NAACP Delivers Critical Community Testimonies to Chicago EPA Mercury and Air Toxics Rule Hearing
Attorney Rose Joshua prepares her testimony for the Mercury and AIr Toxics Rules for Power Plants Hearings.
On Tuesday, May 24th, NAACP and LVEJO members gave 12 testimonies for the EPA Mercury and Air Toxics Rule for Power Plants Hearings in Chicago. Testifiers were from our multi-state delegation as well as two people from LVEJO’s South-West side communities. Unfortunately, according to observations by our delegation, out of the 200 plus participants, aside from 2 people from Michigan, we were the only African Americans present in the entire proceedings. Given the disproportionate impact on our communities as described above, this was appalling. Without our presence, participation of African Americans, 68% of whom are directly impacted by living in close proximity to coal fired power plants, would have been less than 1% of this gathering. This knowledge infused our team with a great sense of our significance because we were almost solely representative of the most affected communities and therefore our voices were absolutely critical. Observers were particularly attentive during our testimonies, erupting in enthusiastic applause each time, which was certainly rare for these proceedings.
Below Reverend Theresa Dear, National Board Member and Dupage County Branch President gives a riveting and very provocative testimony:
NAACP testifiers included Attorney Rose Joshua, Chicago Southside Branch President, Jocelyn Travis, Ohio State Conference Representative, Thelma Faulkner, Executive Committee At-Large Member for Chicago Southside NAACP, Al Williams, Climate Equity Fellow for NAACP Detroit Michigan Branch (though he came on a bus from Michigan), Leigh Touchton, NAACP Valdosta Georgia Branch President, Reverend Homer Cobb, NAACP Hammond Indiana Branch President, and Reverend Theresa Dear, NAACP Dupage County Illinois Branch President and NAACP National Board of Directors Member.
EPA Panel Listens to Testimonies
Theresa Faulkner of the NAACP Southside Chicago Branch Gives Her Testimony
Auriel Bannister of LVEJO and Attorney Rose Joshua, NAACP Southside Chicao Branch President Provide Testimony
Kimberly Wasserman, ED of LVEJO and Ian Viteri, LVEJO Organizer, Give Testimony.
Jocelyn Travis of the NAACP Ohio State Conference Shares Her Experiences and Analysis with EPA Panel
