[Press Conference: "New Developments in Union Pacific Railroad Cancer Cluster"]
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LEMME JUST MAKE SOME INTRODUCTIONS REAL QUICK.NUMBER ONE, LET ME THANK, UH, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR BEING PRESENT, UM, THIS MORNING.
UM, AND, UM, I AM STANDING WITH, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS OF DISTRICT H AND COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS OF DISTRICT I.
UM, AND ALSO THIS MORNING WE HAVE, UM, AT, UH, TOURO MICHELLE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S ATTORNEY STEVEN COSTELLO, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, CHIEF RECOVERY OFFICER, UH, JUDY HARRIS, UH, WHO IS, WILL BE SPEAKING THIS MORNING.
SHE'S THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I WILL SAY IN ADVANCE, THE DIRECTOR STEVEN WILLIAMS IS OUT, UH, FOR MEDICAL REASONS, SO HE WAS NOT, HE'S WATCHING BUT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE HERE IN PERSON DR. LAUREN HOPKINS, UH, WITH THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
AND THEN THERE ARE SEVERAL MEMBERS FROM THE COMMUNITY, UH, THE CASHIER GARDENS AREA.
UM, WE HAVE WITH US, UH, THIS MORNING, UH, JOTA STEVENS, UH, WHO IS OUR COMMUNITY ADVOCATES LIVING OUT, UH, LIVING IN THAT AREA.
UH, PAMELA HA UH, MATTHEWS, WHO'S ALSO ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY, UM, MEMBERS.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE CAPTAIN BLUEFORD DANIELS, WHO IS ALSO, ALSO PRESENT.
UM, AS, AS YOU KNOW, UM, THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF RESIDENTS LIVING NEAR UNION SPECIFIC RAILROADS, UH, CONTAMINATED HOUSTON WOOD PRESERVING WORK SITE, AND WORKING FROM A REQUEST FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ASSESS RATES OF CANCER BY CENSUS TRACTS AROUND THE SITE.
THE TYPE OF CANCERS ASSESSED WERE LIMITED TO THOSE LINKED TO EXPOSURE TO THE TYPES OF CHEMICALS FOUND AT THE UPRR SITE AS IDENTIFIED BY THE EPA.
THE STATE FOUND FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF CANCER CLUSTERS WHEN IT FOCUSED ON THE CENSUS.
TRACTS DIRECTLY ABUTTING THE UNION SPECIFIC SITE.
THESE INCLUDE LOX, LIVER, LUNG, AND BRONCHUS WHEN YOU GROUP THEM TOGETHER.
AND ACUTE NUMBER OF PLASTIC LEUKEMIA IN TOTAL FROM THESE CLUSTERS, THERE WERE 79 MORE CASES OF CANCER IN THIS SMALL AREA THAN EXPECTED.
IN THE CASE OF CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA ALONE, THE NUMBER OF CANCER CASES WAS 350% HIGHER THAN EXPECTED.
WE HAVE WORKED TO HELP SECURE ATTENTION FROM THE HIGHEST LEVEL LEVELS OF THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
UH, THE CANCER CLUSTER PERFORMED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES RECOGNIZED THE HIGH LEVEL AND IN THE HIGH NUMBER OF CANCER CASES IN THIS AREA, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO OTHER ZIP CODES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND WITH OUR PARTNERS AT HARRIS COUNTY AND THE BAYOU CITY INITIATIVE, WE HAVE TAKEN INITIAL STEPS TO PROSECUTE A LAWSUIT THAT BROUGHT UP UNION SPECIFIC TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE, AND RESULTED IN AN EPA ORDER REQUIRING VASTLY EXPANDED INVESTIGATION AND CLEANUP IN AREAS SURROUNDING THE SITE.
AND WHILE WE REMAIN SUPPORTIVE OF EPAS ORDER WITH UP TO EXPAND THOSE EFFORTS UP, HAS TAKEN NO ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THE DEMANDS OF THE CITY, THE COUNTY AND BAYOU CITY INITIATIVE FOR RELOCATIONS FOR PEOPLE LIVING NEXT DOOR, UH, RIGHT ON TOP OF THE, THE, THE SITE UP INSISTS THAT THOSE ISSUES ARE, QUOTE UNQUOTE ON THE TABLE, UH, FOR DISCUSSION.
BUT WHEN WE HAVE RAISED THEM REPEATEDLY OVER THE LAST YEAR, INCLUDING IN DIRECT RECENT CONVERSATIONS WITH U-P-C-E-O, AND LET ME ADD, I HAVE PERSONALLY HAD A DIRECT CONVERSATION WITH THE CEO OF UP UP, HAS INSISTED THE TIME IS NOT YET RIGHT, AND THAT ACTION ON RELOCATION, IF ANY, MUST WAIT FOR THE RESULTS OF FURTHER
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INVESTIGATION.TIME IS THE ENEMY OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE HIGHLY EXPOSED AND DANGEROUS ZONE WITH LIMITED MEANS TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
LET ME SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, AND I WANT TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO UP AND OTHERS.
TIME IS THE ENEMY OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE HIGHLY EXPOSED AND DANGEROUS ZONE WITH LIMITED MEANS TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE MUST BE DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER? HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE, AND SPECIFICALLY, HOW MANY MORE CHILDREN MUST DIE? HOW MANY MORE FAMILIES MUST BE TRAPPED IN A KNOWN DANGER ZONE WHILE WE WATCH, TEST AND LITIGATE? THE CITY CANNOT.
AND WE WILL NOT CONTINUE TO WAIT UNTIL WE KNOW EVERY SINGLE THING.
THE PRESENCE OF CREOLE SO BENEATH HOMES AT LEVELS ABOVE CLEANUP STANDARDS IS CLEAR.
THE PRESENCE OF ELEVATED LEVELS OF CANCER CAUSING DIOXIN DETECTED AT SOME HOMES THROUGH THE CITY'S LIMITED STUDIES IS CLEAR.
THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEEN THE RAINBOW WATER RUNOFF FROM THE SITE IS CLEAR.
WE KNOW ENOUGH, AND QUITE FRANKLY, UP KNOWS ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE NEAR THE SITE ARE LIVING IN HARM'S WAY BECAUSE OF THAT.
TODAY I'M ANNOUNCING A STRIKE FORCE TEAM COMPOSED OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITY'S HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, REAL ESTATE RECOVERY AND LEGAL TEAMS, ALONG WITH OUTSIDE SOURCES TO BEGIN WORK IN EARNEST ON A PROGRAM TO HELP RELOCATE RESIDENTS LIVING ABOVE THE CREOLE PLUME AND IN A TWO TO THREE BLOCK RADIUS AROUND THE SITE.
THIS WILL BE A COMPLEX PROCESS WITH MANY ISSUES AND INTEREST TO ACCOMMODATE, BUT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT REASON TO BEGIN THIS WORK SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
YOU SIMPLY CAN'T WAIT FOR THE TEST TO BE COMPLETED AND WATCH AND LITIGATED, AND THEN START THE PROCESS FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.
THAT DOESN'T HELP ANYONE LIVING THERE NOW, AND IT DOESN'T HELP TO BRING CLOSURE FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN IMPACTED, AND YOU CAN'T WAIT TO WAIT OTHER PEOPLE OUT AND HOPE THAT DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES WILL COME TO CITY HALL AND BE SITTING IN THE MAYOR'S CHAIR, AND THAT THE CONVERSATION STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN.
WE WILL USE EXISTING RESOURCES AND WE WILL EXPLORE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM ALL AVAILABLE SOURCES, INCLUDING FEDERAL JUSTICE 40 AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR FARMS. OUR GOAL WILL BE TO HELP RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS WHO WANT TO MOVE TO SUCCESSFULLY MOVE TO NEARBY LOCATIONS IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES, BUT OUT OF HARM'S WAY AT NO COST.
IF THE RESULTS OF THE E-P-A-U-U-P INVESTIGATIONS REVEAL BROADER AREAS OF IMPACT BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE SITE, WE WILL LOOK TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE AS WELL.
PERHAPS, PERHAPS UP WILL HELP, AND QUITE CANDIDLY, THEY SHOULD.
AND QUITE CANDIDLY, FOR A SITE THAT'S BEEN IN CONTEST FOR 40 YEARS, THEY'LL BE WILLING TO TAKE DEFINITIVE STEPS RIGHT NOW TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ON RELOCATION, AND BE ASSURED THAT ANY PROPERTIES THE CITY ACQUIRES THROUGH THIS PROCESS WILL BE UTILIZED FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE NOT YET SETTLED ON ALL OF THE DETAILS OF THIS PROGRAM, BUT I HAVE DECIDED THE CITY CANNOT CONTINUE TO WAIT FOR EVERY INVESTIGATION TO BE COMPLETED, FOR EVERY TEST TO BE PERFORMED.
