Gila River Indian Community

8/30/07 Breaking News! Historic Victories! Communities & Greenaction Force Toxic Polluter Romic To Shut Down Hazardous Waste Plants on Gila River Indian Community, Arizona and East Palo Alto, CA! Read State of California announcement.

Press Coverage

6/21/07 Arizona Republic, Recycler given cold shoulder by tribal council

6/20/07 Arizona Republic, Gila River votes to shut down waste facility

Background

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Victories! Communities & Greenaction Force Toxic Polluter Romic to Shut Hazardous Waste facilities on Gila River Indian Community and in East Palo Alto, CA

Statement by Greenaction, August 30, 2007

In an historic and enormous victory for the Gila River Indian Community and the tribal member group Gila River Alliance for a Clean Environment, Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice, Youth United for Community Action and other allies, Romic Environmental Technologies has closed down their dangerous hazardous waste treatment facilities in East Palo Alto, California and on the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona.

On June 20, 2007, the Gila River Tribal Council voted unanimously 14-0 to reject the proposed US EPA permit for the Romic hazardous waste plant that had operated for decades without proper permits and with a reckless track record on tribal lands.

The Gila River Alliance for a Clean Environment (a grassroots tribal member organization), with the support of Greenaction and YUCA, educated the tribal council and community and the tribal council took a historic stand to protect tribal members, tribal lands and their neighbors. The action of the tribal government, tribal members, Greenaction and allies forced the US EPA to finally issue a Notice of Intent to Deny Romic’s permit. Romic stopped accepting wastes as of August 3, 2007.

Almost simultaneously Romic announced they were closing the East Palo Alto facility too, in the face of a powerful and long struggle by the people of East Palo Alto, led by Youth United for Community Action and the Ujima Security Council, and backed by Greenaction and GRACE. On August 30, 2007 the California Department of Toxic Substances Control finally issued a permanent closure order for this polluter, ending decades of pollution.

These victories, and the community to community solidarity between the people of the Gila River Indian Community, Youth United for Community Action and Greenaction is a dynamic example of the power of the people to challenge giant corporations and their friends in government, and win!