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Midway Village Continues Fight Against PG&E's Toxic Racism
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PG&E Trucks Blocked Again Daly City, CA -- Residents of the toxic-contaminated Midway Village housing project were joined by Greenaction in a direct action protest at PG&E's front gate next to their community. Numerous PG&E trucks attempting to enter the company's Martin Service Center on Geneva Avenue were blocked by angry residents and Greenaction. Earlier this week PG&E began digging into toxic contaminated soils on the company side of the fenceline, exposing residents living next door to the threat of toxic dust getting airborne and imacting their health. Residents took action today in response to the go-ahead given by the state Department of Toxic Substances Control to PG&E to dig into toxic contaminated soil near homes, a park and day care center. Approximately 40 truck loads per day of toxic soil will be loaded and moved for two weeks. Residents demand permanent relocation before any more work is done at the toxic site they believe is making them sick. Residents are tired of breathing toxic dust, and want to move away from toxic-contaminated Midway Village without further delay! Residents are also demanding that PG&E provide funding for health care and just compensation for decades of living on top of toxic waste. Residents want PG&E to pay for DNA tests to determine if there is chromosome damage from exposure to cancer-causing chemicals. Last year results from DNA tests of dozens of residents indicated that 32 of 34 young people and 19 of 24 adults tested had abnormal chromosome aberrations. Although these tests were not conclusive, the findings that 96% of young Midway residents who were tested and 75% of adults tested might have chromosome damage has alarmed residents. Government agencies have tried to downplay the significance of these findings, but residents are convinced their health - and chromosomes - have been damaged from years of living next to cancer-causing chemicals. The Midway Village housing project was built in the mid-1970's on contaminated soils from the adjacent PG&E facility. Residents have long complained of high rates of cancer, tumors, bloody noses, skin rashes, sterility and other health problems. "The government and PG&E think it is fine for us to live on top of cancer-causing chemicals because we are a low-income people of color community," said Lula Bishop of Midway Residents for Environmental Justice. "But we refuse to be victims any longer and we will continue to fight for health and justice." The protest was sponsored by Midway Residents for Environmental Justice, Midway Advisory Council, and Greenaction. |