Youth community activists size up a toxic threat

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Nov 16, 2006 | by Suzanne Bohan

Harold Schapelhouman, deputy fire chief of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District, said he's also witnessed a significant change at Romic, which over the years has racked up numerous violations of its permit and more than once sent fire engines wailing to the site.

"We've had significant problems with Romic. Underline and bold that," Schapelhouman said. "It's been like something out of a movie, including (years ago) drums blowing up. We were 15 feet from making national news."

But he said those incidents occurred long ago.

"That led to significant changes at Romic. It's really turned around in the past 15 years," Schapelhouman said.

A weak argument?

Loya said she was unaware of the 2002 Environmental Scorecard data, although it's easily found on http://www.Scorecard.org, the same source of the 1999 data the group cites.

When asked if it was fair to disseminate to the community outdated information that no longer accurately describes Romic's pollutant levels, Loya paused at length, and then responded, "This (1999) data is still important to us. It still depicts the large picture of the facility. The concerns are still there."

In the view of Pease, the Scorecard designer, the youth group weakens its credibility by basing one of its chief arguments on dated and now inaccurate information. That damages its ability to speak with authority on the real risk the facility poses to the community -- that of an accidental release of harmful chemicals.

YUCA's Romic campaign -- with its emphasis on misleading information -- highlights a potential peril inherent in youth-led groups. While the distribution of distorted information is a prevalent tactic in political campaigns led by people of all ages, the adults working with youth groups often take particular care to screen campaign information for accuracy, both to instruct youth in fighting fair and to protect the credibility of the organization.

Adults can serve as "critical allies," said Adam Fletcher, founder and director of the Freechild Project, a group that provides training programs for youth activists. These are adults who "can motivate, challenge and criticize when necessary," he said.

While evidence doesn't back YUCA's assertions that Romic endangers the health of East Palo Alto residents on a daily basis, the group is on solid footing to raise concerns about the vast quantities of chemicals stored and processed in its midst, most experts agreed.

"That's a very legitimate concern," said Pease. "Given the volume they've got of these chemicals, if they're unable to maintain a safe process, accidents pose a significant risk to the community."

Awaiting a decision on its fate

Steve Petridis, CEO of Romic, expressed puzzlement at the ongoing attacks against the plant. The facility, Petridis emphasized, serves a crucial role in protecting the environment from air and groundwater contamination from the by-products of industry.

In the end, with this campaign, more experienced voices may hold more gravitas. Dean Peterson, director of Environmental Health for San Mateo County, on Oct. 3 sent the state agency regulating Romic a letter, urging it to deny the renewal of Romic's operating permit, and to order the facility to "cease, desist and immediately commence with closure."