Painting Company Denied Variance for Polluting Marine Operators
Environmental Health Coalition, community members, and the San Diego/Imperial Counties Labor Council scored an important victory on October 26th when the Air Pollution Control District (APCD) Hearing Board voted unanimously to deny an operating variance to SIPCO Services, a portable marine coating business in San Diego.
SIPCO submitted an application for a variance to do work this fall at Southwest Marine after learning it had failed its health risk assessment and that permitting would be delayed. A health risk assessment determines the cancer and other health impacts from a given operation. With the support of Southwest Marine, SIPCO applied for a variance to enable them to operate at the shipyards without a permit.
"I appeal to your conscience to deny this request," said Barrio Logan resident Angelica Palafox in addressing the APCD Hearing Board, "because industry has none. My community already has more than it’s fair share of air pollution." The Board listened and denied the variance.
Leading the brigade for worker health was Peter Zschiesche, a representative of the San Diego/Imperial Counties Labor Council. Zschiesche praised the Hearing Board as "an agency for change" and said that workers and community residents have to keep pressuring the shipyards to prevent pollution.
"While this victory is a step in the right direction for enforcement of environmental laws and protection of worker and community health, the fight for long-term protection for labor and the environment at the shipyards is just beginning," stated Nicole Capretz, from EHC’s Clean and Safe Shipyards Campaign. "The shipyards are some of the largest emitters of toxic air pollution in San Diego County. It is imperative that they not only come into compliance with clean air standards, but also undergo comprehensive pollution prevention efforts. We hope to work with them to significantly reduce their overall pollution burden."