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outreach work. A decision not to fund this position effectively silences and sidelines the <br /> work done by community members and advocates around EJ policy. <br /> The Health Implications of Environmental Justice Delay <br /> Every day, Santa Ana residents are exposed to pollution from air, water and soil which <br /> has massive impacts on their health and safety. Air pollution, for example, has been <br /> linked to respiratory diseases like asthma, cardiovascular disease, and birth defects like <br /> low birthweight. The CaIEPA's calenviro 4.0 tool shows some of these health impacts <br /> within the community. For instance, in the Delhi census tract, which is in the 99th <br /> percentile for pollution burden, residents rank in the 59th percentile for asthma, 41 st <br /> percentile for cardiovascular disease, and 82nd percentile for low birth weight compared <br /> to all other communities in California. Community members should not also be asked to <br /> bear the disproportionate health impacts of this environmental pollution. <br /> This issue is even more problematic when we consider many Santa Ana residents' <br /> limited access to healthcare that is needed to address diseases related to <br /> environmental pollution. Sixteen percent of Santa Ana's population is uninsured — <br /> double the nationwide average of 8.2%. This means Santa Ana residents are twice as <br /> likely to be at risk of untreated health conditions caused by and exacerbated from <br /> environmental pollution. <br /> Conclusion <br /> By prioritizing the addition of an environmental justice staff position Santa Ana will be <br /> able to equitably create and implement crucial policies the community needs. Adding <br /> this position will also allow the city to become more competitive when applying for future <br /> environmental justice or climate focused grants since there will already be dedicated <br /> staff to execute grant requirements. For example with a staff of only three full time <br /> environmental employees Irvine was able to secure a grant for 1 million dollars in <br /> climate funding. This position will allow Santa Ana to follow through on more than 50 <br />