Rep. Barragan hosts Town Hall Event, May 15th
Rep. Barragán invites you to a community town hall event on Monday, May 15th to discuss the issues that matter to you the most as she continues to be a powerful voice on your behalf. Among other issues, the Congresswoman will be discussing her federal effort urging EPA to help test air in Compton and Lynwood for possible hexavalent chromium.
Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44) is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide necessary resources to the Southern California Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to quickly investigate the possible release of toxic air emissions in and around Compton and Lynwood, specifically hexavalent chromium or chromium 6, a chemical which is listed by the EPA as a human carcinogen.
A 2016 investigation by the SCAQMD in the City of Paramount, CA, found levels of chromium 6 of up to 350 times the allowable limit from metal plating facilities. Now, the SCAQMD has reason to believe there may be similar clusters near Compton and Lynwood.
“The prospect that vulnerable populations such as children, the sick and the elderly would be inhaling this cancer-causing toxin is deeply disturbing,” said Rep. Barragán. “It is why I am asking the EPA to take immediate steps to help the SCAQMD in the installation and funding of monitors to test the air in Compton and Lynwood around metal-processing facilities. Residents need to know if they are inhaling a human carcinogen, especially at higher than normal levels. The EPA has a responsibility to help local officials improve the air quality we breath. I also call for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is responsible for protecting the health of Americans, to assess any potential health impacts to residents of Compton and nearby communities if any such toxins are identified. Bottom line is we need to immediately investigate, identify any polluters, stop them and hold them accountable. I will use every federal resource available because I am worried about the health and safety of our community. I do not want another child to be handed an asthma inhaler or another person to be diagnosed with lung cancer because of the slow or inadequate response of air regulators.”