BEFORE WE BEGIN TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES IN DETAIL, WE OWE MORE TO THESE FAMILIES WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN PERMANENTLY DISRUPTED, AND I BELIEVE WE KNOW ENOUGH TODAY TO GET STARTED UP, HAS AN OPEN
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INVITATION TO HELP FUND THIS EFFORT AND TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS IF THEY SO CHOOSE.BUT THEY NOT ONLY HAVE A LEGAL OBLIGATION, THEY HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION.
HOW MANY MORE FAMILIES DO YOU NEED TO SEE SUFFER? HOW MANY MORE CHILDREN MUST DIE BEFORE THEY HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO STEP IN? AND WE REMAIN OPTIMISTIC THAT UP WILL IN THE FUTURE, VOLUNTARILY OR NOT, BUT WE HAVE BEEN.
BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS THEM ON THIS ISSUE FOR MONTHS.
AND EVEN NOW, WE ARE STILL WAITING.
WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO BEGIN, AND OF COURSE, WE WILL COORDINATE WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY AND BCI.
AND SO PLEASE LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I HAVE ROUGHLY SIX MONTHS LEFT BEFORE MY TERM IS OVER.
I INTEND TO BE THE MAYOR FOR THE ENTIRE REMAINING SIX MONTHS.
AND WHAT I CAN TELL YOU AS A CANCER VICTIM MYSELF, TIME IS NOT YOUR FRIEND.
AND THERE COMES A POINT IN TIME WHEN THE CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY STEPS UP AND SAYS TO THESE FAMILIES AND TO THOSE FAMILIES WHO STILL LIVE IN HARM'S WAY, THAT WE HAVE A MORAL RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT IF THEY DO NOT MOVE AND DO NOT ACT, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE ALL STAND STILL AS WE WAIT ON THEM TO DO SO.
AND SO ON THIS DAY, THIS CITY, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD AND WE'LL DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO GIVE THESE FAMILIES A BETTER FUTURE THAN THE PAST THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED.
THEY DESERVE NO LESS THAN THAT.
NOW, AT THIS TIME, LET ME BRING UP JUDY HARRIS, UH, REPRESENTING THE CITY OF HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING STEVEN WILLIAMS, THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
HE WOULD MOST DEFINITELY BE HERE IF HE COULD BE, BUT HE'S RECUPERATING AT HOME FROM A RECENT ILLNESS.
BUT THIS HAS BEEN A PASSIONATE WORK OF HIS FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE ADVOCATE FOR THE PEOPLE.
WE WORK WITH, THE PEOPLE TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
SO I'M GONNA READ THE STATEMENT THAT HE WOULD'VE MADE FOR HIMSELF, AND HOPE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO US IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THAT WE WORK TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
PEOPLE MAY ASK WHY NOW? WHY NOT WAIT? THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN WAITING FOR YEARS.
THE MISSION OF THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY, TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELLBEING OF HOUSTONIANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY LIVE.
ON JUNE 13TH, WE MET WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD SITE AND SHARE THE FOLLOWING, A CRE OF SO PLUME EXTENDED UNDER 110 PROPERTIES, RESIDENTS LIVING NEAR THE SITE, COMPLAIN OF ADVERSE HEALTH EFFORTS OUTCOMES.
THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED ENVIRONMENTAL SURFACE SOIL SAMPLING IN JULY, 2022, BECAUSE OF RECEIVING TRANSPORT LEDGERS, DOCUMENTING THE MATERIALS FROM TWO TOXIC WASTE SITES, WHICH WERE USED TO CREATE CREOSOTE EXTENDER.
SOIL SAMPLES WERE TAKEN AND ANALYZED FOR DIOXIN AND FURENS DIOXINS WERE PRESENT IN ALL SAW SAMPLES TAKEN AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
37 OR 79% OF THE SAMPLES WERE FOUND TO EXCEED THE EPA REGIONAL SCREENING LEVEL FOR CANCER RISK FOR RESIDENTS.
THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION IS OVER 1900 TIMES THE LIMIT.
IN OCTOBER, 2022, ADDICT DUST SAMPLES TESTS REVEAL THE PRESENCE OF DIOXIDES AND FUR RUNS.
AT THE REQUEST OF EPA, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DISSEMINATED EDUCATIONAL FLYERS REGARDING DIOXIDE SAFETY IN THE COMMUNITY.
STAFF CREATED A COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD TO ENSURE THAT WE WERE ACCURATELY REPRESENTING COMMUNITY INTERESTS.
AS EXPRESSED TO US, THE COMMUNITY INTERESTS ARE FOCUSED ON ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND RELOCATION.
WHEN WE GOT TO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AFTER THE PRESENTATIONS, ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS REMINDED ME THAT I HAD LEFT OUT THE
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MOST IMPORTANT FACT.AND THAT IS THAT THERE WAS ALREADY A CANCER CLUSTER IDENTIFIED IN THE AREA.
I WAS EMBARRASSED BECAUSE WE ARE INVOLVED BECAUSE PEOPLE'S HEALTH AND WELLBEING ARE AT STAKE.
WE, AS THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT ARE INVOLVED BECAUSE PEOPLE'S HEALTH AND WELLBEING ARE AT STAKE.
THERE MAY BE SCIENTIFIC DEBATE ABOUT WHAT CAUSED THE HEALTH ISSUES, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT WE STARTED OFF KNOWING THAT THERE IS A CANCER CLUSTER IN THE COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE HAVE LIVED AND DIED FROM CANCERS IN THESE AREAS WITH CHEMICALS THAT ARE KNOWN TO CAUSE THE TYPES OF CANCERS IDENTIFIED.
THERE WAS POLLUTION EMANATING FROM THE UPRR SITE FOR DECADES.
IT IS DOCUMENTED, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE MEASURED CONCENTRATIONS, WE KNOW EXPOSURE OCCURRED.
RECORDS OF VIOLATIONS AND COMPLAINTS AS FAR BACK AS 45 YEARS AGO STILL EXIST AND LIKELY OCCURRED PRIOR TO THAT, BUT WERE NOT RETAINED BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE.
AFTER YEARS OF COMPLAINTS AND INCIDENTS INVOLVING POTENTIAL CONTAMINATION IN THIS LOCATION, THE COMMUNITY FELT THEY WERE DYING OF HIGHER RATES OF CANCER THAN WAS NORMAL.
A CANCER CLUSTER ANALYSIS BY THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THE COMMUNITY'S BELIEFS.
EACH OF THESE CANCERS FROM THE ANALYSIS HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE LINKED TO THE KINDS OF CHEMICALS FOUND AT THE UPRR SITE.
12 CENSUS TRACTS RING THE SITE WERE FOUND TO HAVE AN OBSERVED NUMBER OF SPECIFIC CANCER CASES THAT WERE S STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN EXPECTED NUMBER OF CASES.
THE STATE FOUND FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF CANCER CLUSTERS THAT THE MAYOR HAS ALREADY MENTIONED.
AND IN TOTAL FROM THESE CLUSTERS, THERE WERE 79 MORE CASES OF CANCER IN THIS SMALL AREA THAN EXPECTED.
IN THE CASE OF CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA ALONE, THE NUMBER OF CANCER CASES WAS 350% HIGHER THAN EXPECTED CASES EQUAL PEOPLE.
ON JULY 14TH, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE CORINTHIAN GALS AGE 13, WHO LIVED TWO BLOCKS FROM THE SITE, PASSED AWAY FROM LEUKEMIA.
HE IS ONE MORE PERSON FROM THIS AREA THAT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE TEXAS CANCER REGISTRY.
IT IS BECAUSE OF CHILDREN LIKE CORINTHIAN AND OTHER RESIDENTS THAT WE ARE PUSHING FOR ACTION.
IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 40 YEARS SINCE OPERATIONS CEASED AT THE SITE AND INITIAL EVIDENCE OF CONTAMINATION WAS DOCUMENTED AND THAT THERE HAS BEEN VERY LITTLE CLEANUP AND EVIDENCE OF CONTAMINATION IS STILL PRESENT IN THE COMMUNITY NEARBY.
WE IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL AT RISK.
MORE TESTING IS LIKELY TO REVEAL WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW.
DIOXIN DIOXIN IS PRESENT IN THE SOIL.
WE KNOW A CREOLE PLUME IS UNDER 110 HOMES.
PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN RELOCATION AND ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
LET'S RESPECT THEIR INTERESTS BY BEING RESPONSIVE TO THEIR EXPRESS INTEREST FOR RELOCATION AND ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
WE AS A CITY GOVERNMENT, HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROTECTING THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF THE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON.
DOCUMENTING OUR EFFORTS ARE NOT ENOUGH.
WHEN RESPONSIBLE ENTITIES ARE NOT ACCOUNTABLE, WE STILL HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH.
COMMON SENSE AND GOOD JUDGMENT MUST PREVAIL 45 YEARS OF COMPLAINTS AND CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THAT SITE REQUIRE MORE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION AND ACTION.
