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EPA HONORS 10 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEROES

Release Date: 4/21/2000
Contact Information: Randy Wittorp, U.S. EPA, 415-744-1589, Cell Phone, 510-305-7878

      SAN FRANCISCO -- During an Earth Day ceremony in Los Angeles today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Felicia Marcus presented plaques to ten California organizations and individuals in recognition of their efforts to protect and preserve the environment in 1999.

     "Today's honorees have applied creativity, teamwork and leadership in addressing many of Southern California's most pressing and complex environmental problems," Marcus said.  "Thanks to the efforts of these individuals, our air, water and land will be cleaner and safer for generations to come.  The winners -- in fact all of the nominees -- set an example for all of us to follow."

     The EPA Region 9 Earth Day Celebration acknowledges commitment and significant contributions to the environment in California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada and tribal lands.  Forty-six groups and individuals were selected from 164 nominees received this year from businesses, media, local, state and federal government officials, tribes, environmental organizations and citizen activists.

The Southern California winners are:

             Environmental, Community or Non-Profit

People Organized for Worker and Environmental Rights "POWER," (Los Angeles)
     This youth group in South Central Los Angeles has brought to light environmental injustice concerns about multiple pollution sources in the community.  POWER has conducted a variety of environmental education and awareness projects, including efforts on lead poisoning prevention, used motor oil recycling, storm drain awareness, and identifying schools built on toxic sites.  The group was instrumental in identifying problems at current and future LA school sites.
POWER has given a voice to the South Central community.
     
The Center For Community Action and Environmental Justice (Riverside)
     The center is a non-profit organization formed in 1993 as a resource and support center for communities working to better their social and natural environment.  In response to impacts from the Stringfellow Acid Pits, an abandoned toxic dump, community members demonstrated that a
small group of committed people could force changes that not only protect and improve their own lives but also result in public policy changes for all.  Beyond Stringfellow, the group is involved in a wide range of projects to protect air quality, reduce solid and hazardous waste, promote alternatives to pesticides and address environmental hazards at schools.
     
Earth Communications Office (Los Angeles)
     ECO works with the entertainment industry to produce and distribute worldwide public service ad campaigns on environmental issues like consumption, waste, and global warming. Its 1999 campaign, "Think More, Use Less," was seen on 10,000 theater screens and was shown by
180 television stations in 60 countries.  The newest campaign, "A Perfect Balance" -- produced with the Union of Concerned Scientists -- aims to educate and inspire a billion viewers worldwide to take action on global warming. Speakers at the kickoff event included Al Gore, Patrick Stewart and Nobel- winning environmental scientist Dr. Mario Molina.  Viewers can find local groups and get involved by visiting www.OneEarth.org, which gets 150,000 hits per week.
     
Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles
     Concerned Citizens is at the forefront of developing environmental leadership among youth.  Through its Youth Development Program, local high school students learn more about environmental topics and how to increase community awareness.  Participants delayed the opening of a
local middle school over the need for further environmental testing, and are currently developing a community panel with the LA School District to assist in identifying potential school locations. Concerned Citizens also operates a lead poisoning prevention program that trains high school students to give presentations to elementary schoolchildren, which has resulted in a 20 percent increase in the number of children screened for blood lead levels.
                             
                        Individual
     
Andy Lipkis, TreePeople (Los Angeles)
     Under the leadership of founder and president Lipkis, TreePeople inspires Los Angelenos to take responsibility for the urban forest by educating and supporting them as they plant and care for trees. TreePeople is responsible for planting over 1.5 million trees in greater LA over the past 25 years. The organization also runs an environmental education program that reaches 1.3
million students a year by operating eco-tours, and by running in-school assemblies and classroom
programs. TreePeople is now undertaking a retrofit of the LA landscape called T.R.E.E.S. (Trans Agency Resources for Environmental and Economic Sustainability) that will allow the city to function as a living ecosystem and help minimize the threat of flooding, drought and pollution.
     
        Local, State, Tribal or Federal Government
     
Ruth Galanter, Councilwoman Los Angeles
     As councilwoman for the Sixth District of Los Angeles for the past 12 years, Galanter has worked to preserve and protect the environment.  In 1999, she introduced legislation to adopt building guidelines requiring energy efficient strategies and materials, and has also required the city to use green power wherever feasible.  Galanter also crafted an ordinance that requires
ultra-low-flush toilets in all new construction projects, which would save millions of gallons of water.  She pushed the LA Department of Water & Power to expand its electric vehicle fleet and increase the number of charging locations throughout L.A.  Galanter worked with the city to restore the El Segundo Dunes, the Los Angeles Venice Canals, and the Ballona Lagoon.
     
  Business, Industry, Trade or Professional Organization
           
     Property Prep, Inc.,  Paul Polizzotto (Lawndale)
     As the founder and president of industrial cleaning company Property Prep, Inc., Polizzotto has been a leader in originating and pioneering "zero-discharge" cleaning of indoor and outdoor parking facilities.  He has developed practices that enable environmentally-compliant cleaning of
parking structures and outdoor parking areas without discharge of any polluted water to storm drains. Polizzotto has worked hard in educating others about the problems associated with pressure washing activities and discharge to the storm drain system.  In addition, he has made presentations to water quality control boards on this issue as well, and has contacted many municipalities who are struggling to achieve compliance with their storm water permits.
     
     American Livery, Inc., Rick Shorling (Santa Ana) Founded last year, American Livery is a taxi firm that powers all its cars, sedans and vans with ultra-low emission compressed natural gas. It is believed to be the only 100 percent"clean air" taxi fleet in the United States. The normal taxi runs about 1,500 miles per week at about 15 miles per gallon. Each American Livery taxi reduces the consumption of 100 gallons of gasoline per week. With its 50 vehicle fleet in operation over 52 weeks, this means a reduction of 260,000 gallons of gasoline and its resultant air pollution. Rick Shorling has overcome many obstacles in getting American Livery up and running, including attracting drivers, the limited range of the vehicles, and indifference of local governments to the use of alternative fuels vehicles.
     
     Pickens Fuel Corporation (Seal Beach)
     Pickens Fuel Corporation operates a network of 30+ natural gas fueling stations in Southern California and Arizona, and is now the nation's leading provider of natural gas as an alternative fuel. It has created a successful model for the use of natural gas in garbage trucks, buses, taxis and vans, and works closely with environmentally conscious agencies. In 1999, Pickens Fuel secured approximately $20 million in grant funds for its customers to purchase new natural gas vehicles or repower existing diesel engines into natural gas.  The corporation also offers assistance to those who want to operate their fueling station.
     
     EV Rental Cars (Los Angeles)
     EV Rental Cars introduced the first-ever electric vehicle rental fleet in the nation. Opening its doors at Los Angeles International Airport, EV gave travelers an environmentally
conscious alternative to gas-guzzling rent-a-cars and became a partner with Budget Rent A Car.  Services have been extended to four other California airports. EV Rentals estimates that with the its current (and growing) 1,500 rentals a year, at least one ton of pollution has been prevented from entering California air.  The program promotes clean vehicles, builds the refueling infrastructure on site for the cars, directly displaces petroleum and tailpipe emissions, reaches people in their daily routines, and incorporates sustainable environmental technology without disruption.