Cross-Media & Inter-Government Coordination Activities

Los Angeles Environmental Coordinated Enforcement Collaborative

Cal/EPA (the Cal/EPA EJ Program, the Air Resources Board (ARB), the Department of Toxic Substances Control Board (DTSC), and Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Board (Waterboards)) is working in collaboration with the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and local City government and community organizations. Cal/EPA is working in this multi-agency effort to utilize limited resources in an effective way to focus on addressing environmental justice issues and concerns in the Maywood and Wilmington area.

The densely populated communities of Maywood and Wilmington are close to the I-710 freeway in Los Angeles County where there are community concerns about the pollution impacts associated from living close to goods movement and industrial activity areas. In a multi-year effort, a unique collaboration of federal, state, and local governments and nonprofit community organizations are working together in a smart way to improve the environmental and public health conditions for residents along this corridor - through coordination of effort and resources.

Collaborative Partners

• California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA)
• Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC)
• Air Resources Board (ARB)
• Los Angeles Environmental Justice Network
• Los Angeles County Local Enforcement Agency
• Padres Unidos de Maywood (PUMA)
• Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (Waterboards)
• South Coast Air Quality Management District (SC AQMD)
• US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)

Other community and agency partnerships will be formed during the 3-year span of this effort.

Collaborative Goals & Strategies

Goals

• Partner with community leaders to identify pollution sources, “ground-truth” agency data sources, and develop plans for immediate action;
• Improve compliance with environmental laws by targeting inspections and enforcement at the state, federal, and local levels to address the pollution sources of most concern to communities;
• Build on the existing community partnerships and the targeted enforcement efforts of CalEPA’s DTSC; and
• Sustain multi-year partnerships with communities, offering voluntary programs, tools, capacity-building grant opportunities, educational information, and training.

Strategies

In 2009, we will partner with communities, proactively identify community concerns, and work with partner agencies to identify resources available to address problems. We will also assist partner communities in building capacity through training, grants, voluntary programs, and technical assistance.

In 2010 and 2011, the Collaborative will work to replicate this effort in other communities along the corridor. Member agencies will target inspection and enforcement resources in areas of concern to communities. We will also build on DTSC’s successful use of community-led tours and workshops followed by return visits to communities, to report progress and results.

• Collaborative Factsheet (PDF) | Collaborative Factsheet Spanish (PDF)

Upcoming Meetings

Wilmington Workshop
August 19, 2009, 10:30 am to 4:00 pm
Agenda (PDF) | Workshop Flyer (PDF) | Workshop Flyer Spanish (PDF)
John Mendez Memorial Youth Center
707 West “C” Street, Wilmington, CA 90744

Maywood Workshop
August 20, 2009, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Agenda (PDF) | Workshop Flyer (PDF) | Workshop Flyer Spanish (PDF)
Maywood City Hall
4319 E. Slauson Ave. Maywood, CA 90270