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The Newest Environmental Justice Threat: Proposition 54

By Kafi Watlington-MacLeod

On October 7, 2003, Californians will go to the polls to participate in a critical election. The election is not just about the Gubernatorial Recall; unbeknownst to many Californians they will also be voting on a dangerous initiative that could have devastating impacts on the environment and our health – Proposition 54.

Entitled, "The Classification by Race, Ethnicity, Color, and National Origin Initiative," Proposition 54 is a radical ballot measure that was introduced by Ward Connerly, past chairman of the Proposition 209 campaign and Governor Pete Wilson's appointee to the UC Regents. This initiative was originally scheduled for the March 2004 ballot, but because of the special statewide Recall, will be included on the October 7, 2003 ballot.

Although proponents of Proposition 54, claim that the initiative furthers “racial privacy” and a “colorblind society,” it actually impedes the ability to identify, study, and remedy discrimination. Proposition 54 would ban race as a factor in the pursuit of research and a healthy environment. If passed, it would prevent the State of California and local governments from collecting and maintaining any data on race and ethnicity. Without this data, advocates, environmental organizations, grassroots communities, and local and state agencies, would be limited in addressing disparities in environmental hazards exposure by race and ethnicity.

Through years of work by the environmental justice community and the use of public health studies and academic research, we know that environmental health hazards, such as disposal facilities and waste treatment centers, are disproportionately concentrated in communities of color. If Proposition 54 passes, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, for example, could be prohibited from gathering data about the public health impacts of stationary sources on communities of color and requiring permitting to address these impacts.

As the truth behind Proposition 54 is learned, likely voters increasingly disapprove of the measure. According to the Field Poll released on August 19, 2003, 46 percent of likely voters favor Proposition 54, 35 percent oppose the proposition, and 19 percent are undecided. The previous Field Poll taken in July 2003 found that the proposition had the support of 50% of likely voters.

LALCV recently voted to oppose Proposition 54, joining civil rights organizations, public health agencies, social justice advocates, Los Angeles City Council members, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and Mayor James Hahn in opposing the measure. It is crucial that environmentalists further environmental justice and protect pubic health by opposing Proposition 54 and educating the public about the measure before the October 7th election.

For more information about Proposition, 54, contact the author at info@lalcv.org