East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice (EYCEJ) is an environmental health and justice non-profit organization working towards a safe and healthy environment for communities that are disproportionately suffering the negative impacts of industrial pollution. EYCEJ recognizes and promotes full and authentic community participation in making policies that affect them directly, promoting the implementation of Environmental Justice guidelines for local, state, and federal governments and agencies as well as industry. Established in 2001, EYCEJ promotes direct democratic decision-making and taking collective action for safe and healthy communities where we live, work, learn and play. Residents of the Commerce/East Los Angeles area founded EYCEJ to address the increasing environmental health impacts of industrial pollution in their community, as well as several pending expansion projects adjacent to homes, schools and parks. They led the Community Advisory Committee that advises the Gateway Cities Council of Governments on its I-710 major corridor study, and, in collaboration with residents, successfully campaigned for the City of Commerce City Council to pass an Environmental Justice Resolution, which included the development of a general plan working group with a focus on environmental health and justice. EYCEJ has been recognized by Communities for a Better Environment and received the Environmental Justice Achievement Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Watch EYCEJ’s Executive Director mark! Lopez’s acceptance speech from November 12, 2015:
