英文：

It should be no surprise?that every community should have a right to a clean environment.?Yet, some are sacrifice zones.?Sacrifice zones:?communities living on the front lines of pollution and environmental hazards.?But the good news is that we have a unique opportunity?to address legacy pollution?as we together build an equitable and just climate future.

Now, this is a story about communities in crisis.?Mostly, these are communities of Black and brown and Indigenous peoples.?It's often a story of low-income communities.?But race, race is the decisive factor.?Now, studies show that an average middle-income Black family?with an 87,500-dollar income?is likely to live with more pollution?than a white family making 22,500 dollars a year.

Now, my organization, WE ACT for Environmental Justice,?works within a movement of hundreds of environmental justice groups,?here and abroad,?to address the disproportionate impact of pollution borne by our communities.

So I'm talking about environmental justice,?which is a civil rights and a human rights analysis?of environmental decision making,?with a focus on the permitting,?the permitting process that gives polluters permission to pollute?within a regulatory standard for air, water and soil.?Now, these permits,?they are an allowance that sacrifices the health of community residents.?The cumulative effect of multiple facilities sited in a community?that emit high levels of pollution in close proximity to where people live.?That contributes to glaring health disparities.?Now, Harvard University studies among Black Americans?living in areas like Harlem and the South Bronx,?those are communities which do not need clean air standards?set by the Environmental Protection Agency.?And those studies that found?that Black Americans have died of COVID-19?at higher rates than others?due to living in air-polluted communities.

Now, that's not a surprise?since the majority of people who live in areas?that do not meet clean air standards?are Latinos and Black Americans.?And that's the case in an area called "Cancer Alley."?Now, there's a song sung by the late Nat King Cole?called "Unforgettable."?And that is what "Cancer Alley" is.?It is unforgettable.?It's in the worst possible way.?It's a 75-mile corridor between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.?It's a continuum of petrochemical and plastics manufacturing facilities?on acres of former plantations.?Now, these facilities have created?an intergenerational history of death from cancer,?with some communities suffering cancer rates?higher than the national rate.

Now communities experience environmental hazards?and pollution exposure in diverse ways.?In urban areas,?mobile sources, contaminated sites, they're really the challenge.?And local governments generally manage the infrastructure of pollution.?But in smaller cities and rural areas, industrial and oil refineries,?landfills and incinerators, they're usually the problem.?And in places like Texas and California,?there may be no zoning laws?that separate industrial facilities from residential backyards.

So environmental racism and injustice?results from a complex legacy of housing segregation,?land use and zoning discrimination,?and from unequal enforcement and policies.?Now decades ago,?policies such as redlining?denied home loans to people of color into certain communities.?And this government policy reinforced racial segregation in cities?and diverted investments away from those communities,?creating large disparities in home ownership?as well as urban heat environments.?A few trees and no open space.?So today we're still living out the legacy of those racist policies.

Now, I first began organizing around these issues?as an elected Democratic district leader in my West Harlem neighborhood.?In 1988, I co-founded West Harlem Environmental Action,?known as WE ACT for Environmental Justice.?And, you know, we began organizing,?educating our neighbors to understand the impact?of the disproportionate siting?and permitting of polluting facilities in our communities.?We started out by pressing New York City?to fix the North River sewage treatment plant?in the Hudson River?that was ruining our quality of life by emitting toxic fumes.?And we began to ask ourselves a number of questions.?How could we transform the New York City diesel bus fleet?to clean fuel buses?since we housed over 740 of the city diesel bus fleet in uptown depots??How could we have a waterfront park?along the beautiful Hudson River instead of a parking lot??And how could we get environmental justice on the agenda of New York City,?the state and the federal government to invest in sustainability?in our communities?

I know that it only takes one person to reimagine what's possible,?and some policy change takes decades.?It took us 18 years?to transform the New York City diesel bus fleet to hybrids.?However, it took only a few months?to ensure that all New York schools are tested for lead in drinking water.?I know that so much is possible when we have the right political moment.?But to capitalize,?we must mobilize a critical mass of people to create real change.?And to monitor that our policies are implemented?in the way that was intended.?And environmental justice groups have done just that.?In a number of ways.

So we've created working groups and campaigns?amongst people who have a real stake in the outcome,?those most affected by harm or new policies.?And we engage them in environmental decision making.?Those are the people who have the lived experience,?who can best advise on climate adaptation and resilience planning.?Now, if their perspectives had been known and integrated?into the inter-agency emergency response planning?in New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina,?then thousands of families would not have been stranded on their roofs,?waiting for rescue?or sleeping in a sports stadium,?because the city would have already known?that lower-income families living in a flood zone?did not have a car to evacuate the city?or a credit card to access a hotel room.

