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Roy Guerrero Colorado River Park
The Austin City Council decided on Thursday, April 20, 2006 to take the Roy Guerrero
Colorado River Park off the list for the placement of the industrial Green Water
Treatment Plant. A formal vote is scheduled to take place on April 27, 2006.
PODER formed a coalition, “Save Guerrero Park” with representatives from SOS
Alliance, Parks Foundation, Friends of the Park, LULAC #650, and Clean Austin
Campaign and Austin Neighborhood Council. The Council members immediately
realized that a mass mobilization in Austin had formed to protect Guerrero Park and
quickly shifted from thinking Guerrero Park was the best location to stating that
Guerrero Park should be removed from the list.
Area residents and members of Concilio quickly started up a petition drive to remove
Roy Guerrero Colorado River Park for the placement of the industrial Green Water
Treatment Plant. El Concilio hosted a community meeting.
PODER thanks all the groups, organizations and individuals and media members who
took a stand to protect the East Austin Roy Guerrero Colorado River Park. Thank you!
Mil Gracias!
Tank Farm Shut Down
For 35 years, the Tank Farm (fuel storage facilities) had emitted toxic chemicals that
caused chronic illnesses for neighborhood residents. Finally in 1993, after more than a
year of addressing the public health impacts and challenging the companies'
environmental practices, the residents and community organizations succeeded in
obtaining an agreement between the county attorney and owners of the "Tank Farm" to
relocate the storage facility. Almanza and Herrera, armed with scientific data and a
mobilized community, successfully led the effort to shut down the 52-acre fuel storage
tank area with three main pipelines owned by 6 major oil companies.
From this effort stemmed other PODER accomplishments including:
Developing a one-page health survey to assess the health problems that area
residents were living with in the Tank Farm area. This one page health survey has
since been shared and used by communities in several states.
Helping the neighborhood fight excessive increases in property taxes resulting
from the closure of the Tank Farm, and pressuring state officials to crack down
on the oil companies that have made minimal progress toward cleaning their
storage tank sites.
Forcing the city in 1998 to down-zone the Tank Farm site from "industrial " to
"community commercial" and neighborhood office" in order to prevent future
industrial-level occupation and development in the area.
Being instrumental in major improvements made on regulations regarding the
storage of underground fuel tanks.
At the state and national level, being actively involved with the Land Use and
Rights Campaign formerly the EPA Accountability Campaign of the Southwest
Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (Southwest Network).
Along with the Southwest Network, PODER has been instrumental in the EPA's
efforts to strengthen its policy for dealing with complaints made pursuant to Title VI
of the Civil Rights Act.
Becoming the eleventh organization in the nation to file a Title VI Civil Rights
Complaint against the local and regional environmental regulatory agencies
including the National Environmental Protection Agency.
PODER's Executive Director, has served on EPA's Title VI Implementation
Advisory Committee.
East Austin Overlay Ordinance
PODER also worked with El Pueblo (a network of East Austin neighborhood groups)
and City of Austin officials to establish an East Austin Overlay Ordinance to protect
East Austin residents from further industrial development threats. The ordinance
requires that neighborhood residents be notified and given an opportunity to voice their
concerns any time an industrial facility seeks to locate or expand its operation in East
Austin.
From this effort stemmed other PODER accomplishments including:
Collaborating with various organizations and neighborhood associations in a
network called "El Pueblo," which was successful in passing the East Austin
Overlay Ordinance
Informing area residents about transportation issues and garnering thousands of
dollars of transportation improvements for East Austin residents.
Working at the state level with the Trans-Texas Alliance, and at the national level
serving on the Advisory Board of the Surface Transportation Policy Project, an
organization working toward transportation reform nationwide.
Conducting a transportation and safety issues campaign that has created bus
shelters, street realignments and sidewalks, along with additional streetlights and
street signs.
Working with members of the community to establish a Bus Riders Union and
mentoring young community leaders through it Young Scholars Program.
In 2000, PODER's college interns and high school students initiated a successful
Juvenile Justice Project.
Recycling Center Relocation
In 1997, PODER also helped relocate the seven-acre Browning Ferris Industries (B.F.I.)
recycling center. The landfill received recyclables from more than 350,000 households;
much of the refuse remained outdoors exposed to the sun where blowing winds would
scatter the litter into neighborhood homes resulting in the infestation of rats. In addition,
the center's glass crushing operation would continue into the late hours keeping
residential neighbors awake late into the night. PODER, mobilized to ensure that the
landfill was moved to a non-residential area so as not to inflict the same problems on
other low-income people.
From this effort stemmed other PODER accomplishments including:
Calling attention to the negative impacts of Browning Ferris Industries (BFI) a
recycling facility located in their neighborhood resulting in the relocation of BFI by
2001.
Assisted the Montopolis Area Neighborhood Improvement Council (MANIC) in their
effort to ensure corporate accountability and successfully obtaining a donation of
$25,000 from Tokyo Electron for the recreation center located in Montopolis.
Obtained legislative appropriation of $10 million dollars to SEMATECH for
research and development of clean and safe manufacturing processes of
microchips.
The Austin City Council decided on Thursday, April 20, 2006 to take the Roy Guerrero
Colorado River Park off the list for the placement of the industrial Green Water
Treatment Plant. A formal vote is scheduled to take place on April 27, 2006.
PODER formed a coalition, “Save Guerrero Park” with representatives from SOS
Alliance, Parks Foundation, Friends of the Park, LULAC #650, and Clean Austin
Campaign and Austin Neighborhood Council. The Council members immediately
realized that a mass mobilization in Austin had formed to protect Guerrero Park and
quickly shifted from thinking Guerrero Park was the best location to stating that
Guerrero Park should be removed from the list.
