Colorado needs to defend vulnerable populations from pollution

As we already know, Latinos, Blacks and indigenous communities are disproportionately impacted by pollution, but it never hurts to repeat this fact due to the lack of inaction by local, state and federal governments. Environmental government agencies should begin to do their job and protect public health instead of allowing corporation polluters to continue emitting unknown toxic chemicals and its quantities regardless of the damage it’s causing to surrounding communities that tend to be BIPOC communities and low income.

Last week a shocking article was published by The Colorado Sun with a title “Colorado air pollution control managers ordered staff to falsify data and approve permits ‘at all costs’ whistleblowers say.” After reading the articles, I could only think about local injustices, such as the Bella Romero Academy parents in Greeley that have been fighting for their children’s safety. When asking why these oil wells were placed near a predominately Latino school instead of White school there’s no other response than environmental racism and environmental injustice.

Colorado urgently needs to define environmental justice in order for governmental agencies to protect vulnerable communities and put real protections and policies like air monitoring in place and this can be done with House Bill 21-1266 — Environmental Justice Disproportionate Impacted Community Bill. Communities like mine are often forgotten when it comes to asking for justice, and it’s time that ever yone — regardless of race, ethnicity, language, income, or other factors — has the right to live, learn, work, and play in a clean, safe, and healthy environment.