Carson Activists Demonstrate Grassroots Power as Kinder Morgan Retreats to the Planning Commission 
By Jaime Ruiz

     At the May 4th Carson City Council meeting, nearly one hundred and fifty concerned citizens, environmentalists and organization members from Carson and surrounding areas amassed in opposition to an oil and gasoline tank farm expansion proposal. As a result of grassroots organizing, citizens sent a direct message to the city council expressing a community-wide concern for increased pollution and its deleterious impact on health and environment. A combination of intense political pressure and a threatened legal fight has delayed decision-making by the Carson City Council, as Houston-based Kinder Morgan (KM), one of the largest pipeline interests in the US, requested their proposal sent back to the Planning Commission for more “environmental research.” 
KM wants to build an additional 19 new oil and gasoline storage tanks in Carson, 18 80,000 gallon tanks and one for mixed fuel. Pipelines transport the petroleum, the same type of Kinder Morgan pipeline that recently ruptured about 30 miles northeast of San Francisco on April 27, in KM’s latest spill, which dumped an estimated 40,000 gallons of diesel fuel into Suisun Marsh, California’s second-largest surviving natural marsh. The tanks will have floating roofs, purposefully designed to leak so that vapors can escape. The current site emits 171 tons of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and, upon completion, will have a net increase of 121 tons of VOCs. VOCs are widely known to have harmful health effects. Both William Kinder and William Morgan have Enron backgrounds, the former as president before Kenneth Lay, the latter a pipeline executive.
     Through mass mailings, flyers, and activist organizing, concerned citizens have raised an effective and broad-based campaign to inform the public. Editha James, lifelong Carson resident, felt compelled to attend her first council meeting after receiving one of thousands of flyers, particularly after the passing of her mother-in-law due to cancer. Cherry James, who spent decades at Carson parks involved in athletics and caring for kids, is remembered throughout the city. 
     Robert Lesley, host of Carson Speaks-Up, told Random Lengths the show has received several calls inquiring about the impact of the proposal and its affect on the air quality in the community. The city received 1 letter of support for KM, 169 in opposition, excluding a delivery of an additional 150 letters.
     Many organizations attended, including the Coalition For A Safe Environment, Eco-Link, Sierra Club, California Earth Corps, Long Beach Grey Panthers, San Pedro Neighborhood Council, and the Wilmington Citizens Committee.
Lawyers representing the Natural Resources Defense Council, Coalition for Clean Air and Communities For A Better Environment issued a 25-page legal brief providing a laundry list of flaws in the KM Environmental Impact Report, many concerns previously expressed by Jesse Marquez that largely fell on deaf ears. 
     KM’s retreat let council members off the hook and sent the matter back to the Planning Commission. Once packed with Daryl Sweeney’s appointees, it has five new commissioners appointed by Dear, one by Santarina. The commission will vote on recommendations, but the decision will ultimately revert back to the city council for a final vote. No date has been set. 
     Background information can be found in past issues of Random Lengths(January 9-22, p. 2, 6, January 23-February 5, p.2, March 5-19, p.3, 13).