Another tactic we engage is we engage community in educational workshops?that help them better articulate the data,?testify at hearings,?train residents to become citizen scientists?who collect their own air and water quality data?to influence policymakers and elected officials.?And those officials should resource every community?to develop a climate action plan?that addresses neighborhood level response and challenges?to extreme weather events.

We've also developed strong, strong policy agendas at the city,?state and federal levels,?based on community perspectives, experience?and the evolving transition from a fossil fuel economy.?And these are tactics that can be applied within local contexts in any community.?So as we transition to renewable energy sources,?we know that energy insecurity will impact millions more households?as utility bills increase.?And to decarbonize buildings,?a pre-investment will be needed to upgrade residential buildings?in frontline communities?before electrification of all buildings will be achieved.

So I challenge you?to create the change we need?by incorporating equity and lived experience?into all public and government policies.?My vision is to redress the legacy of pollution?by targeting frontline communities,?not for pollution, but to become green zones.?Green zones where we can incentivize community shared solar, electrification,?green businesses, good jobs and worker cooperatives.?Because today we are at an inflection point?with an opportunity to achieve that vision.?You know, the Biden administration?has committed to centering environmental justice?in all government policies?through an executive order?that directs at least 40 percent of the benefits?from federal investments in clean energy?to go to disadvantaged communities.?So there is an opportunity?to implement a transformative and accountable process?for the fair and just distribution of benefits of Justice40?to frontline communities of Black,?brown and Indigenous peoples.?But we must make certain that the investments and the benefits?reach the communities intended,?given the bias and ambivalence of many state and local governments.?But if done effectively,?this can be transformative?and could stop the cycle of exploitation and extraction.

Every community,?every community has the right to a clean environment.?And you do not need to be an environmental champion?or a climate justice leader to embrace that value.

So I call on your humanity?to center the voices and perspectives in all policies?of those most affected by environmental hazards?and climate change.?We can create a legacy of environmental quality?and climate resilience for all.?We can do this and we must.

Thank you.

中文：

應(yīng)該沒有任何爭議，?所有社區(qū)應(yīng)該有權(quán)利 擁有一個(gè)干凈的環(huán)境。?可是目前為止，有一些 “被犧牲的區(qū)域，”?“被犧牲的區(qū)域”?指那些住在污染和 環(huán)境隱患旁的社區(qū)。?但是好消息是 我們有一個(gè)特殊的機(jī)會(huì)，?去解決這些遺存的污染。?我們可以一起建立起一個(gè) 公正平等的未來環(huán)境。

現(xiàn)在，這是一個(gè)關(guān)于危機(jī)中的 社區(qū)們的故事，?這些社區(qū)大多都是 黑人，棕色人種，和原住民的社區(qū)，?這經(jīng)常被定義為 一個(gè)低收入社區(qū)的問題。?但是種族，種族才是 真正的決定性因素。?現(xiàn)在，研究表明擁有87500美金收入的?一般中等收入黑人家庭，?比收入22500美金的白人家庭?更可能住在污染更嚴(yán)重的地區(qū)。

現(xiàn)在，我的組織，“我們?yōu)榄h(huán)境正義行動(dòng)” （WE ACT for Environmental Justice）?和幾百個(gè)環(huán)境正義組織合作，?包括國內(nèi)和國外，?來解決被我們的社區(qū) 不成比例的承擔(dān)的污染。

我們現(xiàn)在在談?wù)摰氖黔h(huán)境正義，?這是一項(xiàng)對環(huán)境決策中 民權(quán)和人權(quán)的分析，?這之中的重點(diǎn)是許可，?對于污染源在對水源，空氣，土壤?合規(guī)排放污染的許可過程。?現(xiàn)在，這些許可，?他們是犧牲社區(qū)居民健康的許可。?多家近距離排放大量污染的設(shè)施?在社區(qū)里的累積影響?是導(dǎo)致巨大健康差距的罪魁禍?zhǔn)住?近期，哈佛大學(xué)對于住在像 哈萊姆，南布朗克斯這樣，?沒有達(dá)到環(huán)境保護(hù)局設(shè)定的 清潔空氣標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的?美國黑人進(jìn)行了研究。?而這些研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，?因?yàn)樽≡谑芸諝馕廴镜纳鐓^(qū)，?這些美國黑人死于2019 冠狀病毒的幾率高于其他人。