A COMPLAINT BACK FROM THE 1970S DOCUMENTS THE CONCERN OF A LANDLORD WHO WAS CONCERNED FOR THE HEALTH OF HIS TENNIS, ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE CHILDREN AND INFANTS PEOPLE MATTER.
UH, DR. HOPKINS, YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING? UM, I THINK THAT THOSE, UH, REMARKS, UM, THAT JUDY JUST, UH, PRESENTED ON THE BEHALF OF OUR DIRECTOR, UM, COVER JUST EVERYTHING THAT I WOULD SAY, EXCEPT THAT I WANT TO REINFORCE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE, ARE FACTS.
UM, I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR MANY YEARS, AND I KNOW THESE PEOPLE.
UM, UM, MS. UH, MS. PAYNE, WHO, WHO WHOSE, UH, SON DIED, UH, TWO YEARS AGO TOMORROW WAS GOING TO SPEAK TODAY, BUT IT'S JUST TOO HARD FOR HER.
UM, THE, UH, THE FAMILIES THAT WE HAVE MET WITH THROUGH THE YEARS, UM, AND THE, UM, THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, UH, THAT, THAT REALLY, UM, CAME THEIR HOMEGROWN COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS LIKE, UM, MISS, UH, SMALL, UM, MS. EDWARDS,
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UM, THOSE AT IMPACT FIFTH THAT CAME TO US WITH THE INFORMATION THAT THEY FELT THAT THEY WERE, UM, DYING OF CANCER AT HIGHER RATES THAN THEY SHOULD, UM, AND REQUESTED THE FIRST, UM, CANCER ASSESSMENT IN THE AREA, UM, ARE REALLY HEROES FOR US.SHE, UM, RAISED BOYS, UM, WHICH KATHY IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM HER, UM, WHERE THEIR BACKYARD WAS, THE LAGOON, THE PIT THAT THEY PLAYED IN.
AND, UM, SOME OF THOSE BOYS DIED OF CANCER.
AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF, OF, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M A SCIENTIST, AND, UM, UNDERSTANDING THE STATISTICS AND THE HEALTH AND UNDERSTANDING THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD OF DRAWING A CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP, I I KNOW ALL OF THAT.
UM, BUT THERE, IN TERMS OF FACTS, WHAT WE HAVE IS CONTAMINATION THAT WE KNOW HAS BEEN THERE FOR YEARS.
I HAVE PERSONALLY READ THE COMPLAINTS FROM THE SEVENTIES.
UM, THE APARTMENT MANAGER WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT VINYL CHLORIDE.
HE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS VINYL CHLORIDE, BUT HE HAD AN APARTMENT BUILDING RIGHT THERE ON LIBERTY ROAD.
AND HE CALLED AND, UM, GOT, UM, REGULATORY AGENCIES INVOLVED, UH, THAT THE AIR WAS SAMPLED, VINYL CHLORIDE WAS COMING OFF THE SITE AT VERY, VERY HIGH CONCENTRATIONS THAT WE WOULD NOT TOLERATE TODAY.
UM, WE HAVE LIMITED DATA THERE.
IT'S NOT YEARS OF DATA, WHICH IS NEED FOR CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP, BUT WE KNOW THAT THAT OCCURRED.
UM, THERE ARE MULTIPLE INCIDENTS WHERE CREOSOTE CAME OFF OF THE SITE.
UM, TWO COMPLAINTS WHERE THE CREOSOTE WENT INTO DITCHES AND FRONT OF PEOPLE'S HOMES, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BE CALLED, AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO EXTINGUISH.
UM, THESE ARE JUST MAJOR EVENTS THAT ACTUALLY WERE STILL IN THE RECORD AFTER DECADES.
SO THERE'S A LOT THAT WE DON'T KNOW.
UM, WE HAVE TWO, WE HAVE POSTERS HERE OF, OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT EITHER SUCCUMB TO CANCER OR IN TREATMENT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, BUT, UM, BECAUSE, UM, AS JUDY MENTIONED AND THE MAYOR MENTIONED, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, THESE ARE PEOPLE BEHIND THE NUMBERS, UH, IN THE CANCER CLUSTER ASSESSMENT.
UM, THEY USE THE TEXAS CANCER REGISTRY.
AND IN THAT REGISTRY ARE ALL THE CASES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MORE THAT PEOPLE MOVED AWAY AND, AND MAYBE THEIR ADDRESS ISN'T CAPTURED.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE POSTERS OVER ON THE RIGHT AFTER, I WOULD INVITE YOU TO LOOK AFTER TODAY IS, UM, A MAP OF THE SITE AND A MAP OF THE CANCER CLUSTERS.
AND THERE, THERE ACTUALLY ARE SIX CANCER CLUSTERS.
AND WHEN YOU DO THE STATISTICS OF THAT, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE AN ELEVATED CANCER RATE, THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE USING STATISTICS.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS A PROBABILITY OF BEING WRONG.
THERE'S ALWAYS A 5% ERROR RATE ON WITH YOU.
95% CONFIDENT THAT THERE'S A STATISTICALLY INCREASED RATE OF CANCER HERE.
UM, SO 5%, UM, CHANCE OF, MAYBE IT'S NOT CANCER ELEVATED, MAYBE THERE'S SOME, YOU KNOW, UM, ABNORMAL, UH, THING HAPPENING.
UM, UH, SO IT, IT'S NOT STATISTICALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE STATE.
HOWEVER, WHEN YOU MULTIPLY THAT OUT AT 95% TIMES, 95% TIMES 95% OF 5% ERROR RATE, THERE'S STATISTICALLY NO WAY THAT WE HAVE SIX CLUSTERS OF CANCER OR EVEN FOUR CLUSTERS OF CANCER SURROUNDING THE SITE BY CHANCE ALONE, SOMETHING IS THERE.
AND THAT'S INDEPENDENT OF THE CONCENTRATIONS.
AND THEN, AS WAS STATED PREVIOUSLY, DO YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT ONLY CANCERS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHEMICALS AT THE SITE WERE EVALUATED? THESE ARE NOT JUST, WE DIDN'T JUST LOOK AT ANY CANCERS.
WE ONLY ASKED FOR CANCERS THAT WOULD'VE BEEN RELATED TO THE CHEMICALS AT THE SITE.
ANOTHER THING JUST TO LEAVE YOU WITH THINKING ABOUT CHANCE AND STATISTICS AND CAUSAL RELATIONSHIPS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP OVER ON THE RIGHT, ONE YEAR AGO WE DID THE DIOX, THE FIRST DIOXIN SAMPLING, AND WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR EPA, UM, THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE COUNTY AND BIO CITY INITIATIVE AND, UM, UH, TCQ THAT WE'RE WORKING ON INVESTIGATING FURTHER, AND WE'RE MOVING THAT ALONG.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP OVER THERE ON THE RIGHT, WHAT YOU SEE, ONE CANCER STICKS OUT TO ME BECAUSE THE MOST RECENT DATA POINT IS THAT WE DO HAVE DIOXIN IN THE SOIL OVER THERE.
AND IF THAT DOIND IN THE SOIL OVER THERE IS PRESENT NOW, IT WAS PRESENT IN THE PAST.
AND THAT HAS BEEN AN EXPOSURE ROUTE FOR THIS COMMUNITY FOR
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A VERY LONG TIME.THE FOUR CENSUS TRACKS THAT ABUT THE SITE THAT REPRESENT 99%, I'D SAY, OF THE FENCE LINE EACH HAVE ELEVATED RATES OF LUNG CANCER.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT DIOXIN CAUSES, IT'S LUNG CANCER.
AND FROM THE COMMUNITY, LET ME FIRST START WITH KATHY BLUFORD DANIELS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERSISTENCE, UM, AND LOOKING INTO THIS CANCER CLUSTER, BUT PARTICULARLY THE CAREER.
THANK YOU TO, UH, ATTORNEY MENIFEE, SENATOR MILES, UM, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEAD THAT WERE, UM, HELPED AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE AN INTEREST IN AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS CANCER CLUSTER.
IN 2014, WHEN WE STARTED TO LOOK INTO WHAT WAS GOING ON AT UP, I WAS AT THAT TIME, PRESIDENT OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I HAD UP COME IN AND TRY TO EXPLAIN TO US WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THAT SITE.
HAD WE CONTINUED TO BE SILENT AND NOT SEEING ANY MOVEMENT OVER THERE, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.
AND SO I ASK YOU ALL TO LOOK INSIDE YOUR SHOULDS PUJA, YOU COVER EDUCATION.
HOW HAS THIS DAMALI, HOW HAS THIS IMPACTED OUR CHILDREN IN EDUCATION THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED IN THESE COMMUNITIES? THERE NEEDS TO BE STUDIES DONE ON OUR CHILDREN IF THERE'S BEEN AN IMPACT ON THEIR LEARNING ABILITY.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? BECAUSE THE CHILDREN IN THAT AREA ARE AT THE LOWEST PART OF THE, OF THE TOTEM POLE AS FAR AS STUDENT OUTCOME IS CONCERNED.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT.
