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September 8,2008 Assembly of Governments Meeting Approved: November 10,2008 Page 17 of 25 The OCOC is here tonight,almost one year to the day after Neloa Jones,Co-Chair of LEER(Coalition to End Environmental Racism),charged this body sitting in this same room to; 1)eliminate Eubanks Road(now identified as site a9)from the list of sites to be considered for the vmste transfer station(WTS), 2)Halt all solid waste activities in the Rogers-Eubanks Community no later than November 2009, 3)Honor the promises made to the Rogers-Eubanks Road Community over the past 33 years for having endured the negative impacts of solid waste activities;and 4)'Work collectively to address quality of life issues by providing this community with municipal mater and sewer services and other community enhancements to ensure the health and safety ofthe residents. One year later,we stand as a partner of LEER and RENA(the Rogers-Eubanks Neighborhood Association)to renew Mm Jones and Min.Robert Campbell's charge to you to bring environmental justice and social justice to a community that has borne a disproportionate and adverse impact of the county's garbage for 3 and 172 decades. In the weeks and months to come,opponents of the WTS all across Orange County Kill certainly raise the issue of the transfer station's impact on future economic development in their backyard. We.the OCOC.RENA,and CEER,call on you to consider for a moment the question of who benefits from these efforts to protect economic development? Consider the history ofeconomic development potential lost by the residents or the Rogers and Eubanks community,a vibrant,historically African American community which dates back over 150 year. Consider that,because oftheir proximity to the landfill,these residents have not benefited froth property value increase enjoyed by residents county-wide. Consider the economic development and prosperity denied these residents so that other residents of Orange Comity can thrive in a clean,safe,garbage-free environment Consider the future prospects for economic development in this community that Aill be living with a landfill site for decades to come even if it is closed. Consider that residents of this community still do not have the most basic public services and amenities,including safe and clean water and sewer connections,comprehensive fim mid police protection service,bus service,safe roadways,and sidewalks. Consider that even if the BOCC sets justice in motion and removes the Eubanks Road site from consideration AND closes the existing landfill AND properly manages the containment of wastes that will remain for decades to come,their future depends on the 17