今天，這其實(shí)并不讓人奇怪，?因?yàn)榇蟛糠肿≡谶@些不滿足清潔空氣標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的人?都是拉丁裔或美國黑人。?而這也是發(fā)生在一個(gè) 叫“癌巷”的地方的故事，?有首納·京·科爾(Nat King Cole)唱的歌 叫 “不能忘記的”，?而這就是 “癌巷”。?這是不能忘記的。?這是最差的情況。?這是一條75英里長在新奧爾良 和巴吞魯日之間的狹長地帶。?這是一個(gè)建立在舊種植園基礎(chǔ)上?石油化工和塑料制品工廠的集合體。?今天，這些工廠創(chuàng)造了?跨越幾代人的因癌癥死亡的歷史。?有些社區(qū)有著比全國平均高的癌癥發(fā)病率，

現(xiàn)在這些社區(qū)在不同 方面上承受著環(huán)境危害，?和暴露在污染中。?在市區(qū)里，?移動(dòng)資源和受污染的場地是真正的挑戰(zhàn)。?一般來說，地方政府是負(fù)責(zé)管理 這些受污染的基礎(chǔ)建設(shè)的，?但是在小城市和鄉(xiāng)村地區(qū)的 工業(yè)和石油提煉場?填埋和焚燒場 這些才是真正的問題。?在像得克薩斯和加利福尼亞洲 這樣的地方?可能沒有分離?工業(yè)和居民區(qū)的地區(qū)規(guī)劃。

所以環(huán)境種族歧視和不公是由?歷史上復(fù)雜的居住區(qū)隔離，?用地和土地規(guī)劃的歧視，?不平等的執(zhí)法和政策導(dǎo)致的。?幾十年以前，?像在紅線區(qū)域(redlining)內(nèi) 拒絕貸款的政策?拒絕了特定社區(qū)的有色人種的 住房貸款申請，?而這政策加深了城市內(nèi)的種族隔離。?還將投資帶出了這些社區(qū)中?創(chuàng)造了住房的巨大差異?還有城市應(yīng)對高溫天氣的規(guī)劃，?就比如說很少綠化和開闊空間。?而直到今天，我們還住在這些 種族歧視政策的遺產(chǎn)中。

我最開始是以一個(gè)西哈萊姆社區(qū)中的 民主黨選區(qū)領(lǐng)袖的身份，?開始組織關(guān)于這些問題的活動(dòng)，?1988年，我和其他人共同創(chuàng)立了 “西哈萊姆環(huán)境行動(dòng)“，?也就是“我們?yōu)榄h(huán)境正義行動(dòng)” （WE ACT for Environmental Justice）。?然后我們開始組織教育 我們的鄰居去了解不平等的選址?和允許在我們社區(qū)中排放污染物 的影響。?我們首先開始催促紐約市政府?去修理哈德孫河的北河污水處理廠，?這個(gè)設(shè)施通過排放有毒氣體 毀滅了我們的生活質(zhì)量。?然后我們開始問我們自己 幾個(gè)問題。?我們怎樣能將紐約的 柴油公交車隊(duì)，?轉(zhuǎn)換成清潔燃料的公交車，?尤其是當(dāng)我們在住宅區(qū)車站中 有超過 740輛柴油公交車時(shí)？?我們怎樣能夠在哈德孫河旁?建立一個(gè)濱水公園， 而不是一個(gè)停車場？?我們怎樣能將環(huán)境正義提進(jìn)紐約市，?州和聯(lián)邦政府的日程， 以帶來社區(qū)內(nèi)對可持續(xù)性發(fā)展的投資。

我知道的是這只需要一個(gè)人 去重新思考可能性，?而一些政策則需要上十年。?我們用了十八年?將紐約市的柴油公交車 轉(zhuǎn)換成混合動(dòng)力。?但是，只需要幾個(gè)月?就能保證紐約學(xué)校的飲用水的 鉛含量被檢測過。?我知道如果我們有正確的政治時(shí)機(jī) 的話很多事情都有可能，?但是要利用這些時(shí)機(jī)，?我們必須要調(diào)集足夠的人手 來創(chuàng)造真正的改變?和確定政策真正的在以 原來預(yù)想方式實(shí)施。?而環(huán)境正義組織通過不同的方法 做的正是這些。