OUR PRESENT, OUR PAST, AND OUR FUTURE.
CAN ANY OF YOU IMAGINE HOW SHE FEELS TODAY AS A MOTHER HAVING LOST HER SON TO LEUKEMIA TWO YEARS AGO? AND THIS COULD BE THE CRISO COULD BE A REASON WHY THAT CHILD WAS IMPACTED.
JUST IMAGINE LOSING YOUR CHILD, YOUR SON, YOUR DAUGHTER, YOUR NIECE, YOUR NEPHEW, YOUR MOTHER, YOUR FATHER.
SO DON'T LOOK AT THIS AS A SURFACE ISSUE.
LOOK AT THIS AS A HEARTFELT IS ISSUE.
PUT YOURSELF IN OUR POSITIONS, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE IMPACTED.
MY MY HUSBAND RIGHT NOW, AND I'VE NOT TALKED ABOUT IT VERY MUCH, HAS BEEN DEALING WITH CANCER FOR THE LAST NINE MONTHS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE'VE HAD GOING ON IN LIFE.
LET THE LAST NINE MONTHS TO SEE YOUR SPOUSE, YOUR CHILD, DETERIORATE IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES, ALMOST 18 YEARS WE'VE BEEN MARRIED.
AND TO BE THERE AND BE A CAREGIVER FOR YOUR HUSBAND OR YOUR CHILD AS THEY'RE BATTLING CANCER.
IF WE HAD NOT HAD SANDRA SMALL, SANDRA EDWARDS GOING OUT THERE, KNOCKING ON DOORS AND WAKING PEOPLE UP, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE WOULD BE RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THEY TOO ASSISTED IN SOUNDING THE ALARM.
BUT THE FACT THAT WE WERE NOT ASLEEP, MS. KRAVITZ WAS LOOKING OUT THE BACK DOOR.
MAYOR, WHEN I SAW THE MOVEMENT AND THE DUST OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING OVER THERE ON U P'S SITE, WE'VE GOTTA BE PROACTIVE.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO JUST BE COMPLACENT AND FOR UP OR EPA OR ANYBODY ELSE TO THINK THAT WE ARE GONNA GO AWAY.
MY YARD WAS ONE OF THOSE YARDS, A BLOCK FROM THERE THAT, THAT HAD THE HIGH DI DEION DIOXIDE DI DIOXINE.
OKAY? ONE OF, ONE OF THOSE, ONE OF THOSE ELEMENTS IN THE YARD.
MY MOTHER'S HOUSE IS OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
HOW LONG DO WE CONTINUE LOSING PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES WITHOUT OPTIONS OF HEALTHCARE ASSISTANCE? BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THOSE PEOPLE, THE IMMEDIATE INCOME IS 22, 20 $5,000.
AND THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO GO TO, IN SOME CASES, MD ANDERSON.
I'M SPENDING THREE DAYS A WEEK, USUALLY AT MD ANDERSON.
CAN YOU IMAGINE? CAN YOU IMAGINE IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE IT WITH, WITH SOMEONE THAT YOU LOVE? CAN YOU IMAGINE ALL THOSE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AT MD ANDERSON THAT ARE GOING THROUGH TREATMENT THAT NOW I'M A PART OF THAT VILLAGE BECAUSE MY HUSBAND MR. MAYOR, IS GOING THROUGH THAT TREATMENT? COME ON, GUYS.
DON'T, THEY DON'T, DON'T FEEL LIKE BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN YOUR BACKYARD.
THESE ARE PEOPLE, THESE LIVES HAVE BEEN CUT SHORT.
THE WHITAKER IS JUST BURIED A BROTHER YESTERDAY.
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WE DON'T KNOW.THEY LIVE UP TWO BLOCKS FROM THE THE SITE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHY THEY JUST BURIED A BROTHER.
THESE ARE PEOPLE, THESE ARE CHILDREN IN THIS AREA THAT HAVE GROWN UP IN THIS AREA.
SO IF WE APPEAL TO ANYTHING, TO ANY OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING OR HERE LISTENING, JUST REALIZE THESE ARE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN CUT SHORT, 13 YEARS OLD.
SHE WON'T HAVE ANY GRANDCHILDREN FROM THAT YOUNG MAN.
THAT LEGACY OF HER, HERS WILL NOT CONTINUE BECAUSE THAT CHILD IS GONE.
SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY SHE WOULD BE SO EMOTIONAL THAT SHE COULD NOT COME HERE TODAY.
THAT MARKS THE TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE LOSS OF A 13-YEAR-OLD CHILD TO LEUKEMIA.
SO HOW LONG WILL UP DRAG THEIR FEET? AND I SAID IT, AND I MEANT WHAT? I SAID.
WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH IT SINCE 20 20, 20 13, 20 14.
HOW LONG DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO WAIT US OUT? YOU THINK WE'RE JUST GONNA DIE OFF? NO, WE ARE GONNA STILL KEEP FIGHTING THIS.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, DO YOUR PART OFFER US RELOCATION.
IT'S NOT A LARGE COMMUNITY AT ALL.
AND WITH THE MONEY, THE BILLIONS OF MONEY THAT U UP MAKES, CERTAINLY THEY COULD, THEY COULD AFFORD TO BUY OUT 20, 30, 40 FAMILIES.
THAT'S LESS THAN PROBABLY A MILLION DOLLARS OR HALF, MAYBE THREE.
THAT'S A DROP IN THE BUCKET TO WHAT THEY MAKE GO RUNNING THEIR RAIL SYSTEM THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND FOR THEM TO SAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ABATE IT AND BUILD WALLS.
LEMME TELL YOU ANOTHER REASON WHY YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED.
'CAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN THE GROUND.
NOT ONLY IS IT ALREADY IN THE GROUND, BUT IT'S TRAVELING THROUGH THE WATER.
DIDN'T KNOW THAT, HUH? SO WE ALL COULD BE IMPACTED.
IT'S GOING THROUGH THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF IT IS GOING THERE, BUT IT'S GOING.
SO EVEN IF YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE NOT IMPACTED NOW, YOU COULD BE IN THE FUTURE.
THAT UP HAS, HAS, HAS NEGLECTED THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND ALL ALONG THIS RAIL LINE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
REMEMBER THAT? MOTHERS, FATHERS, CHILDREN, SISTERS, AND BROTHERS.
AND THEN BRING UP ANOTHER ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, UH, UH, JOTA STEVENS.
UM, I'M JOTA STEVENSON, THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER FIFTH WARD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AS, AS, UH, KATHY WAS SPEAKING JUST NOW, I JUST COULDN'T HELP BUT GO BACK IN TIME.
AND I REMEMBERED WHEN SHE CALLED ME ON THE PHONE AND SAID, I'M OUTSIDE.
AND, UH, UP IS, THEY'RE DIGGING UP THAT, THAT GROUND.
AND I SAID, WELL, THEY'RE DIGGING UP WHAT? THEY'RE DIGGING UP THE CONTAMINATION.
AND THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TOUCH IT.
THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TOUCH IT.
AND I REMEMBER THAT WELL, BECAUSE SHE ALSO SAID WHEN ONCE THEY FIGURED OUT OR SAW HER, THEY RUSHED, THEY RUSHED HER.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU HERE? THAT'S KIND OF NOT THE ACTIONS OF THOSE WHO ARE DOING SOMETHING THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, BUT MAYBE THE ACTIONS OF THOSE WHO ARE DOING SOMETHING THEY WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
AND THAT WAS AROUND 2013 OR 14.
SO WHEN I, WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, I ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT HOW MANY YEARS THAT WAS.
AND THEN I ALSO REMEMBERED THAT EVEN PRIOR TO THAT, THEY HAD MADE MOVES TO PURCHASE WATER RIGHTS FROM PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU OFFER A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO SOMEONE WHO ONLY HAS A DOLLAR 50 IN THEIR PURSE, THAT'S LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS, AND YOU REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SELLING, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SCIENTISTS.
YOU JUST WANNA BUY SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.
AND THEY, THEY COUNT ON OUR IGNORANCE,
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UNEDUCATED IGNORANCE.THEY COUNT ON IT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO MOVE AT SNAIL'S PACE OR KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO KEEP YOU ALIVE.
YOU SEE, LIKE THE MAYOR, I HAVE BEEN, I'VE HAD CANCER.
I WENT THROUGH THE TOUGHEST CHEMOTHERAPY THAT EXISTED, AND AFTERWARDS IT TOOK THE RADIATION DOCTORS TO DISCOVER I HAD A WHOLE NEW FORM OF CANCER THAT THEY NEVER SAW BEFORE I HAD CHEMO.
SO, YES, LIKE HE SAID, CANCER DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR TIME.
THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE STRONGER IT TAKES.
AND I AM SO TOUCHED THAT HE HAS FORMED A STRIKE TEAM.
AND WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT STRIKE TEAM, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT ABOUT WAS BATTLE GOING.
AND, YOU KNOW, SOLDIERS GOING TO BATTLE.
