The Connecticut Diesel Campaign was launched in 2001 with grassroots organizing in Hartford. The year began with a series of education and outreach efforts which resulted in progress towards the reduction of diesel emissions in Hartford.  In February, HEJN members testified before the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regarding their concern about increased diesel emissions with the Adriaen’s Landing project.  During that time, they called for the use of clean fuel technologies. HEJN hosted a community education forum in March where the DEP announced they would require retrofitting all electrical construction generators associated with the project in order to reduce diesel emissions.  This was in direct response to our testimony and outreach efforts in February.

Also in February, HEJN turned its attention to Laidlaw Transit, the company responsible for busing Hartford’s school children.  In Connecticut, there is a statute that prohibits the idling of diesel school buses for more than three minutes, except when operating a heater or air conditioner.  Aware that Hartford school bus drivers were in gross violation of this regulation, HEJN sent a letter in February to the Area Manager of Laidlaw urging the company to come into compliance.  In April, all greater Hartford bus drivers received a memo from Laidlaw management with their paychecks stating that they must abide by the regulation. 

Despite Laidlaw’s assurances with the release of the memo, network members suspected that Hartford’s school bus drivers would not voluntarily adhere to the state’s anti-idling law.  With the support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, they created and conducted a compliance study in June and September.   That study found 68% of school bus drivers to be in violation of the idling regulation.  These findings will serve as the impetus for a targeted grassroots diesel bus campaign in 2002.

In 2001, HEJN also testified before the Department of Transportation (DOT) regarding the proposed New Britain-Hartford Busway. (This dedicated bus line is designed to bring the convenience of mass transit to the Greater Hartford area).  Concerned about increased diesel emissions, network members urged DOT to use this project as a demonstration for clean fuel technology. HEJN’s participation in the hearing process has greatly influenced DOT’s decision making process.  They have changed their statement from an absolute no to a statement that they are considering less polluting technologies.  Plans are also underway to expand diesel education and organizing to New Haven in 2002.

In the first half of 2001, CCEJ played a pivotal role in organizing state residents to testify on behalf of legislation which would clean up Connecticut’s six largest and dirtiest power plants.  A founding member of the Connecticut Coalition for Clean Air (which championed the legislation), CCEJ joined forces with 50 other organizations representing half a million residents in Connecticut to lobby in support of the bill.  Sadly, on the last day before the bill would have become law without the governor’s signature, he vetoed the bill.

Connecticut Resources and Recovery Authority (CRRA)

Community opposition to the aesthetics of landfill expansion, as well as the growing awareness that Hartford is becoming the dumping ground of the Northeast, provided the foundation for this initiative.  With this campaign, HEJN fought two proposed landfill expansions.  The Connecticut Resources and Recovery Authority (CRRA), managers of Hartford’s troubled landfill, had applied to increase its 130-foot high bulky waste landfill by 20 feet and its ash landfill by 40 feet.  This campaign was a case of losing the battle but winning the war.  While a height expansion for CRRA’s ash landfill was approved by DEP, CRRA stated that it would withdraw its application for the bulky waste expansion.  In addition, this campaign served as the catalyst for the City of Hartford to re-examine its contract with CRRA and to open it up for renegotiations.  HEJN’s constant pressure had pushed officials to take action.

With success can come adversity. Such was the case in 2001 with CRRA.  The organization took steps to try and quiet the network as a whole by issuing a SLAPP suit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) against CCEJ president Dr. Mitchell for speaking out against them in public. Their lawsuit, based on tests Dr. Mitchell monitored for CRRA, came on the eve of HEJN’s most important fight against them – the renegotiation of their contract with the City of Hartford.  (CRRA was contracted twenty years ago to be the owner/operator of two waste processing facilities in Hartford.  Over the years they have grown to oversee five out of eight waste processing sites in the region. CRRA has full authority and little accountability for how they manage these dangerous, high volume facilities or for any long-term ramifications of their actions.) With legal representation by the Connecticut Civil Liberties Union, we have been able to defend our right to speak out against CRRA’s irresponsible policies and actions. 

Manafort Brothers

HEJN learned from members about the illegal dumping of contaminated soil in a North End residential neighborhood. Working with CCEJ members, ONE/CHANE, and the Earle Street Block Association, HEJN investigated the matter and confronted Manafort Brothers about the company’s illegal actions.  Manafort agreed to stop dumping contaminated soil as well as to stop illegally storing highway equipment in the neighborhood.  Our work brought the company’s actions to the attention of the Toxics Action Center who in December gave Manafort Brothers their “Dirty Dozen Award.”

In 2001, due DEP rulings that their environmental justice policy is unenforceable, CCEJ investigated the feasibility of drafting environmental justice legislation.  We met with an environmental attorney who helped us draft legislation.  We also met with Senator Coleman (Co-chair of the Judiciary Committee which oversees the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities) and Senator Ciotto (Chair of the Transportation Committee) to discuss our concerns about the disproportionate number of environmental hazards seen in communities of color and low-income communities.

Leadership Development.  HEJN regularly offered environmental health training session.  This gave members the tools needed to take even more of a leadership role in community campaigns.  Training sessions included a range of topics such as: the health effects of diesel exposure, asthma triggers, the fundamentals of grassroots organizing, advocacy and media outreach, and the legislative structure/process of the Connecticut General Assembly.