 50 percent. If the military markets and lobby for funding, while closing plants and revenues faltering, de- displacing workers. mands for civilian industry Often, the defense work revitalization and safety force and defense- nets for the marginalized dependent communities will compete for the same act as if they are held precious public funds. hostage to the same It will not be easy to get future. the economy back on track. What America needs Companies, workers, is a systematic eco- communities, and whole nomic development industries have become strategy aimed at addicted to military delivering a healthy infusions. Decades of environment rather than selective and lavish public spending on dependency of large pools of workers, at honing the weapons in the arsenal of the military have erected a wall of both white- and blue-collar, on inflated destruction. We do not mean simply the separation between the civilian and military budgets. Their communities physical environment of grass, rocks, military-industrial segments of the worry that there will be no substitute for rivers, and air, but all living and working economy. Defense-dependent sectors the Pentagon gravy train, especially environments, from housing to factories have a hard time changing course. And when the same government ruthlessly and offices, to recreational and wilder- because of the geographical concentra- pursues free trade, deregulation, and ness spaces. An economy devoted to tion of such spending in the Gunbelt, privatization policies in every other personal and public health, a clean and military budgets on the order of $300 realm of the economy. sustainable physical environment, and billion annually have deepened the Creative, sometimes strenuous the stabilization of community and Page 26 Race, Poverty & the Environment

workplace life would be more produc- They felt they had no choice; they had chemical-intensive processes used in tive and would achieve a higher to stop the hemorrhaging of jobs by high-tech industry and the eye and standard of living for everyone. Its anchoring existing industries in their muscle-straining machinery in offices. benefits need not be limited to Ameri- communities and encouraging new ones Compared with the environment, cans but could be spread throughout the to start up. Publicly funded economic health has received massive public globe. At the risk of sounding corny, we development services proliferated, and support, both for research and develop- would put our chips down on a nurtur- bold new experiments in industrial ment and to procure health services for ing economy, rather than a destructive retention, technology transfer, and the elderly and poor. But as in defense, one. entrepreneurial aid began. these resources have been poured into But these efforts must be nurtured private and nonprofit sectors without much accountability, resulting in an The point is not to save with federal help. State and local governments do not have the resources overemphasis on costly, esoteric the steel or electronics to fund large-scale industrial turnover, technologies and drugs rather than on industry, but to conserve alternative use planning efforts, major preventive care. More doctors than ever before favor a national health system resources, put people to R&D initiatives, and large new infra- structure projects, especially when the like Canada's, and more corporations work productively, and nation faces new rounds of defense than ever before are lining up behind provide the goods and plant and military base closings. Never the notion of national health insurance. before has the need for a coordinated Most important, more people than ever services that society needs. national initiative been so pressing. before are fed up with the cost and The substance of a new economic quality of the health care they receive. order for the United States can be neatly Community stabilization is the third A NATIONAL ECONOMIC captured under three main rubrics: pillar of a new economic order. Cham- DEVELOPMENTSTRATEGY environment, health, and community pions of the market and rapid capital To achieve a new economic order, stability. These are the major concerns mobility ignore the destructive effects vague exhortations to competitiveness of the American people going into the on workers, households, local govern- should be superseded by a national troubled 1990s. The environmental ments, and regional businesses when a economic development strategy. We call vision of a new economic order should local economic environment suddenly it an economic rather than industrial encompass a healthy living environment changes. More subtle but just as development strategy because its goals for all, including other species. Clean important as the external costs -- lost should be more expansive than picking air, clean water, a protected biosphere, incomes, plunging property values, and winners and losers, choosing electronics preservation of wilderness, and judi- shrinkage of local clientele -- are the over steel. The point is not to save the cious use of scarce natural resources, losses in well-being from the economi- steel or electronics industry, but to from agriculture to industry to house- cally-forced outmigration of family conserve resources, put people to work holds, are its goals. Both a massive productively, and provide the goods and amount of careful scholarly research services that society needs. and public sentiment clearly favor a Because of the geo- Putting forward an economic devel- new set of rules governing the interac- graphical concentration of opment strategy for the United States tion between people and nature. The may seem odd. "Eonomic development" content and effectiveness of these rules such spending in the used to be pursued by Third World will be largely determined by economic Gunbelt, military budgets countries only. But in the final decades considerations -- by how much new on the order of $300 billion of this century, the countries that have research, new investment, and new done well (Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, regulation can be devoted to creating a annually have deepened the or Singapore) have done so primarily healthier environment. dependency of large pools because they have undertaken concerted Human health is another crisis arena. of workers, both white- and economic development policies based on A much smaller share of the population a vision of where their economies ought is now covered by health insurance than blue-collar, on inflated to be in the long term. State and local fifteen years ago. Diseases, whether military budgets. governments across the United States are new ones like AIDS or old ones like already in the vanguard on economic cancer, have proliferated. Infant development. A decade of structural mortality is widespread. Mental illness members and the breakup of neighbor- change with both farms and factories still claims many victims, and stress and hoods and communities. Excessive folding in unprecedented numbers, and depression are on the rise. Occupational displacement accompanied many plant no help forthcoming from the federal health and safety gains have been made closings in the industrial heartland in government, forced governors, mayors, in the older industries, but new work- the 1980s. It now threatens defense legislatures, and city councils to act. place hazards have arisen with the dependent communities in this defense Race, Poverty & the Environment Spring - Summer 1994 Page 27 build-down period. In such a world, precious public funds a cleaner environment, a healthier Economic stabilization has a long, need not be spent only on cleaning up population, and economic stability. venerable history as a public policy the messes left behind from current Expenditures with long-term economic goal. Since the 1930s, governments all practices. payoffs would be treated as investments over the world have accepted the need -- to monitor market economies and to intervene when they deviate too much The first step is to shift the discourse on industrial from the desired, generally modest, path policy and economic conversion away from the preoccupa- of growth. In the 1930s the Tennessee tion with competitiveness and toward economic develop- Valley Authority was authorized to rebuild the battered South Central ment, to encourage citizens and policymakers alike to economy. During the Second World entertain new possibilities. War, government planners were concerned about disrupting the settle- ment patterns of the country and tried to Building the New Economic Order and distinguished from ongoing match new defense plants with pools of Putting forth a vision of change is operating expenditures. Such "demand unemployed workers. In the 1960s the one thing. Getting there is another. The pull" forces would carry the economy Kennedy administration targeted purpose of a book like this is not so much farther into a new future than Appalachia as a region of distress and much to map out a specific roadrnap but would uncertain military high-tech spin- out-migration, which it attempted to to point in the right direction. The first offs or the opportunistic pursuit of stem by encouraging growth and step is to shift the discourse on indus- narrow technologies like high-definition stabilization in a number of key cities. trial policy and economic conversion TV. In the 1970s the Nixon administration away from the preoccupation with Third, nonspending initiatives, such redistributed federal funds to suburbs, competitiveness and toward economic as regulation and incentives for coop- and later in the same decade, President development, to encourage citizens and eration and planning, would bolster the Carter launched a national urban policy policymakers alike to entertain new economic development strategy. to reverse the fiscal crisis and decline of possibilities. Establishing rules for attaining environ- many cities. Despite their critics, most What might a new national eco- mental quality, from recycling schemes of these projects were successful to nomic development strategy look like? and minimizing industrial pollutants to some degree. The Tennessee Valley First of all, it would survey the nation's cutting allowable auto emissions, will today, with its new Japanese auto plants economic assets, induding the stock of automatically boost interest in finding and diversified agriculture, is quite a capital, labor, and land now devoted to ways to use recycled materials, make success story, and cities across the superfluous military activities. During plants cleaner, and explore electric and nation have revitalized their down- the Reagan-Bush years, national other nonpetroleum-fueled cars. towns, albeit without eliminating inner- intelligence on the state and stock of our Companies, assured by the rules of a city poverty. national resources, industries, and future market, will invest in the new Environment, health, and community infrastructure deteriorated badly. Many technologies to attain these ends, stability -- these areas must compete public data sources have been termi- creating new jobs at the same time. The with national security as a major nated, and some are now available only market will be the means for testing national priority. For fifty years, to high-paying corporate clients. Even competing products. Americans have devoted the lion's data on the military industrial base is Fourth, the distribution of federal share of their surplus to pursuing deficient. A series on subcontracting R&D dollars would be guided by this national security above all else, with begun in 1979, for instance, was more pluralistic set of goals, creating a disappointing results for the economy discontinued early in the Reagan years. robust science and technology base to and growing environmental, health, and Second, savings from military cuts buttress the economic development community crises. Today, it can be would be judiciously distributed across strategy. This would include major new argued that resolving environmental, competing prioritiesdeficit reduction science and technology initiatives keyed health, and economic crises is an as well as public investments in the to these goals. For example, support essential dimension of any meaningful environment, health, and community would be given to R&D programs on definition of national security. More- stability. These priorities would be new high-tech manufacturing processes over, unlike expenditures on costly MX determined through public debate and that are nontoxic to workers and or Patriot missiles, gains in these three the established channels of democratic pollution-free. R&D funds would areas would boost productivity in the decision-making. Decisions to invest in continue to be disbursed through the economy as a whole. Much less wastage overlapping priority areas, such as relevant agencies whose missions match of human resources occurs when public infrastructure, transportation, and the call for innovation. If necessary, healthy, happy citizens are working and energy, would be guided by the extent new agencies would be created, such as living in clean and stable environments. to which such investments contribute to the proposed national institutes for the Page 30 Spring - Summer 1994 Race, Poverty & the Environment