NO, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DEEPER THAN THAT BECAUSE WHAT HE SAID WAS THEY HAVE A STRATEGY, THEY HAVE SOME PROCESS THAT THEY'RE STILL TWEAKING.
BUT AT LEAST THE PROCESS IS SAYING, WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT WE CAN TO MOVE THE MOST VULNERABLE OUTTA HARM'S WAY.
THAT'S ALL WE'VE EVER ASKED FOR.
HELP, HELP PEOPLE THAT DON'T, THEY CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES.
WHEN YOU HAVE CANCER, YOU ARE IMPACTED EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND FINANCIALLY.
IT CAN TAKE A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN A PROFESSIONAL OR LAWYER AND IT CAN DROP THEM ALL THE WAY DOWN INTO POVERTY.
DO SOMETHING BESIDES TALK TO US.
AND I SEE, AND I'M SO PROUD OF A STRIKE TEAM THAT'S GONNA TAKE THAT ACTION, A STRIKE TEAM THAT'S GONNA AT LEAST HELP WIPE SOME OF THE TEARS OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN MY COMMUNITY, MY HISTORIC COMMUNITY.
IT'S A REASON A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS HAS LASTED A HUNDRED AND FIFTY FOUR, A HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE YEARS.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT THEY WERE THINKING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD JUST CRAWL INTO A HOLE, BUT GUESS WHAT? WE CAME OUT FIGHTING.
AND WE ARE NOT GONNA STOP FIGHTING.
AND JUST LIKE THIS, UH, KATHY IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT'S FIGHTING.
WE GOT THE TIP OF THE SPEAR, SANDRA EDWARDS.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THAT COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE THAT IS WHERE I WAS BORN WITH BRONCHITIS.
AND I HAVE NO PLANS TO MOVE ANYWHERE.
I SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE WHERE I WANNA LIVE SAFELY AND BREATHE THE AIR AND DRINK THE WATER, AND PLAY IN THE SOIL IF I WANT TO.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.
NOW LET ME BRING ON ARTURA MICHELLE FOR A MOMENT, UH, ON THE LEGAL SIDE.
UH, WHEN I RETURNED TO THIS OFFICE IN 2021, THE MAYOR, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE CITY HAD BEEN STRUGGLING TO FIND A RELIEF, A SOLUTION TO THIS.
WHAT CHANGED THAT YEAR IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BEGAN AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE.
AND THE MAYOR DEMANDED AND REACHED OUT AND GOT A MEETING AND SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH EPA ADMINISTRATOR REAGAN, WHO BECAME FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM AND SAID THAT EPA WOULD SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS.
LAST YEAR IN THE FALL, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AT THE MAYOR'S REQUEST, AND WORKING IN TANDEM WITH, UH, COUNTY ATTORNEY CHRISTIAN MENEFEE AND JIM BLACKBURN OF THE BAYOU CITY INITIATIVE, UH, WE FILED A DEMAND UNDER THE RESOURCE RECCO, UH, RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT.
IT'S COMMONLY KNOWN BY THE, THE INITIAL IT'S CRA IT'S ONE OF THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL LAW TOOLS THAT CITIZENS CAN USE TO GET RELIEF IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.
IT HAD A 60 DAY PAUSE BEFORE YOU COULD ACTUALLY INITIATE THE LAWSUIT.
BUT THAT PROCESS PROVED FRUITFUL BECAUSE THE PARTIES AGREED TO, UH, AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER ENTERED BY THE EPA UNDER CIRCLA, COMMONLY KNOWN AS SUPERFUND.
AND IN THAT, UH, ORDER, EPA IS REQUIRING CERTAIN THINGS, IT REQUIRED, UH, AN EXPANDED INVESTIGATION INTO DIOXIN IN THE OTHER ELEMENTS IN THAT AREA, IT REQUIRED REVIEW AND A LOOK AT THE OFFSITE INTRUSION OF, UH, SOIL AND GAS VAPORS.
IT, UH, REQUIRED REVIEW OF THE UTILITY CORRIDORS, INCLUDING THE VAPOR PATHWAYS.
[00:40:01]
UH, REQUIRED A FUNCTIONAL TOOL FOR HANDLING AND VIEWING SAMPLING DATA AND A COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM, AND ULTIMATELY A RISK ASSESSMENT.AND EVEN THOUGH THOSE WERE THEIR REQUIREMENTS, THE PARTIES WERE FREE TO NEGOTIATE THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE FRUSTRATED THE MAYOR TODAY THAT HE'S TALKED ABOUT.
BUT IT, WE HAVE MOVED FORWARD.
BUT SLOWLY IN THIS PROCESS, THE CITY IS TRYING TO DO ALL IT CAN.
ONE THING AT THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT, UH, WE HAVE HEARD IS PEOPLE SAY, WHY DOES THE CITY PERMIT DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA OR NEAR THAT AREA? SHOULDN'T THAT BE PROHIBITED? UH, STATE LAW DOES NOT ALLOW US TO DO THAT.
AND BUT WOULD WILL DO IS INCORPORATE INTO THE PERMITTING PROCESS, EXISTING NOTICES THAT ARE ALREADY OUT THERE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE, THE EPA WEBSITE.
SEVERAL, UH, MEDIA OUTLETS HAVE LINKS ABOUT THE PROBLEM THAT TALK NOT SIMPLY ABOUT PEOPLE'S CONCERNS, BUT THE, THE DATA THAT EXISTS.
AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO BUILD THERE AND THE PEOPLE WHO BUY THERE ARE FULLY AWARE, UH, OF ALL THESE ISSUES.
UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE BY REFERENCING AN UNRELATED MATTER EXCEPT RELATED IN AN IMPORTANT SENTIMENT.
UH, TWO DAYS AGO, A FEDERAL COURT HERE FOUND IN FAVOR OF THE CITY, UH, INVOLVING AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT HAD SUED THE CITY UNDER A CONSTITUTIONAL TAKINGS BECAUSE THE CITY HAD, UH, NOT GRANTED A PERMIT.
THIS WAS A PROPERTY THAT HAD REPEATEDLY FLOODED AFTER HARVEY, AND SOME OF OUR LAWYERS ARE OVER HERE, WHO, WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT VICTORY.
BUT IN THAT, THE REASON THE CITY PREVAILED IS THE COURT FOCUSED ON THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AUTHORITY THAT THE CITY HAS TO TAKE CARE OF ITS CITIZENS.
AND THE JUDGE THERE IN ONE OF THE MOST, I THINK, RELEVANT PARTS AND MOST POIGNANT PARTS, TALKED ABOUT THAT THE CITIZENS IN THAT COMPLEX HAD FEDERAL HOUSING VOUCHERS.
THE COURT NOTED THEY DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE AT WILL.
THEY DID NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY WERE AMONG THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I WOULD ASK THAT EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS ENTIRE PROCESS ADOPT THE SAME SENTIMENTS AND ADOPT THEM IMMEDIATELY.
NOW LEMME TURN TO STEVE COSTELLO.
UH, CITY OF HOUSTON, CHIEF RECOVERY OFFICER.
UH, WELL, YOU MAY WONDER WHY THE RECOVERY OFFICE IS ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN THIS CONFERENCE.
UH, RECOVERY SPANS ALL NEEDS, WHETHER IT'S FLOODING, REHABILITATION, OR PUBLIC HEALTH.
I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE TRANSPIRED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO IN 2020, THE CITY PRESENTED THE FIRST RESILIENT HOUSTON PLAN.
ONE OF THE MAJOR GOALS OF THE PLAN IS IN OUR QUOTE QUOTE, WE WILL LIVE SAFELY WITH WATER, WHICH PROMOTED THE PRINCIPLE OF RELOCATING RESIDENTS RESIDING IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS TO SAVE A HIGH GROUND.
FOLLOWING THAT PLAN ROLLOUT, THE CITY SOUGHT FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING FOR A PLANNING STUDY FOR A BUY-IN BUYOUT PROGRAM, AND RECEIVED A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLAR GRANT FROM HUD AS PART OF THE HARVEY DISASTER RECOVERY GRANT FUNDING.
THE PLAN'S BASIC GOAL IS TO REMOVE PEOPLE FROM HARM'S WAY, SWAPPING EXISTING PROPERTY FOR ANOTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY WITHIN HIGHER GROUND.
BUT NOW THE CONCEPT OF BUY-IN AND BUYOUT PROGRAM CAN BE APPLIED TO REMOVE PEOPLE BASED ON HEALTH AND SAFETY IN LIEU OF THE ORIGINAL INTENTION.
MAYOR, WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF YOUR INITIATIVE AND RECOMMENDATION TO CREATE THE STRIKE TEAM.
AND THE RECOVERY OFFICE LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE MULTIPLE TECHNICAL SERVICES OF THE CITY TO ENSURE THE OPTIONS REVIEWED WILL RESULT IN A FOCUS REMEDY FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE IN NEED MOST.
