Environmental Justice and Cumulative Impacts in California
The Comment shows the importance of EJ and cumulative impact governance coming from municipalities by highlighting a specific case study that has worked: San Francisco. The author argues that governance on EJ and cumulative impacts through municipalities is more effective because municipalities have the ability to center community needs through holding public hearings, identifying EJ communities and changing zoning laws in those areas, empowering businesses and communities in environmental participation, creating green jobs, and creating EJ education and awareness programs in schools and community centers. Through an EJ lens, it is important to acknowledge the history and the people being disproportionately affected. When focusing on this topic, it is important that EJ policies are community-centered and -led. The overall goal is to inspire municipalities to create programs and laws that address EJ more holistically in their communities.