any one sector. Included in the strategy would be a more carefully crafted technology policy that does not lead to feast or famine for workers and commu- nities. Jobs with Peace Ann Markusen is also author of The Rise of the Gunbelt (1991) and Profes- sor of Urban Studies and Policy in Philly Development at Rutgers University. A program in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is at the forefront of efforts to turn military conversion into a community development opportunity. Year after year, compre- hensive conversion legisla- NAVYY ARD AND NAVAL HOSPITAL CONVERSION PROGRAM The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard is on of the largest industrial em- tion has been introduced ployer in the city, providing 48,000 jobs during World War 11, 11,500 in into Congress. Each time, the early 80's, and falling to 7,000 in 1992. In the mid-80's, Jobs with the preventive remedies, Peace organized an industrial development entity, the League Island Development Corporation (LIDC), representing business, labor, neighbor- especially alternative use hood and civic interests. Their idea was to promote full-use of the planning, have been underutilized sections of the Navy Yard, creating skilled, labor intensive dropped for more conven- job opportunities for both dislocated shipyard workers and under em- ployed workers from around the city. Proposals to produce for real tional efforts to help work- community needs included bridge construction, prefab buildings and ers and communities cope. incubators for small metal working companies who could share transport and overhead costs. LIDC also advocated that the closing Naval Hospital be converted to a much-needed nursing home, funded by the Archdiocese Joel Yudken is currently a staff of Philadelphia. member of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth and Credit, Banking, PENNSYLVANIAECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ACT Finance and Urban Affairs Committee Thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs have been lost in the state in of the U.S. House of Representatives. recent years. Jobs with Peace researched and wrote this legislation to provide a structure for government, business, labor and the community to Excerptedfrom Dismantling the Cold War Economy. Published by Basic work together to prevent layoffs and militarylindustrial closings by Books, 1993. Available in paper back. planning ahead for alternative production. This economic conversion now has over 50 co-sponsors in the House and support of many peace and justice, labor, religious and community activists. In 1991, Jobs with Peace sponsored a statewide economic conversion conference, established a bi- monthly teleconference and launched the Pennsylvania Economic Conversion Bulletin.

HOMES NOT BOMBS CAMPAIGN In work with the homeless, in the community of Mantua, and with housing advocates throughout the Delaware Valley, Jobs with Peace has helped to make the links between a federal focus on military spending and severe neglect of the most basic local needs, with housing as a prime example. For information write or call Philadelphia Jobs With Peace, 1809 Spring Gardens St. Philadelphia, PA, 19106, Tel. (215) 751-9933. Race, Poverty & the Environment Spring - Summer 1994 Page 31