UM, PAM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY YES.
UH, PAMELA MATTHEWS, ONE OF THE COMMUNITY LEADERS, I THINK.
UH, MY NAME IS PAMELA MATTHEWS.
UH, I'VE LIVED IN FIFTH WARD SINCE I WAS FIVE.
UM, I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK TODAY TO NO ONE YET.
WHEN I WAS APPROACHED YESTERDAY, NO WAS IN MY MIND, BUT YES.
CAME OUT OF MY MOUTH BECAUSE I WAKE UP EVERY DAY AND I PRAY AND I ASK GOD TO CARRY ME JUST ANOTHER STEP, BECAUSE IT'S HARD LIVING IN A COMMUNITY WHERE NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THAT COMMUNITY.
MY MOM BOUGHT A HOUSE IN 19 72, 2 BLOCKS FROM UNION PACIFIC.
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TAKE YOUR TIME.MY KIDS GREW UP THERE, MY GRANDKIDS.
WE PUT EVERYTHING WE HAD VESTED INTO THAT PROPERTY, AND WE MADE DO.
AND WE WERE HAPPY AND WE HAD GOD.
AND WE, WE DIDN'T THINK FOR ONE SECOND THAT WE WERE AT RISK.
EVERYBODY IN THIS WORLD MATTERS.
TODAY, I UNDERSTAND WHY THE YOUNG LADY THAT LOST HER 13-YEAR-OLD DIDN'T WANNA BE HERE.
THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE YOUR HEART IS HEAVY.
A YEAR AGO TODAY, MY MOM PASSED FROM CANCER.
GOD SAID DIFFERENT FOR ME, I GUESS BECAUSE THIS DAY CAME MM-HMM
AND I HAD TO BE A PART OF IT, AND I FOUGHT IT.
BUT GOD BLESSES THOSE WHO DO THE THINGS THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO DO, THAT HE SAYS TO DO.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE, BECAUSE SOMEBODY NEEDS TO SPEAK UP THAT IS GOING THROUGH IT.
MY KIDS AND I AND MY GRANDKIDS HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE LIKE THE REST OF THE WORLD.
AND THE CITY LIVES WITHOUT BEING IN HARM'S WAY BY DIGGING UP YOUR FLOWER BED.
SHE HAD 'EM ALL OVER HER YARD.
NOBODY TOLD US THAT THAT WAS SI HELPED HER.
HER YARD IS, IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT SHE CAN'T SEE THAT ANYMORE.
I'M ANGRY, I'M DEPRESSED HALF OF THE TIME, BUT I HAVE TO FUNCTION MM-HMM
BECAUSE I RUN A RESTAURANT AND I, I HAVE FAMILY THAT I NEED TO SHOW HOW TO JUST KEEP PUTTING THAT FOOT FORWARD AND MOVING FORWARD REGARDLESS, BECAUSE I'M SO GRATEFUL TODAY THAT GOD LED ME HERE BECAUSE I THOUGHT NOBODY CARED.
AND IT, IT WAS JUST BRUSHED UNDER THE TABLE.
I'M GONNA FIGHT UNTIL I TAKE MY LAST BREATH, BECAUSE I REFUSE TO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANY MORE MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY.
MY BROTHER, SHE, HE'S STILL LIVING THERE TOO.
HE HAS CANCER AND HIS TERMINAL AS WELL.
I LISTEN TO THE PLANS THAT WERE PRESENTED AND BROUGHT FORTH.
PLEASE DON'T BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT I ALWAYS SEEM TO SAY A PAIR OF LIPS WILL SAY ANYTHING.
IF WE'D HAVE KNOWN BEFORE WE SPENT OUR MONEY INTO THIS PROPERTY THAT THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN, I'M SURE WE WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT.
WHY SHOULD UNION PACIFIC MAKE ALL THAT MONEY AND HARM ALL THESE PEOPLE AND NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT? THAT'S JUST LIKE TAKING, UH, NUCLEAR WASTE AND POUR IT INTO THE OCEANS THAT WE FISH IN.
WHY CAN'T UNION PACIFIC BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE? DON'T WE MATTER? DON'T THEY HAVE BOUNDARIES AS WELL? WHO'S GONNA HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE? THAT'S RIGHT.
AND I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO HAVE CANCER.
AFTER PRAYING AND CRYING, I WAS IN PAIN FOR EIGHT MONTHS NONSTOP.
BUT I BELIEVED, AND LIKE I SAID, YOU KEEP FIGHTING.
AND I THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING FOR US BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE ACCESS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY WE HAVE.
BECAUSE WE CALLED DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND PUT ON HOLD FOR HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS, OR BE BEING PUSHED UNDER THE RUG AND SAID, OKAY, WE ARE GONNA GET OUT THERE.
NO ONE CAME TO MY MOM'S YARD TO TEST ANYTHING.
I PASSED THE RAIL YARD EVERY DAY GOING TO AND FROM WORK.
[00:50:01]
DO SOMETHING.BECAUSE SO MANY LIVES ARE DEPENDENT ON IT.
SO I I PRAY EVERY DAY THAT MY GRANDKIDS HAVE A CHANCE.
SOMEBODY HAS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
I KNOW IT'S, IT'S BEEN A LOT THAT'S BEEN SAID.
IF YOU CAN SUM UP A SONG IN SPANISH, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
I KNOW YOU'VE, UH, YOU'VE BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT TAKE THEM NOW, MICROPHONE.
THEY'LL COME OVER THE, UH, THANK YOU.
IS THE CITY PREPARED TO PAY FOR A BUYOUT PROGRAM IF UNION PACIFIC DOESN'T STAND UP TO DO THIS? WELL, THAT'S WHY WE'VE PUT IN TOGETHER THE STRIKEFORCE TEAM.
WE DECIDED TO, TO START THE EFFORTS OF, UH, LOOKING INTERNALLY FOR FUNDING, LOOKING OUTSIDE FOR FUNDING AS WELL.
UH, IT IS A COMPLICATED MATTER, BUT YES, WE'VE DECIDED IRRESPECTIVE OF UP THAT WE NEED TO START MOVING FUND, UH, FORWARD TO TRY TO PUT FORTH THE NECESSARY DOLLARS IN ORDER TO GET THIS DONE.
AND I THINK THE ESTIMATE THAT WE HAVE THAT SEEKING, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, FOR THOSE THAT ARE RIGHT IN THAT IMMEDIATE ZONE, I THINK THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT IS ABOUT 20.
24 TO $26 MILLION IS WHAT WE ARE SEEKING TO COME UP WITH.
AND IS THERE, SO I, RESPECTIVE OF UPP, WE'RE ALSO HOPING, UH, THAT EVEN SOME OF OUR FEDERAL, UH, THAT OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, UH, WILL JOIN US IN THIS EFFORT.
IT SHOULDN'T JUST HAVE TO BE THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON CAN'T WAIT FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND SO WE NEED TO START MOVING FORWARD.
SO WHETHER THEY'RE AVAILABLE, CDBG DOLLARS OR DOLLARS THAT WE CAN PULL FROM OTHER SOURCES, UM, WE ST WE NEED TO START THIS PROCESS.
AND IN CREATING THIS POOL, THAT'S THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE STRIKE FORCE.
SO WHETHER UP COMES ABOARD OR NOT, UM, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER A RELOCATION PROGRAM.
DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE THAT YOU'RE GONNA TRY TO HOLD THE STRIKE TEAM TOO? UM, WE ARE GOING, I MEAN, IT'S THE MOVE POST HASTE.
I WOULD LIKE TO GET THINGS DONE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BEFORE I LEAVE.
AND SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LESS THAN SIX MONTHS.
SO WE ARE ON A VERY QUICK PATH.
UM, I'VE ALSO REACHED OUT, FOR EXAMPLE, TO, UH, UH, COUNTY ATTORNEY CHRISTIAN MENIFEE.
WE TALKED, UM, THIS MORNING AS WELL.
AND SO WE'LL LOOK TO JOIN WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, CITY, THE COUNTY, UH, ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UH, THERE WAS A CONVERSATION, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT I HAD WITH ADMINISTRATIVE REAGAN, UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT A POTENTIAL, AND I DON'T WANNA HOLD THEM TO THIS, UH, BUT IT WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT RELOCATION.
UM, BUT SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE ARE RIGHT NOW LIVING IN A DANGEROUS ZONE.
PEOPLE ALSO WANT TO REMAIN IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S ONLY, IT IS ABOUT, UH, PROVIDING, UH,
[00:55:01]
RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LIMITED IN THEIR MEANS TO RELOCATE THEM IN THEIR SAME AREA, BUT AWAY FROM, UH, THIS DANGER ZONE.I DON'T KNOW, MR. CASTELLO, MAYBE THIS IS FOR YOU, BUT IS THERE A WORLD IN WHICH THIS COULD EVER BE A MANDATORY BUYOUT? OR WILL IT BE A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM? WELL, THAT WOULD REALLY DEPEND ON THE CITY AND THE FUNDING SOURCE.
