Western States Petroleum Association - Issues and Publications

Issue:

There is a concern that communities with large minority populations bear a disproportionate burden of pollution.

What WSPA Says:

All citizens should be equally protected from potential environmental risks of an industrial society. We believe:

Our plants and facilities should be operated, and raw materials and products handled, in a manner that protects the environment, and the safety and health of our employees and the public;

Industry, including the petroleum industry, should recognize and respond to community concerns regarding the impact of industrial and commercial materials, operations or products on their neighborhoods;

Discussion and open dialogue with the local community and public agencies is essential so that meaningful public participation can take place on issues relating to safety, public health or environmental impact;

Prompt notification of appropriate officials, employees, customers and the public is required when any significant industry-related safety, health or environmental hazard is identified and that protective measures should be recommended;

That a commitment must be made to reduce overall emissions and waste generation through development of pollution prevention management practices; and

All appropriate laws and regulations should be observed.

Background:

The issue of environmental justice (EJ) is based on a belief that some communities exist in more polluted environments than others and that the areas of higher pollution are populated by minorities. The issue took on even greater significance when President Clinton issued an Executive Order (12898) instructing all agencies, particularly the United States Environmental Protection Agency, to ensure that environmental justice issues were addressed. In California, the South Coast Air Quality Management District established its own environmental justice effort in 1998.

Much of the environmental justice debate involving the petroleum industry in California has focused on toxic air emissions.

Key Points:

Repeated unwarranted claims of environmental injustice will lead to a trivialization of an important issue.

The issue could be unwisely used to frustrate essential permitting processes or adversely affect industrial and commercial operations and job creation.

In an effort to assist communities in addressing genuine environmental and health dangers, WSPA supports:

> efforts to scientifically and accurately measure the current environment;

> outreach and education to address the concerns of the public, government agencies and others regarding the safety, health, and environmental impact of petroleum industry operations;

> informing the public about risk and risk management procedures;

> considering potential environmental and health impacts in the development of future land use and zoning codes;

> careful implementation of appropriate mitigation measures to reduce potential health or environmental impacts to communities bordering industrial operations.