Expanding the Rights of the Poor by Lauren Hallinan Across the country, 115 major military bases are closing or Novato Base Reuse Committee all asserted various degrees of "realigning" (losing most military uses), and 112 smaller control over the base and reuse plans. installations are closing.' This situation creates the potential Advocates need to establish contacts through as many for dramatic economic disaster or opportunity especially for official and unofficial channels as possible in order to get homeless and low-income people in and near base closure access to information. For example, advocates at Legal Aid for communities. The right of first refusal for surplus military real Marin have obtained a lot of useful information from military and personal property goes to the homeless under the Stewart attorneys who are experts on base closures. Military attorneys B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 19872and the 1994 are surprised to hear from legal aid but seem happy to help. Pryor Amendments3 to the base closure laws.4In addition, new This is not as difficult as it would appear since amendments to federal initiatives offer major funding for grants to support the 1988 and 1990 Acts expressly give preference to address- planning, training, and economic development in base closure ing economic hardship and homeles~ness.~ communities as these military installations convert to civilian uses.5 Moreover, the 1994 amendments emphasize the federal KEY 1994 AMENDMENTS TO THE 1988 AND 1990 ACTS The 1994 amendments to the 1988 and 1990 Acts set out intent to expedite the military conversion procew6 g Base closures are "fast track" for everyone -federal new language that could help legal services attorneys advo- bureaucrats, private developers, local politicians, community- cate for clients in the legislative arena, in community plan- based organizations, and all their lawyers. Already, legal aid ning, and for the provision of jobs, housing, and services. attorneys and community-based organizations have helped First, the amendments state that the United States should block the proposed razing of high-quality military base facilitate economic recovery and assist communities that housing at Hamilton Air-Force Base in Marin County, experience adverse economic circumstances as a result of base California, and Eaker Air Force Base in East Arkansas. closure or realignment.I0Second, to aid the goal of swift Advocates have also drafted first source and affirmative implementation, each federal department or agency involved employment targets for the Presidio of San Francisco. with a base closure designates a person to assist the local This article analyzes the 1994 amendments to the 1988 and transition coordinator (who often knows details but little about 1990 base closure and realignment acts, outlines opportunities pending legislation or overall activity and plans for a base)." for homeless assistance and low-income housing, jobs, and The United States will also accelerate "environmental restora- community-based economic development, and suggests local tion" and make property available "on a timely basis and at and national legislative, advocacy, and litigation strategies on less than fair market val~e."'~Third, real and personal behalf of the poor. Finally, this article proposes a four-point property may be transferred at little or no cost to "affected plan for a legal services base closure network.' communities and States."13 Decisions concerning federal property transfers will depend on local reuse plans. Whether local governments, private New federal initiatives offer major fund- developers, or nonprofit organizations serving the poor get ing for grants to support planning, training, property and how they use it will be controlled by a local entity - a "redevelopment authority." Therefore, the deci- and economic development in base closure sions about exactly what local entity will create and control communities as these military installations the reuse plan and what entity becomes the controlling convert to civilian uses. redevelopment authority for the base are critical. Legal services advocates have an important opportunity to mandate representation of clients' needs and a place at the table for low-income community-based organizations. THE BASE CLOSURE ACTS Jurisdictional issues are important considerations for There are two primary base closure statutes - The community groups and legal services advocates because the Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and entity that controls the land and planning will control cornmu- Realignment Act of 1988. The official entities dealing with nity participation, the type of development, and allocation of base closures are different for each military services, for each tax revenue. If the entity that gains control is a high-income federal agency, in each state, and within local communities. suburb with a intense commitment to preserving homeowners' For example, in 1993 at Hamilton Air Force Base alone, the perceptions of property values, development will be very DoD, Army Corps of Engineers, Navy, General Services different than if the redevelopment entity is a large county Administration, various congressional offices, and the City of with high unemployment, lack of affordable housing, and Page 38 Sorina - Summer 1994 Race, Poverty & the Environment the members of the last mentioned cost of 300,000 German marks per sustainablity, with green cells and organization decided to change its name shelter - would be sorely challenged to recreation areas, efficient and conve- during the 1980s.) remove them? The only prospective nient public transportation, central These intercultural relationships are buyer showing any interest in the air business districts supported by several evident in the town of Bitburg, a town base's solid buildings is a manufacturer sub centers as well as city centers (often of 12,000 people, situated in the who is considering storing fireworks for historic), and with inviting pedestrian mountains south of Cologne. It hosts an German New Years Eve parties. zones. The redevelopment of the closed U.S. air base with 12,000 soldiers. This Because of Bitburg's dependence on the American army bases will have to meet U.S. military facility is scheduled for U.S. military, economic conversion will these standards. While the planning and closure in the fall of 1994. In Bitburg, be critical for its continued economic its implementation is still in process, the everybody is anxious to mention the viability. interim use of the bases, in most cases, good relationship which Americans and Conversion, or Konversion as the includes housing for students, the Germans have enjoyed. Thousands of Germans say it, is a word which came homeless and political refugees, who German-American children were born into fashion when the foreign armies have the added misfortune of receiving in Bitburg and, in 1993 alone, 43 of the started planning to leave Germany. The the brunt of the hostility and attacks procedure is not a simple downsizing from parts of the German population. Conversion in Germany process, like that which is taking place Ironically these bases which were within the German National Army. formerly populated by a powerful tenant is within the context of After the withdrawal of the U.S., are now inhabited by the least powerful national re-unification and Canada, Great Britain, France and the classes of society. the problems associated former Soviet Union, the German In more general terms, base conver- Federal Finance Department, which is sion in Germany is within the context of with this process. the new owner of all the abandoned national re-unification and the problems bases must face the challenge of toxic 141 marriages in town were mixed clean up and reuse planning. Once the American-German couples. federal agency gets the land back, it Today, considering the Other U.S.-Germany relationships only keeps the sites useful for federal future economic disaster are defined by issues directly related to purposes. Everything else is passed to the military facilities in Bitburg. A the states, and if not used at that level, Bitburg must face, the citizen's action group was formed to to the local community. Often local former opponents to the protect the town from more aircraft communities 'inherit large portions of U.S. presence sometime noise when the U.S. Army planned to former military land because they are expand the air base. Six years ago the last in line. The question of who will have trouble defending last major construction, which pumped come up with the money for the clean- their position 65 million German marks into the local up remains unanswered. Very often, the economy, was made on the air base. communities are simply overwhelmed Today, considering the future economic by the whole process, not to mention associated with this process. Although disaster Bitburg must face, the former the financial burden. The departing the closure of American army bases is a opponents to the U.S. presence some- foreign armies, always ready to "help" result of the end of the Cold War, time have trouble defending their German companies or station new compared to the problems in and with position. weapons for Germany's "safety," all of former Eastern Germany, the closures Economically, the U.S. plays an a sudden do not show the same enthusi- are just one issue among many that important part. After Bitburg's famous asm regarding environmental clean-up. communities have to struggle with. brewery, the U.S. army is the second Often the negative environmental In contrast to the huge number of largest employer in town. It provides side effects go beyond the facilities problems the American base closures 600 civilian jobs and generates the themselves. Bitburg, for example, has to cause in rural areas like Bitburg, equivalent of $1 15 million into the cope with a sewage plant built for the Germany's metropolitan areas are able region each year. By the end of Septem- larger population of Germans and to realize at least a few positive results ber, the U.S. troops are scheduled to Americans, which will deteriorate if it of konversion. These cities will lose the leave town. On October 1, the 50,000 does not get enough waste water for positive economic influence the bases acre airport will be put up for sale, as a proper operation. had on their economy, but on the other whole or in parts, whatever the prospec- Due to active German environmental hand, they will gain valuable and tive buyer prefers. But there are not and peace movements, environmental desperately needed housing and many buyers in Bitburg. Who would issues have been part of Germany's industrial space. The larger cities not want to buy a former army base with 72 political debates for many years. For the only have a stronger economic poten- scattered missile shelters which were past two decades, city planning in tial, they often have more time to built so solid that even dynamite - at a Germany has moved toward the goal of prepare as well. While the metropolitan Race, Poverty & the Environment s~rina- Summer 1994 Page 39 areas like Frankfurt will face the bulk of DELLUMS continued from page 1 planning. The circumstance that resulted the American troops leaving, a good questions to be answered were many: in our community receiving planning portion of the smaller cities outside the To what use would the land now be put? money in advance of actually having to metropolitan areas have already closed What decision-making process would be deal with an actual closure was extremely the gates of their bases and completed established to determine the answer to fortunate, as it allowed us to get under- the planning process as well. that question? What could be done to way prior to the closure announcement. For small rural towns like Bitburg, provide employment for civilian base closures is a threat. Such problem- personnel and assistance to the cornmu- WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, AND WHY ridden areas run the risk of idealizing nities adversely affected by the closure Having established the basis and the past and forgetting the bad effects decisions? What environmental resources for such a process, we needed caused by the presence of the U.S. problems existed at the facilities and then to answer: who should participate, military. In Bitburg, perhaps the most how would they be cleaned up? what is the process and goal, when do we honest summary of the contact between The stakes were rightly perceived in need to reach decision, where will the Germans and Americans was the the community to be quite high, a fact process take us and why are we proceed- aircraft noise and the barbecue smell made more urgent by examples of ing? which hovered over the town during inability or delay in dealing effectively The first question- who should summer week-ends. with the effects of the earlier closure participate?- provides the real key to decisions. These included the possibility understanding what is at stake and how Sources: of significant unemployment, possible we can succeed. Solving it provides Knaur, Sebastian: Lieben wit die USA?. 1987 Kammertons, Hans-Bruno. Die Zeit, April 1994 catastrophic economic losses in the Bay confidence that the four other questions Seiler, Signe: Die G.Ls 1985. Area, and the potential waste of valuable will be adequately resolved because all of land and real estate resources. the questions will be addressed and Birgit Neuer is a researcher at the answered. University of Freiburg, who worked A MODEL FOR THE NATION In our view it is critically important with the Urban Habitat Program's For years, I have argued that East that all elements of the community fully Economic Conversion Project for six Bay civic leaders had an obligation to participate in planning for what purposes months in 1994. She would like to thank plan for the possibility that some or all these facilities will be used in the future. Jim Aron, Daniel O'Connor and Petra of our military installations might be It is especially important to ensure that J. Yee for help with this piece. determined to be excess and then slated many who are traditionally outside of for closure. In 1992, a year before the such processes-minority groups and the BRAC 1993 process that recommended poor-be brought into the center and that the most recent closures. I secured a the whole range of community interests provision in the FY 1993 Defense be reflected- including organized labor, Authorization bill that established a the base workers, business groups, Historical four- community pilot conversion environmentalists, civic leaders, etc. program. This program supports the A common-sense view of the impact Poster Art conversion planning processes in four of closure alone shows why this is so The Vietnam era, anti-war communities potentially affected by important. Communities of color, posters used to illustrate this issue base closures, defense industrial especially, face significant adverse come from the Aouon Archive, downsizing or national laboratory impacts from these decisions. The bases curated by Michael Rossman, a closure or realignment. The information affected have long provided significant Berkeley writer and social historian. developed from these four experiences opportunities for meaningful and well- The archive of 7,500 posters from will be available to these communities, paid jobs-both blue collar and white the anti-war, solidarity, environmen- as well as collected into a usable collar- for these communities, in part tal, cultural, women and gay resource for other communities which because of aggressive programs that we liberation movements date from might also face these challenges. pursued to ensure equal employment 1965 to the present. For information While BRAC '93 was undertaking its opportunities at federal facilities. The contact Michael Rossman by phone assessments, the Defense Department loss of these jobs threatens to further tear at 5 10-849-1154 or fax at 5 10-540- determined that the East Bay would the already fragile economic fabric of 1707. become one of the four pilot programs. I these communities. had hoped that we would have our The resources that these employment community designated as one of the opportunities generate in the community pilots when I conceived of the legisla- are additionally significant, helping to tion, not because of any certainty that support local businesses. we would face an actual closure decision As a result, we have established a but because of my long standing view planning process that includes these that prudent leadership required such communities in the vital effort of Paoe 40 S~rino- Summer 1994 Race, Poverty & the Environment