Area residents and members of Concilio quickly started up a petition drive to remove
Roy Guerrero Colorado River Park for the placement of the industrial Green Water
Treatment Plant. El Concilio hosted a community meeting.
PODER thanks all the groups, organizations and individuals and media members who
took a stand to protect the East Austin Roy Guerrero Colorado River Park. Thank you!
Mil Gracias!
Tank Farm Shut Down
For 35 years, the Tank Farm (fuel storage facilities) had emitted toxic chemicals that
caused chronic illnesses for neighborhood residents. Finally in 1993, after more than a
year of addressing the public health impacts and challenging the companies'
environmental practices, the residents and community organizations succeeded in
obtaining an agreement between the county attorney and owners of the "Tank Farm" to
relocate the storage facility. Almanza and Herrera, armed with scientific data and a
mobilized community, successfully led the effort to shut down the 52-acre fuel storage
tank area with three main pipelines owned by 6 major oil companies.
From this effort stemmed other PODER accomplishments including:
Developing a one-page health survey to assess the health problems that area
residents were living with in the Tank Farm area. This one page health survey has
since been shared and used by communities in several states.
Helping the neighborhood fight excessive increases in property taxes resulting
from the closure of the Tank Farm, and pressuring state officials to crack down
on the oil companies that have made minimal progress toward cleaning their
storage tank sites.
Forcing the city in 1998 to down-zone the Tank Farm site from "industrial " to
"community commercial" and neighborhood office" in order to prevent future
industrial-level occupation and development in the area.
Being instrumental in major improvements made on regulations regarding the
storage of underground fuel tanks.
At the state and national level, being actively involved with the Land Use and
Rights Campaign formerly the EPA Accountability Campaign of the Southwest
Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (Southwest Network).
Along with the Southwest Network, PODER has been instrumental in the EPA's
efforts to strengthen its policy for dealing with complaints made pursuant to Title VI
of the Civil Rights Act.
Becoming the eleventh organization in the nation to file a Title VI Civil Rights
Complaint against the local and regional environmental regulatory agencies
including the National Environmental Protection Agency.
PODER's Executive Director, has served on EPA's Title VI Implementation
Advisory Committee.
East Austin Overlay Ordinance
PODER also worked with El Pueblo (a network of East Austin neighborhood groups)
and City of Austin officials to establish an East Austin Overlay Ordinance to protect
East Austin residents from further industrial development threats. The ordinance
requires that neighborhood residents be notified and given an opportunity to voice their
concerns any time an industrial facility seeks to locate or expand its operation in East
Austin.
From this effort stemmed other PODER accomplishments including:
Collaborating with various organizations and neighborhood associations in a
network called "El Pueblo," which was successful in passing the East Austin
Overlay Ordinance
Informing area residents about transportation issues and garnering thousands of
dollars of transportation improvements for East Austin residents.
Working at the state level with the Trans-Texas Alliance, and at the national level
serving on the Advisory Board of the Surface Transportation Policy Project, an
organization working toward transportation reform nationwide.
Conducting a transportation and safety issues campaign that has created bus
shelters, street realignments and sidewalks, along with additional streetlights and
street signs.
Working with members of the community to establish a Bus Riders Union and
mentoring young community leaders through it Young Scholars Program.
In 2000, PODER's college interns and high school students initiated a successful
Juvenile Justice Project.
Recycling Center Relocation
In 1997, PODER also helped relocate the seven-acre Browning Ferris Industries (B.F.I.)
recycling center. The landfill received recyclables from more than 350,000 households;
much of the refuse remained outdoors exposed to the sun where blowing winds would
scatter the litter into neighborhood homes resulting in the infestation of rats. In addition,
the center's glass crushing operation would continue into the late hours keeping
residential neighbors awake late into the night. PODER, mobilized to ensure that the
landfill was moved to a non-residential area so as not to inflict the same problems on
other low-income people.
From this effort stemmed other PODER accomplishments including:
Calling attention to the negative impacts of Browning Ferris Industries (BFI) a
recycling facility located in their neighborhood resulting in the relocation of BFI by
2001.
Assisted the Montopolis Area Neighborhood Improvement Council (MANIC) in their
effort to ensure corporate accountability and successfully obtaining a donation of
$25,000 from Tokyo Electron for the recreation center located in Montopolis.
Obtained legislative appropriation of $10 million dollars to SEMATECH for
research and development of clean and safe manufacturing processes of
microchips.
| Victory - Holly Power Plant CLOSED!! As a member of the Holly Power Plant Closure Committee PODER has worked with the community to shut down the Holly Power Plant (HPP). PODER has conducted two separate Health Surveys, filed a Title VI Civil Rights Complaint and challenged the State Health Department, County Health Department and the City of Austin to protect the East Austin community by closing down the HPP. PODER participated in numerous community and inter-agency meetings and gave a series of Toxic Tour guides to local and state residents and international guest. The HPP has noise levels that exceed the Housing, Urban, and Development (HUD) federal standards for residential areas, and elevated EMF (electro magnetic fields). The HPP is also the largest stationary source of nitrogen oxide which contributes to ozone. Several fires at the site have raised additional public health and safety concerns. After continuous evidence that the Holly Power Plant was impacting the health and the environment of the surrounding community, the City of Austin is closing the Holly Power Plant on September 30, 2007. A victory closure celebration will be held at the Holly Power Plant site on Monday, October 1, 2007. |