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Orange County Register-07/10/2022 Page : A013
<br /> "We're one of the first cit-
<br /> Lead ,d _ ies,if not the only city in the
<br /> 14 state of California,to really
<br /> Faonrtae�E i 1'�P �h take the environmental jus-
<br /> +4 Y r tice issue seriously because
<br /> public health agencies to y it is a serious matter for our
<br /> prevent lead poisoning, residents,"Thai said in an
<br /> which is primarily focused interview."We understand
<br /> on lead paint and consumer that these contamination
<br /> products, is overlooking — issues don't just get ad-
<br /> leaded gasoline as a ma- _ J-v dressed overnight."
<br /> jor source of environmen- Thai said it's a multi-
<br /> tal lead,"said Juan Manuel pronged approach to ad-
<br /> Rubio,a historian and UCI dressing lead issues in the
<br /> Mellon Humanities Faculty `p i city,which includes engag-
<br /> Fellow."Our results also in- r ing the community,identi-
<br /> dicate that legacy soil-lead fying problem areas, edu-
<br /> may be present in many � cating on the health effects
<br /> other urban environments FGI and prevention and abating
<br /> that received similar flow of 1t a lead contamination.
<br /> traffic to SantaAna during T1 These are all approaches
<br /> the 20th century." 1 the new environmental jus-
<br /> Concerns about lead lab tice leader, once chosen,
<br /> in SantaAna are not new. will consider,Thai said.
<br /> Much has been written i 1 But addressing, specifi-
<br /> about how Santa Ana's h' ` i', tally,the impact of vehicle
<br /> communities,particularly '" emissions on SantaAna's
<br /> lower-income households, soil may be a"longer-term
<br /> grapple with lead contam- A issue."
<br /> ination and its impact on "Our resources are lim-
<br /> children. But this newer ited, and we're evaluat-
<br /> study sought to answer a ing how best to use our re-
<br /> different question: Where LEONARD ORTIZ—STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER sources to help our commu-
<br /> did all this lead come from Shahir Masri,an environmental scientist at UC Irvine,worked on a UCI study that showed high levels of lead- nity,"Thai said."Right now,
<br /> in the first place? contaminated soil in Santa Ana being largely due to the use of leaded gasoline. the first step is addressing
<br /> "Lead soil contamination the real impacts being felt
<br /> Leaded gas impacts
<br /> in SantaAnais quite clearly San Diego, ran through It was Algeria that was Masri said comparable ar- by our residents,and then
<br /> anthropogenic," Shahir Santa Ana, according to Lead in gasoline has ex- the last country to use eas in Southern California the longer-term issue is to
<br /> Masri, an environmental the study. isted since the early 1920s, leaded gasoline,phasing it could experience similar look at how we can start to
<br /> scientist at UCI and an au- "It's quite clear where hu- and the EPAbegan to set re- out by mid-2021. contamination issues near address some of the source
<br /> thor of the studies,told the man civilization,where so- duction standards in 1973. Lead exposure can lead older roadways. polluters that have created
<br /> Register. ciety was settling, where Twenty years later, the to damage to the brain or Minh Thai, the execu- these problems."
<br /> In layman's terms, evi- the urban area was at the Clean Air Act, the coun- nervous system as well as tive director for the Plan- One possible option for
<br /> dence suggests lead con- early part of the 20th cen- try's comprehensive envi- hearing and speech issues ning and Building Agency down the road—albeit,a
<br /> tamination is human-re- tury,something about that ronmental law,banned the in children, according to of SantaAna,agreed:"This costly and time-consuming
<br /> lated. translated to higher lead in sale of leaded fuel outright the U.S.Centers for Disease could likely be something one that,while he floated it,
<br /> Masri dug deep into the the soil," said Masri. "We for on-road vehicles, ac- Control and Prevention.Al- that affects many communi- is not at the top of Thai's
<br /> archives,digitizing old im- know that paint and vehi- cording to the EPA. though difficult to see,the ties throughout the state of to-do list — is to pursue
<br /> ages and painting a layout cle emissions are leading The impacts of leaded effect can be long-term,the California,especially ones remediation or litigation
<br /> of Santa Ana a century in causes of lead soil contam- gasoline have long worried CDC warns. that are next to the major with current or past pollut-
<br /> the past. ination,so the mechanism environmentalists. Patricia Flores, the Or- corridors.' ers.Thai pointed to public
<br /> Through the use of his- is there. Showing that is "There is no doubt in my ange County Environmen- agencies that build and sup-
<br /> torical mapping,research- pretty important." mind that lead in the envi- tal Justice project director Santa Ana's approach port roads,car manufactur-
<br /> ers found greater concen- The map of lead levels ronment is still amajor pub- who worked on the studies, When the SantaAna ers and petroleum produc-
<br /> trations of lead in mod- around SantaAna,created lic health problem and that noted the highest levels of City Council approved the ers,for example.
<br /> ern times around the by the UCI researchers, leaded gasoline is a major lead were found in Santa city budget for the 2022- "There are a variety of re-
<br /> historical downtown of showed the highest con- contributor to total lead ex- Ana's lower-income neigh- 2023 fiscal year,it included sponsible parties.The ques-
<br /> Santa Ana which has"ex- centration of lead in the posure,"Lee Thomas, the borhoods,replete with im- funding for a new"Environ- tion is then who,if not all,
<br /> perienced higher traffic northern and central parts Environmental Protection migrants and families. mental Justice Section"in can be held accountable,"
<br /> volumes over a longer pe- of town.This includes the Agency administrator dur- "These are already the the Planning and Building Thai said."That's really a
<br /> riod of time." downtown, Fisher Park, ing the Reagan administra- most marginalized commu- Agency. very expensive and com-
<br /> Additionally, maps Floral Park, Willard and tion,said in 1985. nities in Orange County," Thai wants the position plicated process, so by no
<br /> from the Automobile Flower Park neighborhoods, "The elimination of lead Flores said,calling the con- to be filled"right away."In means I'm advocating we
<br /> Club of Southern Califor- according to the map.(The from gas is one of the great- tamination an "environ- addition to the new role, take that route."
<br /> nia in the 1920s and 1930s historical maps showed the est environmental achieve- mental crisis" that espe- other professional techni-
<br /> showed the historical 101 downtown area, particu- ments of all time,"Carol M. cially affects younger gen- cal positions and admin- The two UCI studies
<br /> Highway(now the 5 Free- larly First,Fifth,and Main Browner,the EPA chief un- erations. istrative support from the can be found in the
<br /> way), the primary route streets,were arteries for the der the Clinton administra- Although the studies agency will be allocated to Environmental Research
<br /> between Los Angeles and highway.) tion,said in 1996. only looked at Santa Ana, the environmental section. and Toxics journals.
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