conversion. Not only does this apply ANTHONY continued from page 1 laboratories, unions, private sector with respect to the types of end-uses to buildings and specialized facilities will be groups, peace and environmental which the land might be used- a vitally declared surplus. Military conversion in groups, and community based organiza- important question to the employment, the San Francisco Bay Area represents a tions. An important goal of the Com- economic and quality-of-life concerns of major opportunity for change. mission is to test new approaches of traditionally disenfranchised communi- When the Urban Habitat Program was national significance to community ties. But it also applies to contracts for established five years ago, it was clear adjustment in regions where the local planning, analysis, land clearance, that the question of defense conversion economy would be significantly environmental remediation or any of the would be important to our communities. affected by military downsizing. The other myriad problems associated with a We saw that it was especially critical that Commission has already helped to set successful conversion effort, ensuring the voices and interests of communities of up reuse authorities for base conversion the full and effective participation of color, working people and poor people be in the Cities of Alameda and Oakland, communities traditionally absent or involved in the process. Our early activity and is considering over 80 innovations under-represented in such projects. focused on conversion of the San Fran- in the conversion process. Among Whatever the final outcome of the cisco Presidio, which has conveyed from innovations relevant to social and decision making process that culminates the Army to the National Park Service as environmental justice are the following: from the East Bay Conversion and of October 1, 1994. Working with the Reinvestment Commission, the land re- National Park Service, the Urban Habitat 1. NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES use authorities and other active agents, it Program helped to form the Community Federal appropriation of historic is clear that it will be better made by Consultation Initiative which brought lands of indigenous people raises having vigorous participation from together grassroots organizations, labor important policy questions for the communities of color. and advocates of communities of color to military conversion process. Under Such participation will help to ensure take part in decision-making in five major federal legislation, recognized tribes that the employment needs of the areas: 1) establishing a new vision for the may indicate their interest in acquiring community are fully considered. It will site; 2) promoting participation by people surplus federal property, and receive a help to ensure that in these communi- of color in key decision malung roles in measure of priority much like homeless ties-long afflicted as dumping grounds the process; 3) procurement contracting, providers can do under the McKinney for environmental hazards-planning and job opportunities; 4) developing Act. Responding to Native American will proceed in a manner that fully takes options for transportational access to the interest in conversion issues requires into account the health and safety of site from low income communities and completion of four steps: research and these communities. communities of color; and 5) promotion documentation of the legal context at Although the closure decisions of demonstration conversion projects national and regional levels; document- represent the possibility of crisis in our which address the needs and issues of our ing examples of conversion projects community, they also represent great community. involving Native communities; opportunity. We must not flinch from With the announcement that additional strengthening the institutional base for the opportunity offered by the end of the Bay Area military facilities would be participation of Native American Cold War to cut military spending and closed, the Urban Habitat Program communities in the conversion process; pursue social investment. My long- expanded its conversion activity. We development of policies, initiatives, standing commitment to an aggressive formed a collaboration with two other proposals plans, and actions to meet the program of economic conversion now progressive conversion groups in the Bay needs of specific Native American has an opportunity to be tested at Area, the Center for Economic Conver- communities. home- in a manner that can benefit sion and the Arms Control Resource both the East Bay in its immediate needs Center. 2. ADDRESSING TOXIC RACISM and the nation as a whole, by way of When Congressman Ron Dellums Many low income communitites and learning, guidance and experience. formed the East Bay Conversion and communities of color adjacent to When coupled with a commitment to Reinvestment Commission, we got military bases have been discovered to ensure social equity, full participation involved in conversion planning for the contain high concentrations of hazard- and the acquisition of a meaningful stake County of Alameda, where four military ous contaminants. Such communities in the outcome, this process represents facilities are slated for closure and the should be provided with open and an opportunity to remake our communi- Livermore National Laboratory is slated accurate information about how the ties into a better place for our children for remissioning. clean up process will affect local and their children. The Urban Habitat Program works environments, air, water and soil. For information write: East Bay closely with the East Bay Conversion and Affected communities should have the Conversion and Reinvestment Commis- Reinvestment Commission which now has opportunity to review and comment sion, 530 Water Street, 5th Floor, a broad base of regional participation upon the extent and nature of contami- Oakland, CA 94607. Tel. (510) 834- including elected officials, representatives nation, remediation options and clean 6928; Fax (510)834 8913. of educational institutions, the national up plans including consideration of Race, Poverty & the Environment Page 41

