Authors

Meena Palaniappan

Summary

West Oakland , California, is a neighborhood surrounded by three freeways, the Port of Oakland, and the Oakland Army Base.  West Oakland is also the poorest neighborhood in the Bay Area.  This article describes how the West Oakland community worked in collaboration with the Pacific Institute on the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project to conduct research to reduce health impacts and pollution from diesel exhaust.

Type of Data/Science

Three studies were conducted:

1. A truck count on residential streets, as well as a survey of idling trucks that emit an enormous amount of diesel exhause in close proximity to residences and schools;

2. An inventory of diesel emissions throughout the whole West Oakland community; and

3. Indoor air monitoring study.

Type of Community Action

Series of meetings with the City of Oakland to designate truck routes away from neighborhood streets.

Advocacy efforts with the City of Oakland the the Port of Oakland to move truck-related businesses out of West Oakland and on to the Army Base site.

Obtained commitments from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to put Air District resources and staff beyind the effort to reduce diesel pollution in highly polluted communities such as West Oakland.

Lessons Learned

Supportive partnerships between research organizations and community residents is extremely important for reducing risk in vulnerable communities.  The partnership between the Pacific Institute and the 7th St./McClymonds Corridor Neighborhood Improvement Initiative, armed the residents with scientific information.  The studies confirmed what residents already knew and gave them the power of scientific proof to advocate for environmental justice and clean air.

Community-driven research leads to specific and often creative solutions to environmental problems.  In West Oakland, the identification of the problem by community members led to interesting solutions that had not been considered by the City or Port authority:

-   Step up enforcement of illegal truck traffic,

-   Move truck-related businesses away from residential areas to land owned by the Port and Army Base,

-   Installation of electrical hook-ups so trucks waiting to enter the Port don't have to idle,

-   Financial incentives to get the dirtiest trucks off of the road, and

-   Creation of new truck routes with signs and other outreach to ensure driver knowledge and adherence to new routes. 

 "Clearing the Air: Reducing Diesel Pollution in West Oakland"