TABLE 3.

Selected Environmental Justice Policy Results by Topic, 2003–2010

Legislation, Regulation, or Policy	Primary Allies or Opponents	Achieved or Proposed Environmental Justice Outcomes
Housing
Regulation and precedent-setting law suits to remediate slum housing: reduce vermin; reduce water leaks. Implemented 2008.	Asthma coalition and partners City attorney's office Residents Statewide association of local volunteer housing inspectors	Improves standards for landlords of low-income housing. Reduces asthma risk factors for low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
Coordination across housing inspectors statewide to reduce environmental asthma risk factors. In process since 2007.
Schools
Prohibit schools from being built within 500 ft of a freeway, unless pollution is mitigated or there are no other options for siting. Enacted 2003.	Schools Residents Asthma coalitions Environmental scientists	Reduces emission exposures for school-aged children in communities near freeways, primarily low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
Increase awareness of air quality status and safe levels of activity for individuals with asthma, via expansion of school “asthma flags” programs, Implemented at over 130 campuses, 2004.	School administrators Teachers Asthma coalitions	Educates teachers, students, and school personnel about air quality. Enables teachers to modify activity programs for vulnerable students on high pollution days.
Strengthen legislation prohibiting siting schools near freeways. Vetoed 2004.	Environmental scientists Community activists Environmental justice organizations	Would have reduced exposure to diesel exhaust for school-aged children, primarily in low-income communities.
Establish funding for school facility repairs. Enacted 2006.	Asthma coalitions School districts	Enables repair of ventilation systems and water leaks. Reduces asthma risk factors.
School district level procedures to reduce environmental asthma triggers (Solano County). Implemented 2008.	Teachers Union representatives Custodial workers	Improves ventilation; reduces moisture, pet dander, and food exposures in classrooms.
Require environmentally sensitive cleaning materials and products in schools. Vetoed 2008.	Green Schools Alliance Asthma coalitions	Would have reduced toxic cleaning products in schools.
Strengthen laws to prevent school construction close to freeways. Vetoed 2008.	Construction industry Some school districts	Would have reduced pollution near schools.
Prohibit freeway expansion within one quarter mile of school boundaries. Vetoed 2008.
Improve indoor air quality in schools. Failed 2010.	Asthma coalitions	Would have reduced indoor air pollution in schools.
Outdoor Air Quality
State law regulates idling time for school buses near schools and diesel trucks near ports. Enacted 2004.	Schools Residents Environmental justice organizations Asthma coalitions Environmental scientists Residents Asthma coalitions Asthma coalitions Environmental scientists	Reduces diesel emissions from school busses and idling trucks near ports. Ports tend to be located in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
Replace diesel school buses with cleaner burning models. Enacted 2004.		Reduces student exposure to diesel exhaust pollution.
Remove exemption of farm equipment from pollution regulation. Enacted 2004.		Reduced diesel exposures in agricultural areas and the Central Valley, which has high asthma prevalence among low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
Set pollution standards for Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. Vetoed 2005.		Would have set pollution standards for the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, reducing toxics exposures in nearby low-income communities.
Set standards for greenhouse gases in State to reduce global warming. Enacted 2006.	Asthma coalitions Environmental justice organizations Environmental scientists Environmental lobbyists	Regulates greenhouse gasses produced in the State. Encourages green industries by regulating greenhouse gasses. Could reduce toxics in communities.
This law was unsuccessfully challenged on the 2010 California ballot.
Establish pesticide buffer zones near schools. Vetoed 2006.	Low-income neighborhoods Communities of color Environmental justice organizations Asthma coalitions Environmental scientists	Would have reduced exposures of school-aged children to pesticides. Would have primarily affected low-income neighborhoods and communities of color in the Central Valley.
Establish user fees for containers in ports. Vetoed 2006.	Low-income neighborhoods Communities of color Environmental justice organizations Asthma coalitions Environmental scientists Physicians for Social Responsibility	Would have funded reductions in port pollution through container fees. Would have reduced toxics in port communities.
Propose changes to Central Valley Air District Board membership. Vetoed 2006.	Agribusiness Industry	Would have increased community and scientific membership on regulatory Board.
Establish community and scientific membership on Central Valley Air District Board. Enacted, 2007.	Low-income neighborhoods Communities of color Asthma coalitions Environmental justice organizations Environmental scientists	Creates membership for residents and scientists on Regulatory Board.
Require for assessment of land use and transportation planning related to pollution, Vetoed 2007.		Low-income neighborhoods and communities are most severely affected by freight movement and the location of freeways.
Federal ruling upholds California's authority to establish greenhouse gas emission standards for vehicles. Implemented 2007.	National and state environmental advocates Communities Auto industry Auto manufacturers	Enables State to set vehicle pollution standards that are higher than national standards. Reduces toxics in State.
Establish container fees at ports in Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland. Vetoed 2008.	Low-income neighborhoods Communities of color Asthma coalitions Environmental scientists Environmental justice organizations	Would have reduced port-related pollution.
Local Control of Pesticide Regulation. Vetoed 2008.	Agribusiness	Would have reduced toxics from pesticides.
Railyards Emission Regulation. Vetoed 2008.	Industry coalitions	Would have reduced toxics near railyards.
Create buffer zones between schools and health care facilities and aerial pesticide spraying. Failed 2009.	Agribusiness	Would have reduced toxics from pesticides.
Funding for increased regulation of air quality in trade corridors. Enacted 2009.	Low-income neighborhoods Communities of color Environmental justice organizations Asthma coalitions Environmental scientists	Reduces pollution for low-income and communities of color.
Air Resources Board to negotiate agreements with 4 railyards to limit diesel emissions. Pending 2010.		Reduces pollution near railyards.
Pollution fines adjusted for inflation. Enacted 2010.		Reduces pollution.

Note. Because this initiative strongly focused on environmental policy and advocacy, training and technical assistance was provided by the foundation on advocacy, which was funded in compliance with foundation rules or supported by non-foundation resources if the activities involved lobbying.