social justice implications of toxic 5. ENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE TO the following types of activities: one- exposures. DISPLACED DEFENSE WORKERS stop service center for defense workers The most valuable resource at the with separate branches at various 3. INSTITUTIONALIZING THE ROLE OF military bases are the people. Many are facilities; continuous updating of a COMMUNITIES OF COLOR middle aged and have devoted many database to match job seekers with job Communities of color have a long years of their lives to the federal vacancies; linkages between economic and complex history with the United government. In this capacity, they have development planning and job creation States military. As military downsizing acquired skills and insights valuable in activities with employment and training accelerates, it is critical that communi- the civilian economy. Many bases have services for workers. ties of color be involved in the conver- state-of-the-art equipment and facilities sion process. Their neighborhoods and familiar to the on-site skilled work- 8. INNOVATIONS m THE ENVIRONMENTAL institutions have been negatively force. Bases' facilities can be used to EVALUATION PROCESS impacted by five decades of over- incubate new employee-owned busi- Current federal regulations require the investment in the military industrial nesses involving defense workers in Department of Defense to prepare an complex. Affirmative action regula- management decisionmaking. Em- Environmental Impact Statement tions are poorly enforced by the ployee-owned companies at these describing the effects of the shut down of Department of Defense contractors. facilities will allow workers to continue military facilities on the surrounding The conversion process may be the their customary work in an environment community. This document is prepared most significant opportunity for these which lends itself to increased produc- by military agencies which have little communities to affect national indus- tivity. Access to marketing information, practical understanding of the surround- trial policy for years to come. Some of capital, and technical assistance is ing communities. Communities are at a the ideas the Commission is considering essential if this potential is to be disadvantage since it takes many months include: the creation of a community realized. to organize community resources to institute to transfer environmental and develop an effective reuse plan-a other technologies to community based 6. HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS separate process requiring state and local organizations and minority and woman OF DEFENSE WORKER FAMILIES environmental review. Thus communi- owned business enterprises; business to The experience of plant closures and ties have little opportunity to provide business links including incubators, corporate downsizing has indicated that input into the planning assumptions and monitoring, partnerships, and bonding massive employment layoffs are the alternatives being considered by the capacity; loan programs and financial accompanied by increased hypertension, military. The process would be simpler if intermediaries for community based heart attacks, alcoholism, spousal abuse, communities could be drawn into the economic opportunity. homicide, suicides, and other social and planning at an earlier stage and a single health problems among workers. To environmental review process would be 4. COMMUNITY-MANAGED date much of the public discourse based on the community reuse plan TOXICC LEAN UP around service'delivery has addressed hammered out with broad public partici- The President has demonstrated a the needs of individuals. Little attention pation. commitment to transfer excess military has focused on the first line support for bases as quickly as would accommodate those individuals facing crisis: their 9. &M~SSIONING OF THE NATIONAL LABS communities' interest and their ability families. Accurate information is Ten national laboratories are set up to enhance economic viability. Under needed to determine the type of health across the country to provide scientific current schedules, environmental and social support services for defense and technological tools to meet critical reviews alone can take more than three workers and their families facing base national needs. Three of these are years to complete. The process is slow closure. defense labs, focused on nuclear weapons and unresponsive to a community's research and testing. With the end of the economic reinvestment alternatives. 7. OVERCOMINGBARRIERS TO Cold War, their role is shifting, with The transition process can be acceler- RE-EMPLOYMENT OF DEFENSE WORKERS more resources focused on prevention of ated by providing federal clean up Employment and training needs of nuclear proliferation, verification, and dollars directly to a community, which affected workers often assume lower arms control. Environmental justice would then be responsible for the priority than decisions around facility advocates are worried that deadly nuclear scoping, technical support, hiring and reuse and economic development. An R&D will end up at Los Alamos, monitoring performance for environ- effective conversion strategy must concentrated in predominantly Latino and mental cleanup. The community- overcome this barrier by involving Native regions of northern New Mexico. managed clean up process could meet workers in planning for and implement- Beyond this is the broader question of all current environmental regulatory ing their own services. Defense national purposes of science and technol- standards through partnerships with workers, service providers, companies, ogy, and the role of the laboratories in state and federal regulators. military officials and community meeting new national needs. Many argue representatives should work together on that labs should concentrate on helping Sorina - Summer 1994 Race, Poverty & the Environment the nation achieve competitive advan- EDITOR'S NOTES continued fromv. 2 disinvestment of public dollars from tage in the global market place. An civilian to defense-related activities. alternative vision suggests that technol- policies, particularly housing programs, Across the country, base closure ogy policy for the labs should aim to offering families an opportunity to flee commissions and re-use authorities help meet full employment, ecological from urban cores, thus creating racially grapple with the complex process of sustainability, community well-being, exclusive neighborhoods. Suburbanization addressing the immediate needs of and democratic decisionmaking was also fueled by post-war efforts to workers, and toxic clean-up of the expand construction of the nation's facilities. At the same time, these 10. BASEC ONVERSION AND highways; many of these programs were decision-making bodies will set in SUSTAINABILITY rooted in national security and defense- motion the long-term re-use strategies Since the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio related goals and funded by the Depart- and activities to fill the economic void de Janeiro, the concept of sustainability ment of Defense. left by the military, as well as establish has received considerable attention. While it is still unclear whether federal a viable set of systems and to sustain This concept first came into public initiatives for conversion will actually such changes over the long-term. The debate with the publication in 1987 of result in dollar-for-dollar conversion of East Bay Conversion and Reinvestment the World Commission of Environment defense dollars to public benefits, such as Commission, formed by Congressman and Development report, Our Common adequate clean-up of facilities, future Ron Dellums, described in these pages, Future. The opportunity is at hand to employment, education, and healthcare, is in the leadership of these efforts. focus the discussion of sustainability on the conversion movement is gaining We at Race, Poverty and the the military base conversion process. momentum. Our challenge is to make sure Environment believe that in order to There are opportunities for ecologically that this movement restores the viability wean our nation off of the addiction to sound land use planning, expanded of the places that have grown dependent militarism we will need two things: 1) public transportation, housing and upon the military and suffered the to find some other compelling organiz- employment for vulnerable populations, recycling of building materials and surplus equipment, protection of fragile ecosystems, public access to recreation, and reinventing work to meet real human needs. These innovations and many others are needed to help convert our economy away from its addiction on defense spending to an economy based on ecological health, justice and sustainability. They represent a beginning. Yet the most important innovation must be organizing and increasing the consciousness of our communities about the opportunities to make more basic changes as we face an uncertain future. Carl Anthony is the Director of the Urban Habitat Program and President of the Earth Island Institute. He has been appointed by Congressman Dellums to Chair the East Bay Conver- sion and Reinvestment Commission. Race, Poverty & the Environment Spring - Summer 1994 Page 45

