TOSC begins work in Phoenix, Arizona

One neighborhood concern is the environmental effects of the nearby airport.

The Western Region TOSC program recently received a new request for technical assistance from the Downtown Southwest Neighborhood Association in Phoenix, Arizona. Downtown Southwest Neighborhood Association is an environmental justice community located between19th Avenue and 7th Avenue, north of the Salt River and south of the railroad tracks. The community is part of a coalition of neighborhoods called Neighborhoods for Justice.

Downtown Southwest Neighborhood Association is concerned about a variety of pollution and health issues. TOSC staff met with Ethel Lane, spokesperson for Downtown Southwest Neighborhood Association, and other individuals involved in Neighborhoods for Justice, at a series of meetings in late October.

TOSC is now in the process of developing a letter of agreement with Downtown Southwest Neighborhood Association and, possibly, two other community groups in Neighborhoods for Justice. TOSC is proposing to assist Downtown Southwest Neighborhood Association by: 1) pursuing the question of whether or not regulatory agencies can monitor air quality within the neighborhood boundaries; 2) summarizing information from a recent report by an environmental consultant to create documents that can be used to educate community members; and 3) educating the community about how to understand and participate in the environmental permitting process involving nearby industrial facilities.

If you would like additional information about TOSC's work with Downtown Southwest Neighborhood Association, contact Stephanie Sanford at stephanie.sanford@orst.edu or 541-737-5861.