SO USUALLY WHEN YOU HAVE FEDERAL DOLLARS, IT'S ALWAYS A VOLUNTARY EMINENT DOMAIN ISSUE.
BUT, UH, I WOULD THINK THAT MAYBE THE CITY MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER THAT IN THE FUTURE.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON, ONCE WE FORMULATE THE PLAN AND PUT THE STRIKE TEAM TOGETHER, AND OBVIOUSLY MEET WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE EFFECTIVE RESIDENTS, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
I MYSELF, IF I WAS LIVING THERE, I WOULD VOLUNTEER RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
AND I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE, UM, WHERE THERE ARE, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES, UH, EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO BE CONCERNED.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON, STATE GOVERNMENT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, EVERY LEVEL SHOULD BE CONCERNED.
UM, BUT IT DOESN'T HELP ANYONE FOR US TO CONTINUOUSLY AS, UH, AS MS. MATTHEW SAID, JUST TALK ABOUT IT AND NOT, YOU KNOW, BE ABOUT IT OR DO ANYTHING.
SO WE'VE DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS RELOCATION EFFORT.
AND THEN, UH, HOPEFULLY OTHER PARTNERS WILL JOIN, UH, ON, IN THIS JOURNEY.
HAS THE CITY EVER TAKEN ON A RELOCATION EFFORT LIKE THIS OR ANYTHING THIS LARGE BEFORE? OR IS THIS KIND OF THE FIRST TIME, FIRST TIME, THIS WOULD BE THE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME.
AND HOW CAN YOU GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL REMAIN A PRIORITY? LIKE YOU SAID, MAYOR, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE MAYOR FOR LONGER THAN ANOTHER SIX MONTHS.
HOW CAN YOU MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS ACTION IN THE FUTURE AND THAT THIS REMAINS A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY AND PO THE FACT THAT WE ARE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU WILL HELP TO MAKE THAT MM-HMM
EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU BECOME WITNESSES TO WHAT WE ARE DOING.
EVERY ONE OF YOU AND OTHERS HEARD, UH, WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS SAID, AND THE FACT THAT, UM, LATONIA PAYNE WANTING TO BE HERE COULDN'T BE HERE EMOTIONALLY, BECAUSE TOMORROW IS A, IS THE TWO YEAR, I GUESS YOU SAY, UM, ANNIVERSARY THAT HER SON PASSED 13 YEARS OLD.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE DECIDED IN TALKING WITH MY TEAM IS THAT, UH, WE NEEDED TO GET STARTED.
WE NEEDED TO PUT THE PLOW IN THE GROUND, SO TO SPEAK, AND START THIS, UH, UH, RELOCATION, UM, UH, EFFORT.
UM, AND THEN HOPEFULLY, UM, THE NEXT MAYOR WILL FOLLOW THROUGH WHOEVER THE NEXT MAYOR IS.
BUT ONE THING FOR CERTAIN, AND, AND I, AND I SHARE THE SENTIMENT OF ALL THESE COMMUNITY, UM, PEOPLE, UH, INDIVIDUALS, THEY'RE NOT GOING AWAY.
THE FIGHT IS NOT GOING TO STOP.
UM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU ON A PERSON NOTE, WHAT, UH, DRIVES ME ON THIS ISSUE WHEN I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE, AND BILL KELLY IS BACK THERE IN 2007, THERE WAS A MOTHER WHO CAME TO MY OFFICE WHO WAS TRYING TO ENROLL HER SON, 14 AT THE TIME IN THE CHILDREN HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM, CHIP, HE HAD CANCER.
AND THE STATE HAD PUT UP A ROBE, A BARRIER TO KEEP THE KID FROM GETTING ENROLLED IN CHIP.
AND IT TOOK US FOUR MONTHS TO FIGHT TO GET DEVONTE JOHNSON ENROLLED.
BY THE TIME WE GOT HIM ENROLLED IN THE CHILDREN HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM, THE CANCER HAD PROGRESS AND WE COULD NOT SAVE HIM.
I WENT TO THAT FUNERAL AND I SAID I WOULD DO EVERYTHING THAT I COULD TO KEEP OTHER CHILDREN FROM FACING THAT FAITH.
AND THAT IS WHEN WE WENT BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE AND FOUGHT TO CHANGE THOSE RESTRICTIONS SO THAT OTHER CHILDREN COULD ENROLL IN TIME AND THEIR LIVES COULD BE SAVED.
NOW HERE WE ARE HERE, AND THE QUESTION IS, DO WE CONTINUE TO WAIT AND PEOPLE AND FAMILIES CONTINUE TO, UH, BE DIAGNOSED, SUFFER, AND IN AND IN SOME CASES DIE? OR DO WE DO WHAT WE CAN NOW? AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS CLEAR.
THE CITY HAS A RESPONSIBILITY.
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THEY ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE PERSONS.UH, THEY ARE LIMITED BY THEIR MEANS, AND WE DON'T, AND WE HAVE A MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO COME TO THEIR AID.
AND SO WE'LL START THIS PROGRAM.
WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO, TO PROVIDE DOLLARS INTO THIS PROGRAM, AND THEN HOPEFULLY, WHETHER IT'S ON THE STATE LEVEL OR OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS WILL JOIN WITH US, UH, IN THIS EFFORT.
UH, WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO'VE ALREADY BEEN IMPACTED, IMPACTED ALREADY.
WAS THAT FAMILY A RESIDENT OF THE FIFTH WARD AREA THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING? THE DEVONTE AND HIS MOM? DEVONTE WAS NOT.
BUT CORINTHIAN, UH, WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN, WELL, TWO YEARS, HE WOULD'VE BEEN 16, 15.
HE WOULD'VE WOULD'VE BEEN 15, 16, AUGUST 9TH.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN JULY TWO DAYS NOW.
CORINTHIAN GILES IN THIS AREA.
UH, HIS MOM RIGHT THERE IN THE AREA.
AND MAY I APOLOGIZE IF YOU DISCUSSED THIS IN THE VERY BEGINNING.
UM, BUT HOW CLOSELY IS UNION PACIFIC WORKING WITH YOU GUYS? ARE THEY COOPERATING AND ARE THERE ANY, UH, MEASURES YOU CAN TAKE WITH EPA OR TCEQ TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO BRING ABOUT ANY FINES OR ANYTHING? THE, THE DISCUSSION HAS BEEN ON HOW LONG THIS HAS BEEN DRAGGING OUT FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE IF THIS CONTINUES TO DRAG ON AND IT'S NOT ADDRESSED IN A TIMELY MANNER? WELL, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED OUT, AND I CERTAINLY WILL DEFER TO ARTURO.
YOU KNOW, WE STARTED THE PROCESS BY STARTING THE LITIGATION PROCESS WITH THE COUNTY WITH BCI
AND THE CITY TOOK THE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST UP.
UM, AND THEY HAVE BEEN AT THE TABLE TRYING, AND BECAUSE WE PAUSED, UH, PART OF THE LITIGATION FOR EVERYBODY TO COME TO THE TABLE TO TRY TO REACH SOME SORT OF NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT.
UH, AND IN THE PROCESS, UM, THE EPA, UH, CALLED ON AND ORDERED UP TO EXPAND THEIR TESTING.
THEY'VE, THEY'RE EXPANDING THEIR TESTING.
BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT WHILE WE ARE ON AT THE TABLE, THE PARTIES TRYING TO REACH A RESOLUTION ON THIS MATTER, UH, UP HAS BEEN, HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO DISCUSS RELOCATION AT ALL.
AND THE POSITION THAT UP HAS TAKEN IS THAT THEY WANNA WAIT FOR ALL OF THE TESTING TO BE DONE AND TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT YES, CANCER EXISTS.
BUT IS IT, IS IT THE, IS THERE A CAUSAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CANCER AND THEIR CREOLE OR THEIR RAILROAD OPERATION? UH, AND, AND I HAVE PERSONALLY REACHED OUT TO THE CEO OF UP, I HAVE TALKED TO THE C UH, CEO AND I'VE ASKED THE CEO, LET'S PUT RELOCATION EVEN NOW ON THE TABLE.
LET'S AT LEAST START WORKING THROUGH THE LOGISTICS BECAUSE RELOCATION IS A COMPLEX PROCESS.
AND LET'S NOT WAIT UNTIL FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD AND THEN START TALKING ABOUT IT.
I'VE BEEN A LAWYER FOR 40 PLUS YEARS, I UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS, BUT RELOCATION CAN BE ON THE TABLE AND WE CAN START WORKING THROUGH THE LOGISTICS SO THAT WE ARE NOT FURTHER DELAYING THE INEVITABLE.
BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN WILLING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
WELL, THE CITY CAN NO LONGER JUST WAIT.
WE CAN'T DO THAT WHILE WE WATCH TEST AND LITIGATE PEOPLE AND FAMILIES ARE SUFFERING AND DYING.