Military Conversion Resources

WEST COAST Peace Studies Center Southwest Network for MIDWEST Arms Control Research Center 2226 View Economic & Environmental Federation for Industrial 833 Market St., Ste. 1107 Mountain View, CA 94041 Justice Retention and Renewal San Francisco, CA 94103 415-969-1545 21 1 10th St., SW 3411 W. Diversey Ave. #lo, 415-495-1786 Albuquerque, NM 87 102 Chicago. IL 60647 505- 247-8832 3 12-25217676 Peace Action of Washington Asian Immigrant 5516 Roosevelt Way Tusconians for a Clean Workers Advocates N.E. Seattle, WA 98 105 Indigenous Environmental Environment (TCE) Network 310 8th Street, #310 206-527-8050 Oakland, CA 94607 5009 S. 12th Ave. PO Box 485 San Diego Economic Tuscon, AZ 85706 Bemidji MN 56601 Conversion Council 602-294-0411 Asian Pacific 405 W. Washington Ste. 143 Int'l Brotherhood of United Indian Nations Environmental Network San Diego, CA 92103 Electrical Workers 1320 Webster St. 1221 Preservation Parkway 619-298-8878 P.O. Box 552 Oakland, CA 94612 Oakland, CA 94612 Willernie, MN 55090 5 10-834-8920 Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition 5 10-763-3410 61 2-426-4316 and UPSIZE CA Network for 760 N. First St. SOUTH Minnesota Jobs with Peace a New Economy San Jose, CA 95 112 Carolina Alliance for Fair Campaign 1308 Mariposa St. 408-287-6707 Employment of WW, Inc. 1929 S 5th St. San Francisco, CA 94107 1 Chick Springs Rd. Ste. 110-B, Minneapolis, MN 55454 415-826-5030 Social Economic Greenville, SC 29609 612-338-7955 Environmental Justice 803-723-4436 Career Pro Advocates St. Louis Economic 425 Market St. 2nd Flr. 137 1 Palou Ave. Citizens for Conversion Project San Francisco, CA 94105 San Francisco, CA 94124 Environmental Justice 438 N. Skinker Blvd. 415-904-7755 415-822-7124 PO Box 184 St. Louis, MO 63130 Savannah, GA 31401 3 14-726-6406 Center for Economic Tri Valley Cares 912-236-9870 Conversion 5720 East Ave. Sustainable Economic 222 View St. Livermore, CA 94550 Deep South Center for Development Mountain View, CA 94104 510-443-7148 Environmental Justice 1723 6th St. S. 415-968-8798 Xavier University S. Fargo, ND 58103 SOUTHWEST 7440 Stoelitz St., LaborlComrnunity Citizen Alert New Orleans, LA 70125 Strategy Center P.O. Box 1681 504- 488-3075 NORTHEAST 3780 Wilshire Blvd. Ste. 1200 Las Vegas, NV 89125 A Call to Action Los Angeles, CA 90010 702-795-5662 Gulf Coast Tenant Leadership 186 Hampshire St. 213-387-2800 Project Cambridge, MA 02139 Rio Arriba Conversion 1866 N. Gayoso St. 6 17-547-4474 Marin Legal Aid Alternatives Strategies, & New Orleans, LA 70119 30 N. san Pedro Rd. Education 504-949-4919 Community Coalition for San Rafael, CA 94903 P.O. Box 3933 Economic Conversion 4 15-492-0230 Fairview, NM 87533 Military Facilities Corp. P.O. Box 1093 505-753-3867 601 Madison St. Norwich, CT 06360 Military Toxics Project Alexandria, VA 22314 203-889-5337 3384 26th St. Rocky Flats Local Impacts 703-684-4654 Connecticut Peace Action San Francisco, CA 941 10 Initiative 55 Van Dyke Ave. 415-641-0356 5460 Ward Rd. Ste. 205 Southern Organizing Comm. Hartford CT 06106 Arvada, CO 80002 for Economic & Social Justice 203-522-7661 The New Bayview Committee 303-940-6090 P.O. Box 10518 4909 Third St. Atlanta, GA 30310 Maine Economic San Francitco, CA 94124 Rural Alliance for Military 404-243-5229 Conversion Project 415-467-0535 Accountability1 P.O. Box 676 New Mexico Alliance Portland, ME 04104 P.O. Box 855 207-78 1-3947 Questa, NM 87556 505-586-1241 Paoe 46 Race. Povertv & the Environment

MA Peace Action International Association of Philadelphia Peace Campaign Dennis, Matthew. Cultivating a 11 Garden St. Machinistes 227 Summit Ave. Landscape of Peace, Iroquois- Cambridge MA 02138 9000 Machinist Place Jenkintown, PA 19046 European Encounters in the 703-354-2169 Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 215-884-3829 Seventeenth Century, Cornell 301 -967-4704 University Press, Ithaca & Mass. Working Group on Physicians for Social Responsi- London, 1993 Economic Conversion, Long Island Economic bility 11 Rambler Rd. Conversion Task Force 1000 16th St. NW Echo-Hawk, Roger C., and Jamaica Plain MA 021 30 38 Old Country Rd. Washington, DC 20036 Walter R. Echo-Hawk. Battle- 617-524-8185 Garden City, NY 11530 202-898-0150 fields and Burial Grounds, 516-741-4360 Lerner Publications Co., Maine Economic Project on Demilitarization and Minneapolis, 1994 Conversion Project, National Commission for Democracy P.O. Box 676 Economic Conversion 1601 Connecticut Ave. NW, Fox, Matthew. The Reinvention Portland, ME 04104 and Disarmament Washington, DC 20009 of Work, A New Vision of 202-781-3947 1828 Jefferson Place NW 202-319 -7190 Livelihood for Our Time, Harper Washington DC 20036 Books, San Francisco, 1994 WE-CAN 202-728-0815 Project on Regional Industrial 63 Taylor St. Economy, Rutgers University Friedmann, John. Planning In Holyoke MA 01040 Nat'l Congress for Community Lucy Stone Hall, B119 The Public Domain, From 413-533-5131 Economic Development New Brunswick, NJ 08903 Knowledge To Action, Princeton 1875 Connecticut Ave. NW, 908-932-4587 University Press, Princeton, 1987 EAST COAST Washington, DC 20009 AFL-CIO, Industrial Union 202-234-5009 Glendenning, Chellis. My Name Department, United Methodist Board of is Chellis & I'm in Recovery 815 16th St. N.W. Rrn. 301, National Council for Urban Church and Society from Western Civilization, Washington, DC 20006 Economic Development 100 Maryland Ave., NE Shambala Books, Boston & 202-842-7842 1730 K St., NW,, # 915 Washington, DC 20002 London, 1994 Washington, DC 20006 202-488-5645 Americans for Democratic 202-223-4735 Johnson, Marilynn S. The Action Workplace Economic Conver- Second Gold Rush: Oakland and 1625 K St. NW Ste. 210 NETWORK: National Catholic sion Action Network the East Bay in World War 11. Washington, DC 20006 Social Justice Lobby 1775 K St., Ste. 630 University of California Press, 202-785-5980 806 Rhode Island, N.E. Washington DC 20006 Berkeley, 1993 Washington, DC 2001 202-833-7915 Business Executives for 202-526-4070 Lotchin, Roger W. Fortress National Security BOOKS California 1910-1961: From 1615 L St. NW, Ste. 330 Peace Action Bischak, Gregory, and Cassidy, Walfare to Welfare. Oxford Washington, DC 20004 1819 H St. NW,#640 Kevin, eds. Real Security: University Press. 1992 202-296-2125 Washington, DC 20006 Converting the Defense Economy 202-862-9740 and Building Peace, SUNY Markusen, Anne, and Joel Center for Economic University Press, 1993 Yudken. Dismantling the Cold Organization Peace Action of Delaware War Economy, Harper Collins, 1522 K St. #406 Valley Bloom, Saul, John M. Miller, New York, 1992 Washington DC 20005 6355 Lancaster Ave., A-10, PhillipaWinkler, and Ross 202-775-9072 Philadelphia, PA 19151 Mirakarimi. Hidden Casualties, Peters, Nancy, ed., War After 215-387-5773 Environmental, Health and War, City Lights Books, San Economists AUied for Political Consequences of the Francisco, 1992 Arms Reduction Peace Economy Campaign Persian Gulf War. North 70 W. St. 1819 H St. NW Atlantic Books. Berkeley, 1994. Shor, Juliet. The Overworked NY, NY 10018 Washington, DC 20006 American, Harper-Collins, New 2 12-768-2080 202-862-9740 Bullard, Robert, ed. Unequal York, 1991 Protection: Environmental Economic Working Group Pennsylvania Jobs With Peace Justice & Communities of Color, Shuman, Michael, and Julia 3407 34th Place NW 321 Willings Alley Sierra Club Books, San Sweig, . Technology for the Washington, DC 2001 6 Philadelphia, PA 19106 Francisco, 1994 Common Good, Institute for 202-244-8566 215-925-5667 Policy Studies, Washington, 1993

