Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services

TEJAS IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE, ENVIRONMENTALLY HEALTHY COMMUNITIES BY EDUCATING INDIVIDUALS ON HEALTH CONCERNS AND IMPLICATIONS ARISING FROM ENVIRONMENT.

FURR HIGH SCHOOL COLLABORATION - FOR THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR TEJAS CONTINUED TO BUILD UPON OUR YOUTH OUTREACH EFFORTS THROUGH OUR WORK WITH PROJECT LEARING COMMUNITY AND PROJECT BASED LEARNING DEVELOPMENT AT FURR HIGH SCHOOL, AS THE FIRST ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SCHOOL IN THE NATION. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO EXPAND ON OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH FURR HIGH SCHOOL FROM TRANSFORMING LEARNING BEYOND THE FOUR WALLS OF THE CLASSROOM TO PROVIDING VIRTUAL AND INNOVATIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIGITAL AND REMOTE LEARNING DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. IT IS IMPOORTANT FOR US TO PRIME YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONCEPTS OF ENVIRON,ENTAL JUSTICE AND LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR FUTURE LEADE4RSHIP WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHILE CONTINUING TO INTEREST ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN EDUCATION. THIS YEAR WE FOCUSED ON THE ADAPTING AND RESPONDING TO THE DEVELOPING NEEDS OF OUR LEARNING COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING VIRTUAL LESSONS AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES DUE TO COVID RESTRICTIONS SET BY OUR SC HOOL DISTRICT. WE HAVE FACILITATED OVER 1,000 STUDENTS.

HYDROGEN CYANIDE UPDATE AS OF OCTOBER, OF 2021 TEJAS WAS GRANTED PARTY STATUS BY THE STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING SOAH IN THE HEARING AGAINST VALEROS REFINING BID TO INCREASE HYDROGEN CYANIDE EMISSIONS IN THE MANCHESTER NEIGHBORHOOD. TEJAS ALONG WITH BARRIO VOICES A GROUP ORGANIZED BY TEJAS WHICH IS MADE UP OF MEMBERS OF THE MANCHESTER COMMUNITY WERE GRANTED PARTY STATUS. THE HEARING WAS REFERRED IN MEDIATION. TEJAS ALONG WITH OTHER PARTIES WERE GIVEN A DIRECTIVE THAT ANY NEGOTIATIONS COULD NOT BE TAKEN BACK TO THE MANCHESTER COMMUNITY TO DECIDE WHETHER TO ACCEPT WHAT WAS BEING OFFERED. TEJAS WOULD NOT ACCEPT THIS STIPULATION. TEJAS MADE IT CLEAR IF OUR ORGANIZATION COULD NOT BRING BACK NEGOTIATIONS, WE WOULD NOT CONTINUE AS A PARTY. TEJAS AS AN ORGANIZATION CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE COMMUNITY. THE COMMUNITY MUST KNOW WHAT IS BEING NEGOTIATED ON THEIR BEHALF. THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN PARTIES THAT REMAINED IN THE LAWSUIT. THE GROUP THAT AGREED TO THE STIPULATION HAS NOW REACHED OUT TO TEJAS FOR DIRECTION.

ADVOCATING FOR LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY POPULATION TEJAS AND EARTHJUSTICE STRATEGIZED FOR A YEAR DEVISING THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO UTILIZE THE TITLE VI TOOL IT WAS NOT UNTIL A PERMIT POSTED IN A SMALL, OFTEN IGNORED SPANISH OUTLET, THAT WE HAD UNDENIABHLE EVIDENCE THAT FULLY DISPLAYED LACK OF DUE DILIGENCE AND OUTREACH FOR SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITIES. DESPITE RERGULARLY EXPERIENCING THE LACK OF TRANSLATION SERVICES OR DUAL LANGUAGE NOT FIRTHAND IN OUR WORK. THIS NOTICE DSERVED AS HARD PROOF OF THE LACK OF SUFFICIENT OUTREACH TO NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING COMMUNITIES. THE PRE-RULE HEARING PROCESS WITH TCEQ SPANNED THREE MEETING REQUESTED BY TEJAS ALL THREE HEARINGS WERE HELD OCTOBER OF 2020. FINAL COMMENTS WERE TAKEN NOVEMBER OF 2020. THE FINAL LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN WAS SIGNED SEPTEMBER 8, 2021. THE FINAL LANGUAGE JUSTICE RULE TOOK EFFECT SEPTEMBER 16, 2021.