Warehouse Project Environmental Justice Issue
Developers want to turn 150 acres of grasses, wetlands and stream into 50 football fields worth of warehouses in South Tacoma. The Oakland-Madrona neighborhood is one of the more diverse in Tacoma and already suffers from environmental injustice and shortened lifespans due to pollution. Yet this development would mean an increase in nearly 5000 vehicle trips per weekday, of which 1400 would be large delivery trucks spewing diesel emissions. Part of the land is a Superfund site (highly contaminated) and soil from that will be mixed with soil from a former Superfund site, during which workers will need to stand upwind. But what about all the neighboring houses and businesses that happen to be downwind? The City has made a preliminary determination that this project is "non-significant" - let's change their mind! There will be a public "information session" no earlier than March 31, with public comment continuing for a week after. But we need more than "information" on this project - we need a SAY! Politely email or call Principal Planner Shirley Schultz at shirley.schultz@cityoftacoma.org or 253 345 0879 about this project. |