Grassroots Policy Project Philadelphia Jobs With Peace 1875 Connecticut Ave. NW#7 10 1809 Spring Gardens St. Washington, DC 20009 Philadelphia, PA 19 106 202-387-2933 215-751-9933. Race. Povertv & the Environment S~rina- Summer 1994 Paae 43

ing principle besides national military Naval Magazine where over 300 men being spent to encourage the transfer of defense; and 2) to develop the leadership died and 390 were wounded in the technologies into the commercial to forge the way. Clearly, there is a real deadliest domestic disaster of World marketplace via private firms. This has need to rethink the objectives of conver- War I1 which accounted for 15 percent resulted in new patterns of public sion in terms of the real social, eco- of all African American deaths in the subsidies directed toward private com- nomic, and environmental factors that Navy during World War JI. Two mercial activities. Ordinary people are continue to shape our institutions, hundred and fifty African American left shaking their heads, wondering when economic life, and the dynamics of our sailors refused to return to the unsafe the peace dividend will reach them. communities in the long-term. There is a real need to recognize that In an effort to find this vision and the With this history in mind, conversion applies not only to facilities steps necessary to achieve it, we start and economic activities, but also to first with history. A critical view of our we see differently, the immi- making systemic changes in how our development as a nation and as commu- grant peoples who now institutions function. nities, shows us how our livelihoods and carve out a life in the very These histories are at the core of lifestyles are related to the well-estab- conversion and are the starting point for lished economic and political context country that supported the any shared strategy or agenda for defined by national defense and militari- militarization and conflict in conversion. Within these stories, we find zation. In order to create new directions, their home countries. that issues of race and class are common we need to know where we came from. denominators, not only as unifying We must also understand the long- themes but also as reasons for policies standing relationship between the and programs that have created the military and our low-income, working working conditions; 50 were charged economic, political and social dislocation class and communities of color if we are with mutiny and found guilty by a court- in our communities today. We argue that to design conversion agendas which martial conducted by white officers. there must be an honest acknowledgment indeed revitalize our communities. We Though the Defense Department has of these histories in order to understand should know about the hypocritical legal come to recognize over 50 years the any of the issues in our communities and doctrines that rationalized theft of Indian racist injustice, the court-martial and the to establish any agenda for conversion lands east of the Mississippi, doctrines convinctions continue to stand. and social change that will address these which emerged in the peace time We must recognize that the Western issues. Beyond a common conversion conversion program after the American Addition neighborhood in San Francisco framework and agenda, we also need the Revolutionary War. We should know is rich in Japanese-American as well as leadership to move us in the right about the decade long resistance of the African-American history, because of direction. Seminole people against military the forced military evacuation of the It is clear that new leaders and new aggressors from the North, and the Trail Japanese from the West Coast in World styles of leadership will be necessary to of Tears which followed the uprooting of War I1 and the migration of Blacks from take this conversion movement down a the Cherokee people from Georgia and the South to help in the war effort. We path toward equity, justice, security, and Tennessee. We should remember that the should remember the inevitable personal long-term sustainability. While this new conversion of the U.S. economy after the conflict of the men and women of color leadership will have had less direct Mexican American War not only robbed who fought in American wars while experience with the military, they will be the Chicano and indigenous people of their families were segregated into steeped in the violence and conflict of land and water rights in the Southwest, it separate schools, buses, and concentra- many of our cities. These leaders will also paved the way for the sectional tion camps. With this history in mind, have been born too late to remember the dispute between the North and South we see differently the immigrant peoples Vietnam War but will remember vividly over the future of slavery in the United who now carve out a life in the very the conditions of war in the streets of Los states. We should remember the eco- country that supported the militarization Angeles and in New York City where nomic conversion program, called and conflict in their home countries. armed forces decorated in blue and other "reconstruction," after the Civil War, and We should remember that many of colors of gangs take up military tactics to the legacy of this conversion on African the economic and political structures gain respect and order. They will know and Native Americans in the South and directing the conversion debate involve that more young black males lose their West. We should acknowledge the the entities which are the cause of the lives nationwide to homicide every year paradoxes and contributions of the problems we are trying to address. than they did during the entire Vietnam Buffalo Soldiers, as well as the Spanish Corporate interests who benefited from conflict. There will be those who will and Mexican troops who were stationed wartime production during World War look back and recall having to stay at at the Presidio in San Francisco. I1 continue to reap the benefits of public home from school because of ethnic We must also remember and under- federal contracts to clean-up the military conflict and fear of guns or remember stand the events surrounding the explo- facilities that they helped to develop. how much easier it was to buy guns, sions on Suisun Bay at Port Chicago Billions of federal conversion dollars are drugs and liquor on the comers in our Sorino - Summer 1994 Race. Povertv & the Environment

