Environmental

After a two year fight from 1985 to 1987, CCSCLA defeated the $535 million bond issues sponsored by the City of Los Angeles which would have allowed for the development of the LANCER Municipal Waste Incinerator to be built in the South Central community. The members of CCSCLA decided to remain together after the LANCER defeat and address other concerns and issues that were impacting the community.

The fight against LANCER made CCSCLA realize that the environment consists of more than just hazardous waste, chemicals, and air quality control; our environment is also the quality of our housing stock, the conditions of our schools and the safety of our neighborhoods. All of these factors effect how we are able to happily co-exist in the same community. CCSCLA was the first African-American environmental organization in Southern California and continues to work on environmental issues such as recycling, cleanliness of our alleys and streets any other issues which are adversely affecting our quality of life.

The environmental arm of the organization is continuously blossoming. Our Lead Environmental Organizer, Melodie Dove, and the POWER Youth Organizers have conducted a series of environmental workshops ranging from the conditions of the streets/alleys in South Central, environmental justice, recycling, childhood lead poisoning prevention, storm drain protection, used motor oil recycling and teen worker rights. There will be more environmental awareness workshops provided by CCSCLA on an on- going and as need basis.