SO THE CITY HAS DECIDED, WE HAVE DECIDED THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY SEPARATE AND APART FROM UP AND ANYBODY ELSE TO DO OUR PART, TO RELOCATE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING DIRECTLY IN HARM'S WAY TO OTHER AREAS IN THAT COMMUNITY.
BUT TO GET THEM, GIVE THEM OPTIONS.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE MEANS, YOU DON'T HAVE OPTIONS.
YOU DON'T HAVE OPTIONS WHERE YOU GONNA GO.
THANK YOU, KATHY, I'M SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND.
DID I ANYTHING? NO, I THINK THE MAYOR CAPTURED IT, UH, COMPLETELY.
WE TOOK A PATH THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD GET US, UH, AT LEAST SOME THINGS AND PERHAPS ALL OF IT IN THE QUICKEST POSSIBLE WAY, BUT ONLY PART OF THAT IS MANDATORY.
PART OF IT REQUIRES COOPERATION FROM ALL OTHER PARTIES BECAUSE ENVIRONMENTAL LITIGATION CAN LAST YEARS AND YEARS.
HI, UM, ELENA BRIS WITH, UH, THE HOUSTON LANDING.
AND I THINK THIS QUESTION ACTUALLY MIGHT BE FOR YOU.
UH, SO YOU MENTIONED, UM, TRYING TO, UM, COMMUNICATE WITH RESIDENTS AND LANDLORDS ABOUT MOVING INTO THE
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PROPERTY, UH, IN THE AREA THAT'S CONTAMINATED.SO RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA THAT JUST MOVED IN MM-HMM
AND SO I'M WONDERING WHAT'S THE INCENTIVE FOR LANDLORDS TO TELL THEIR TENANTS THAT THEY'RE MOVING INTO AN AREA THAT IS CONTAMINATED? BECAUSE I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, SOME LANDLORDS MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN JUST MAKING THE PROPERTY FULL OF TENANTS RATHER THAN NOT.
SO I MEAN, WHAT CAN THE CITY DO ABOUT THAT? WELL, AS I SAID BEFORE, THERE ARE SEVERAL SOURCES WHERE IT'S AVAILABLE NOW.
AND PART OF THIS, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS THAT WE'VE ENTERED INTO REQUIRES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
AND SO WE, WE WILL CONTINUE AND ASK ALL THE PARTNERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THAT TO REACH OUT AND MAKE, YOU KNOW, DISSEMINATE THIS INFORMATION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE, THE QUICKEST WAY TO GET IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DEAL WITH HERE IS SPEED.
AS THE MAYOR SAID, YOU DO NOT WANT TO WAIT LONG.
AND SO WE'RE MOVING IN THE FASHION THAT WE THINK CAN COMMUNICATE THIS AS, AS, AS, AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
THERE MAY BE SOME FLAWS, BUT THAT'S THE APPROACH.
AND WILL THOSE, UH, COMMUNITY MEETINGS ALSO BE, UH, TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH? A LOT OF THESE FAMILIES ARE PRIMARILY SPANISH SPEAKING AND DUNNO ANY ENGLISH.
UM, AND THEY MIGHT BE NEW TO THE AREA.
YEAH, WE HAVE, THERE'LL BE INTERPRETATION SERVICES AVAILABLE.
THE, UH, $26 MILLION FIGURE THAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, HOW MANY HOUSEHOLDS WOULD THAT COVER FOR RELOCATION, ROUGHLY? WELL, THERE'S, THERE'S OVER 110 LOTS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY CENTERED OVER THE PLUME.
APPROXIMATELY 60 LOTS ARE EITHER RENTER OR OWNER OCCUPIED.
SO THOSE WOULD BE THE FIRST THING.
THE FIRST AREA THAT THE STRIKE TEAM WOULD FOCUS ON WOULD BE THE OCCUPIED STRUCTURES.
THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE QUOTING, UH, NEEDS TO BE UPDATED A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THE COST OF REAL ESTATE IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING, BUT IT INCLUDES ACQUISITION OF ALL LOTS SO THAT WE HAVE THE WHOLE AREA CLEARED.
AND I KNOW YOU SAID, UH, YOU WANNA START THIS PROCESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT ONCE THAT PROCESS STARTS, THE RELOCATION PROCESS, HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO RELOCATE EVERYBODY, DO YOU THINK? GOOD.
SO THE, IF WE IMPLEMENT A BUYOUT BUY-IN PROGRAM, IT'S, IT, THE WHOLE CONCEPT AS A MAYOR WAS DESCRIBING IS, IS THAT PEOPLE ARE BORN AND RAISED IN THAT COMMUNITY.
THEY WANNA STAY IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE'D WANT TO LOCATE THEM IN THE COMMUNITY SOMEWHERE ELSE OUT OF HARM'S WAY THAT COULD TAKE A WHILE.
UH, AND YET SOME PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND SO WE WOULD HAVE TO HELP THEM IN TERMS OF THE ASSISTANCE IN FINDING A LOT THAT WOULD BE CONTINUED FOR WHERE THEY WOULD LIKE TO LIVE.
SO, UH, AS THE MAYOR SAYS, THIS IS THE FIRST EFFORT THAT WE'RE GONNA CREATE THIS STRIKE FORCE AND, AND IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY FIRST TO TALK TO THE COMMUNITY AND TELL 'EM WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH THE STRIKEFORCE TEAM AND, AND GET THEIR BUY-IN AS WELL.
BUT, UH, TO BE ABLE TO PUT A TIME FRAME ON IT, IT'S, IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY RIGHT NOW.
IT WILL SPAN MULTIPLE ADMINISTRATIONS.
COULD YOU GIVE US A FEW MORE SPECIFICS ABOUT WHAT THAT STRIKE TEAM IS DOING? LIKE WHAT'S STEP ONE AND STEP TWO, STEP THREE FOR THEM? WELL, FOR RIGHT NOW IT'S THE, IS I AM ASSEMBLING THAT STRIKE TEAM AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, PEOPLE FROM OUR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S WHERE ALL THE CBG DOLLARS, ALL OF THAT FLOWS.
UH, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UH, FROM THE REAL ESTATE MARKET, UH, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT OUTSIDE PARTNERS AS WELL.
UH, WE CERTAINLY, UH, MY GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH UH, UH, EPA WITH HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THEY WILL BE A PART OF THIS TEAM.
UM, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY WILL BE A PART OF THE STRIKE FORCE.
SO IT, IT IS, IT'S A, IT IS INTENDED TO BE HOLISTIC, BUT ONE THAT'S CAPABLE OF MOVING VERY QUICKLY.
I WILL BE ASKING, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COUNTY TO JOIN US, UH, ON THIS STRIKE TEAM.
UM, AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR, UM, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT COME WITH A LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND ALSO PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF ALSO HELPING TO, TO RAISE FUNDS.
UH, FOR THIS BUYOUT PROGRAM, UH, WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, IDENTIFIED LIKE THREE ZONES THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
UH, ONE ZONE IS LIKE THOSE, THOSE PERSONS OR BUSINESSES WHO LIVE DIRECTLY ABOVE THE PLUME IN THAT AREA.
THEN THERE'S A ZONE TWO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT FURTHER OUT, AND THEN THERE'S ZONE THREE THAT'S MUCH FURTHER OUT.
AND OF COURSE, IN TERMS OF PRIORITIES, YOU WANNA DEAL WITH ZONE ONE FIRST, THEN TWO, THEN THREE.
UH, BUT THAT'S A PART OF WHAT WILL BE COVERED BY THIS ENTIRE STRIKE TEAM.
AND SO WE WANNA LOOK AT A POTENTIAL TIMELINE ON HOW FAST WE CAN GO ON DOLLARS THAT WE CAN PULL FROM.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, THE FEDERAL PARTNER PARTICIPATION IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT BECAUSE WE THINK THIS LINES UP
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VERY NICELY WITH JUSTICE 40, UH, THAT THE BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION A VERY, UH, SENSITIVE TO, UH, BECAUSE IT'S I PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM THAT EXISTS.SO THAT STRIKE TEAM IS ONE THAT, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, THAT I'M PUTTING TOGETHER WELL, AND THEY'RE CHARGED WITH MOVING WITH THE GREATEST DEGREE OF URGENCY TO DO AS MUCH AS WE HUMANLY POSSIBLY CAN OVER THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS.
ANYONE ELSE? YOU ALL HAVE BEEN VERY GRACIOUS, VERY PATIENT.
LET ME THANK ALL OF YOU UNANIM, MS. MATTHEWS, KATHY, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, GEERS, ANYTHING ELSE YOU THINK YOU NEED TO INCLUDE ME? THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH.
KIN, STEVE COSTELLO, TARA, MICHELLE, AND JUDY.
AND STEVE WILLIAMS, WHO I KNOW, UH, IS LISTENING WHO DEFINITELY WANTED TO BE HERE.
UH, LET ME THANK, LET ME THANK, UH, DIRECTOR WILLIAMS FOR HIS, FOR HIS WORK.