neighborhoods that should instead be Latinornative communities in Livermore, terms of the conversion debate. occupied by grocery stores or health California and Los Alamos, New Mexico. There are, and will be, many other clinics. We think they'll be well pre- A recently published Urban Habitat stories to tell. The unfolding events in pared. Working Paper establishes a regional the Caribbean and Africa illustrate the Compiling the articles for this issue of approach to assessing the impacts of role of post-cold war militarization. Race, Poverty and the Environment military base closure and conversion on The lessons of Port Chicago have gone reconfirmed that there is a wealth of the "flatland" neighborhoods that border unlearned as the Navy and the Defense vision and leadership existing within our San Francisco Bay. The commonalities Department continue to operate under own communities. There were moments among base communities are also their own set of codes that discriminate of simultaneous feelings of outrage, reflected in Jo Anne Wilkerson's article against gays and fail to deal with sex- solidarity, and hope when we found on the environmental justice and conver- related scandals. The defense conver- stories of people of color in this country sion struggle in Louisiana. Lauren sion underway in local communities as well as around the world, who are Hallinan's article presents public policy will illustrate, we hope, social change forced to serve in military conflict, and legislative interventions that translate and revitalization against the backdrop subjugate their local culture to that of a conversion opportunities into mechanisms of one of the oldest and entrenched foreign military, and abandon their for capacity building within low-income institutions in the nation. homelands. The articles that we've communities. In an excerpt from Disman- We hope that this issue of RPE included describe the relationship tling the Cold War Economy, Anne captures the stories and struggles of between our communities and the Markusen and Joel Yudken propose communities as they continue their military and defense-related activities strategies for extracting our industrial fight for survival and self-determination which have shaped the human and on this new front. Without the deliber- physical dimensions of these communi- ate articulation of these perspectives, ties. There are, and will be, economic conversion strategies will fail The articles set a context for conver- many other stories to tell. to address the deep structural issues sion and provide us with approaches and which have divided our communities by The unfolding events in the models. At the core of any discussions of class and by race. Along with many of land, communities, and conversion, are Caribbean and Africa illus- our allies in the environment, peace, the stories of the indigenous peoples. trate the role of post-cold war and social justice movements, we Bernie Whitebear and Roy Takumi raise recognize the conversion movement as militarization. critical issues of indigenous peoples and to address these issues and develop their relationship with federal property, strategies for restoring our communities their ongoing struggle for self-determi- and our environment. nation and land rights. An article by base from the Defense Department toward Special thanks must be directed to Congressman Ron Dellums sets a post- a more sustainable future. participants in the Presidio Community Cold War context for community Taken together, these articles present Consultation Initiative, our collabora- revitalization by illustrating the relation- strong arguments for using conversion tors on the Bay Area Base Conversion ship of militarism and political, eco- efforts to further the principles established Project (Center for Economic Conver- nomic and social movements. by the environmental justice movement. sion and the Arms Control Research Several of these articles address the The clean-up of military facilities -- many ,Project) and the National Economic impact of our U.S. military forces of which are industrial facilities located in ConversionAlliance.Thanks too, to the abroad, illustrating the long reach of U.S. neighborhoods that are primarily low- staffs of the East Bay Conversion and military and cultural influence. Birgit income communities of color -- is an Reinvestment Commission, Office of Neuer, a researcher with the University important first step to addressing the long- Representative Ron Dellums, and the of Freiburg, worked with UHP for six neglected public health issues caused by Urban Habitat Program, as well as months and provides the European unremediated toxics in these neighbor- Nereo Loresto, a student at Sonoma perspective of the U.S. military in hoods. The conversion of our military- State University, working with UHP Germany following World War 11. dependent industries provides additional this summer as a Irvine Foundation1 Suzuyo Takazato gives us a native opportunities to create jobs for the under SEAC fellow. Okinawan perspective. Winona LaDuke and unemployed, ensuring that workers provides a Native American feminist have safe and democratic workplaces and -- Martha Matsuoka perspective of militarization and the secure and well-paying jobs. Because of environment. the challenges faced by our communities Martha Matsuoka is the Director of Struggles by communities living in of color, indigenous leadership has two the Urban Habitat Program's Eco- the shadow of national laboratories are primary responsibilities: 1) to utilize the nomic Conversion Project. described in articles by Marylia Kelley resources and opportunities presented by and Juan Montes, showing the relation- conversion to meet some critical needs in ship between the working class and , our communities; and 2) to define the Page 48 Spring - Summer 1994 Race, Poverty & the Environment

fuel rods from the Port through the community, and promoting a less expensive routing for the rebuilding of the Cypress freeway that would not take homes and businesses and further endanger the health of nearby residents. His dream was for quality of life in all commu- nities no matter what the race or economic standing of the people. He planted many seeds for sustainable economic development which his friends and neighbors plan to bring to fruition. Regionally, Chappell led the effort to change Oakland's election date which brought opportunity for new leadership to the City Council. As Vice President of GeoNodes, Inc., a political consulting firm, he managed and advised successful campaigns for progressive candi- dates. He fought against badly conceived development projects including the INS Detention Center in West Oakland. As the first African-American on the Executive Committee of the Sierra Club Bay Chapter, he promoted a CHAPPELL holistic view of the environment which included urban health and poverty issues. ROLAND HAYES Chappell's outreaching warmth, his smile, deep August 5,1948 - January 24,1994 resonating voice, and love of all people will be sorely missed. His roots were also Native American (Choctaw, As a West Oakland resident and fourth generation Cherokee and Tarheel) from which he drew great spiritual wood craftsman, Chappell took responsibility for and environmental understanding. He launched his 12 year training and providing jobs for youth through a non- old daughter, Sele Nadel-Hayes, to be disciplined and profit organization he founded, called the Dowelling proud. He inspired his wife to reach farther than she ever Jig. Other efforts in West Oakland included assuring dreamed she could. Chappell's soaring spirit will lead funds were designated for curbs and sidewalks, many to continue their work for social and environmental stopping the shipment of radioactive nuclear spent justice.

Race, Poverty & the Environment Nonprofit Organization C/O Earth Island Institute US Postage 300 Broadway, Suite 28 San Francisco, CA 94133 -3312 Permit No. 1414 1 San Francisco, CA Address Correction Requested

RPE is a joint project of California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation and Earth lsland Institute's Urban Habitat Program. Race, Poverty & the Environment Spring - Summer 1994 Page 47 URBAN HABITAT CRLA Update: Update: Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment Community-Based In the past six months, CRPE has kept busy providing direct legal and technical assistance to low-income Transportation Planning communities fighting environmental hazards in Califor- UHP's extensive work this past year on economic conver- nia and providing training and consultation to legal sion is well-documented in this special issue. Our Social and services and other attorneys throughout the country. Ecological Justice Transportation Project is making strides as In Buttonwillow, California, a Latino farmworker well. We spent the past year working with community activists community is fighting expansion of a toxic waste dump. in the Bayview Hunters Point area of San Francisco to design a Padres Hacia Una Vida Mejor (Parents for Better transit proposal that would serve the community, maximize Living), working with CRPE, generated more than 200 joblincome opportunities, provide transportation, promote letters of comment on the dump's Environmental Impact energy efficiency, protect the environment, and be feasible Report (EIR). This is the largest number of comments enough to be accepted by city authorities. ever received by the local Kern County agency and all The Bayview Hunters Point Social and Ecological Justice were in Spanish. Padres continues to push for the right to Transportation Plan was finished a few months ago. It is a full inclusion, building on the successful model of proposal for light rail, employing low floor vehicles, stations Kettleman City, just an hour up the road. Padres recently every 2-3 blocks, connected to future subway extensions and succeeded in convincing the Local Assessment Comrnit- other existing transit. It carries with it an economic develop- tee to defy the Board of Supervisors and vote to translate ment strategy for the area. One component of the plan is to the EIR into Spanish. relocate the Metro East Rail Yard facility to the abandoned In Salinas, activity is also heating up. The state toxics Ship Yard at Hunters Point, increasing job opportunities for department recently issued a pennit for a toxic waste this low-income, community of color. recycling facility just one block from a farmworker The transit alternative designed by the community has housing complex, over strong local protest. CRPE already won acceptance from city and regional transit officials. provided technical and legal expertise to the group - It has also achieved national recognition as a model of bottom- Residents of Sanborn Court - and will assist in the up transit planning that includes economic development and group's appeal of the permit. In July, our long-running land use issues. EPA and the Surface Transportation Policy struggle on behalf of Concerned Citizens of Malaga won Project chose it as one the first case studies in its "Mobility a victory when a Superior Court Judge ruled that a local Partners Program." In the coming two years, UHP will con- auto speedway complex could not be built next to the tinue to work with the community to win implementation of the farmworker community of Malagawithout an EIR. plan. We can be reached at our new ofice at 631 Howard To order a copy of the BVHP Transportation Study, send Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, CA 94105. $12 to UHP, Earth Island, 300 Broadway, Suite 28, San 41 5/777-2752. Frqncisco, CA 94133. ~-~------IIIIIILIIIIIIIIIIIII 1 I ARE 0 A =U6SCRI6ERW I Individual sub at $15 for 4 issues Organizational sub at $30 for 4 issues Under-funded community group free (write us a request) Please send me a list of other Urban Habitat and CRLA publications Please make your check payable to Earth Island/RPE and send to: Earth IslandIRPE 300 Broadway, Suite 28 San Francisco, CA 94133 I Name I ( Organization I I Address 1 I I I CityIStatelZip I 1 Telephone 1 I I