March 9, 2006 64LCB#10
LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
Sponsored by: Mebraht Gebre-Michaels Tri-executive
Jeremy
Jimenez Tri-executive
Veronica
Lingo Co-Senator,
Jessica
Bralish Co-Senator,
Chante Waters Representative
at Large
Zenia
Cordova Representative at Large
Cayla
Chavez-Murphy Co-Senator, Arts and Science
Maximillian
Mascarenas Co-Senator,
Arts and Science
Ashley
Moore Legislative
Council President
Katie
Wolf Legislative Council
First Vice President
Windy
Alarcon Representative at Large
Mike
Monsalve Representative at Large
Feven
Netsanet Representative at Large
Zoli
Williams Representative at
Large
Luis
Hakim Co-Senator,
Authored by: Dave
Newport Environmental Center
Director
Rob DuRay UCSU
Environmental Director
A Bill
Revised Environmental
Safety/Social Justice/Labor Rights Commission
_____________________________________________________________________
Bill
History
Communities of color and underprivileged
populations are often unjustly burdened by environmental degradation and
pollution. The people of these communities are forced to live with the
detrimental health effects of poor air and water quality. They are often more
vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which can include flooding,
drought, and infectious disease. They
also lack the means to combat or mitigate these impacts. For example,
communities of color in the
It is time for this to change. UCSU understands the linkage between social justice and environmental concerns. It now has the opportunity to set national precedent by helping to define more comprehensive and effective sustainability implementation plans that can address the social and ecological issues faced by all CU students, faculty, staff and community members.
________________________________________________________________________
Bill Summary
Whereas, climate change degrades natural systems, and therefore affects human populations;
Whereas, climate change disproportionately harms communities of color and underprivileged populations;
Whereas, air pollution already unduly distresses people of color;
Whereas, the
Whereas, people of color and low-income individuals are disproportionately exposed to more pollution and toxics because landfills, chemical plants, gas stations and other toxic releasing facilities are more often located in or next to their neighborhoods;
Whereas, the
_____________________________________________________________________
THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED by the
Legislative Council of the
SECTION 1: A UCSU Environmental Justice Project is hereby established.
SECTION 2: The
SECTION 3: The vision of the EJ Project is the equitable distribution of fiscal, environmental, and social assets among all people.
SECTION 4: The goal of the EJ Project is to improve access to fiscal, environmental, and social assets for those peoples that are currently and historically disenfranchised from these assets.
SECTION 5: The mission of the EJ Project is to coordinate EJ-related literature and information, partnerships, education, and outreach on and off campus with all interested individuals and organizations as appropriate, to advance the project’s vision and goals.
SECTION 6: The EJ Project shall form a Steering Committee whose membership, at a minimum, will include:
o A UCSU Tri-executive or his/her designee,
o
The
o The UCSU Diversity Director
o The Environmental Center Director
o An Environmental Center Board co-chair
o A student at-large co-chair
o A Legislative Council Representative
o Other students, faculty, staff, and community members as determined by the steering committee with non-voting status
SECTION 7: The EJ Project Steering Committee shall form strategic policy that advances the vision, goals, and mission stated above to be implemented by the Environmental Center Director.
SECTION 8: The EJ Project Steering Committee shall establish by-laws and other organizational systems as necessary to fulfill their charge.
SECTION 9: The Environmental Center shall seek to develop pathways to channel material, human, and fiscal benefits derived from environmental conservation efforts into social equity and social justice programming such as the EJ Project and other initiatives and shall report once every two months to UCSU on the progress of these efforts.
SECTION 10: This bill takes effect upon final passage by Legislative Council