我們在可能被傷害或者 政策影響到的，還有對后果負(fù)責(zé)的人中?建立了工作小組和發(fā)起了不同的運(yùn)動(dòng)。?我們鼓勵(lì)他們做出關(guān)于環(huán)境的決定。?因?yàn)樗麄兪钦嬲?jīng)歷過?而且能最好的建議氣候適應(yīng)和 還原計(jì)劃的人。?現(xiàn)在，如果他們的觀點(diǎn) 能夠被知道而且整合到?新奧爾良州來應(yīng)對卡特里娜颶風(fēng)的?跨機(jī)構(gòu)應(yīng)急響應(yīng)計(jì)劃的話，?成千上萬的家庭就不需要 困在他們的房頂上?等待救援?或者被迫在體育館里休息，?因?yàn)槌鞘性缫呀?jīng)知道?低收入家庭住在洪水易發(fā)的區(qū)域?而且他們沒有車撤離城市?或者用來住酒店的信用卡。

另外一個(gè)我們做的事是 我們和教育研討班合作?來幫助他們更好展示數(shù)據(jù)，?在聽證會(huì)上作證，?訓(xùn)練居民們變成自己收集 空氣和水資源?質(zhì)量數(shù)據(jù)的公民科學(xué)家，?從而去影響制定政策的人 和民選的官員。?還有那些應(yīng)該從各個(gè)社區(qū)尋找資源?來開發(fā)出解決鄰里之間 針對氣候變化提出的?對于極端天氣情況 的反應(yīng)和挑戰(zhàn)的行動(dòng)的計(jì)劃的官員。

我們在市，州，聯(lián)邦級別還開發(fā)了 非常強(qiáng)大的政策日程表，?它們基于來自社區(qū)的角度和經(jīng)驗(yàn)?和從基于石油的經(jīng)濟(jì)的轉(zhuǎn)化。?而這些技巧可以 適用于各個(gè)地方的社區(qū)。?所以當(dāng)我們轉(zhuǎn)化到可再生能源的時(shí)候，?我們可以提前知道能源安全問題 會(huì)影響到上百萬的家庭?當(dāng)我們給賬單漲價(jià)和 給建筑脫碳之時(shí)。?因此，我們需要提前投資 以升級社區(qū)中的居民住宅?在給建筑電氣化之前。

在這里我呼吁大家?去創(chuàng)造所需要的改變?通過考慮政府政策中的 平等和生活經(jīng)驗(yàn)?我的目標(biāo)是通過關(guān)注受到污染的社區(qū) 來補(bǔ)償污染所帶來的遺產(chǎn)，?這個(gè)不是為了關(guān)注污染， 而是為了將這些地方變成綠色社區(qū)。?我們可以補(bǔ)貼社區(qū)貢獻(xiàn)的太陽能 電力化的綠色社區(qū)，?還有綠色企業(yè)，好的工作， 和工人的合作機(jī)構(gòu)。?因?yàn)榻裉煳覀兊搅烁淖兊墓?jié)點(diǎn)。?因?yàn)槲覀冇腥ミ_(dá)到這些理想的能力。?拜登政府已經(jīng)通過行政命令?承諾在政府政策中關(guān)注環(huán)境正義，?這包括將百分之四十從聯(lián)邦政府 對于清潔能源的投資?提供給處于 不利條件的社區(qū)。?所以這里有一個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)?去實(shí)現(xiàn)一個(gè)帶來變化和負(fù)有責(zé)任的過程。?為了公平公正的分配正義40(Justice40) 對于處于前線社區(qū)的?黑人，棕色人種，還有原住民的幫助。?但是我們一定要確定這些投資和幫助?最終以預(yù)定的方式到達(dá)各個(gè)社區(qū)，?畢竟很多州和聯(lián)邦政府 都有各自的偏向和矛盾。?但是如果正確的執(zhí)行了，?這可以是具有改變性的，?而且可以停止剝削和榨取的循環(huán)。

在每個(gè)社區(qū)中，?每個(gè)社區(qū)都有權(quán)利擁有清潔的環(huán)境。?而且你不需要變成環(huán)境的倡議者?或者環(huán)境正義領(lǐng)袖 去擁抱這些價(jià)值觀。

所以我呼吁所有人，?在所有對于被污染和氣候變化 影響最嚴(yán)重的地方的政策上?集中你們的聲音和觀點(diǎn)。?我們可以為將來一代所有人 創(chuàng)造環(huán)境平等?還有對于環(huán)境的耐受性。?我們可以而且必須做到。

謝謝大家。