As reported in past editions of the Ivanhoe Sol, Tulare County is undergoing the process of updating their General Plan. This planning document establishes official policies that influence the future development of communities in Tulare County on 20 to 30 year timeframes. Specifically, the County is adding an Environmental Justice chapter to their General Plan.

“Environmental justice” has several interpretations but all suggest protections from unfair pollution burdens.

For example, according to the Office of the newly-appointed Attorney General  Rob Bonta, “ “Environmental justice” is defined in California law as the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” 

Similarly, according to a pamphlet distributed by Tulare County, environmental justice “means that no matter where you live or who you are, your neighborhood won’t experience greater community burdens than any other in the region.”

By planning for environmental justice, this new document seeks to reduce pollution burdens and barriers to accessing decision making processes for the nearly 40 unincorporated communities in Tulare County. 

Advocates Demand Increased Transparency and Public Participation

Although the process is well underway, advocates say it was initially very rushed when planning efforts began in early 2020. The primary concern for the proposed timeline was that it was too fast to allow public input since the COVID-19 pandemic had continued to limit the possibility for in-person activities that were regularly used to solicit input from Tulare County residents.

This led advocates from the nonprofit organization Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability to file a complaint to the Office of the Attorney General, California’s top law enforcer. Their group raised concerns that the County’s timeline was too short and did not allow for adequate public engagement. As a result,  in June of 2020 the Attorney General’s Office issued a eleven page response directly to Tulare County.

The letter read, “One of the basic purposes of SB 1000 is to provide environmental justice communities with a meaningful opportunity to engage in government decisions that affect them. We are concerned that robust community engagement will be difficult for the County to conduct over the next few months when social distancing is still the norm. We urge Tulare County to not rush through its General Plan Update before the County has opportunities to fully engage with the disadvantaged communities in its jurisdiction.”

In response, Tulare County has partnered with several community groups and residents in order to facilitate the remainder of the process and to ensure compliance with state law. 

Strengthening Public Engagement During COVID-19

To advance the planning process, the Environmental Justice Advisory Committee formed in early 2020. This Committee consists of twenty representatives from local county agencies, community residents, and staff from various nonprofit organizations in Tulare County. This committee meets regularly and has been developing informational content, providing policy recommendations, and surveys to collect information from the community.

The Committee Members collaborated to design a Community Outreach Plan (COP) for the Environmental Justice Element and formed smaller, more focused task groups to implement the strategies outlined in the COP: Educational Webinar Task Group, Social Media Task Group, Spanish Translation Task Group, Survey Task Group.

At the Advisory Committee’s last general meeting, they announced they are nearing completion of a survey and online mapping platform for residents to report issues of concern in their community. The Tulare County Resource Management Agency will begin distributing these resources to collect data to use for identifying concerns for various topics including: air quality, water, food access, and green spaces.

This planning process will be conducted in three phases that incorporate various methods of community feedback:

 1) Research: The County will collect additional information on topics including access to healthy foods, pollution, clean air and water, opportunity for physical activity, community safety, sanitary homes, and opportunities to engage decision makers. 

2) Outreach: The County will discuss environmental justice and inform residents on how to participate in the process in various ways including surveys, workshops, Advisory Committee Meetings, online engagement, and social media.

3) Review: The County will ask community members to give feedback on the Environmental Justice Element before bringing it to decision makers for a final vote.

Reflecting on the impact of their early advocacy Blanca Escobedo, Leadership Counsel’s Tulare County Advocate, says “I think it helped RMA take our concerns more serious especially since they knew a state agency was paying attention.”

County Launches Social Media Accounts and Virutal Engagement Campaigns

Although some COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, large community events are still not possible for community engagement at this point in the process.

In order to promote this process and educate the public, Tulare County has launched pages on Facebook and Instagram. 

Nick Joshnston, a CivicSpark Fellow, leads much of the coordination of these efforts. He says, “When it is safe to do so, the County hopes to resume in-person outreach efforts. Until then, community members are encouraged to participate and collaborate with us virtually.” 

A new website has also been created to allow for increased ease of access for informative content, presentations, and draft planning documents . It can be viewed in English or Spanish as well. 

Tulare County is expected to officially launch its public process within the upcoming months. 

As a member of Envrionmental Jsutice Advisory COmmitte, Escobedo says, “in order for the process to remain meaningful, community involvement is pretty important. As long as there is enough community support and engagement this element can be something that will be shaped to provide benefits to the community.”

Ivanhoe’s Environmental Burdens

According to CalEnviroScreen 4.0, an official state online tool that measures cumulative community pollution and social vulnerability metrics, Ivanhoe and much of the San Joaquin Valley experience some of the worst pollution in California. For Example, according to this online tool, Ivanhoe’s overall community vulnerability ranks among the top 80th percentile, meaning that only 20 percent of California’s communities experience greater cumulative burdens.

Delving deeper into the data, Ivanhoe also ranks within or above the 85th percentile for pollutant exposure to drinking water (85), ozone from vehicles (92), particulate matter caused by burning fossil fuels or other material (92), and pesticides (90). 

Furthermore,  Ivanhoe also experiences high levels of socioeconomic vulnerability. For example this community also ranks in the top 85th percentile for categories like unemployment (85), education (88), linguistic isolation (89), and poverty (93). 

The combination of high pollution and socioeconomic vulnerabilities suggests many residents in the community are exposed to many health risks and also have limited capacity to address the issues at play. For example, many residents have expressed a concern for the ability to pay for high electricity bills, especially during summer where they regularly experience a doubling or tripling of their usual bills.  Factors like linguistic isolation can play a factor in residents’ efforts to address the pollutants in their community .

At a high level, the San Joaquin Valley is expected to continue experiencing several increasingly significant environmental stressors. In early May, Governor Gavin Newsome issued an “extreme drought” declaration for over forty countries, including Tulare County. During the drought of the early 2010s, many Tulare County residents were forced to live without drinking water due to declining groundwater levels. Last Summer, California also experienced over 9,000 wildfires which left the San Joaquin Valley air quality in the world while also coinciding with several record-breaking temperatures.

The creation of the Environmental Justice Element will become integral to the well-being of rural Tulare County communities like Ivanhoe. Many countries throughout California have completed their Environmental Justice updates to their general plans and have created strong policies to support the public health of their residents.

Guidance from the Attorney General’s Office states, “Tulare County’s EJ policies should match the pollution burdens and unique needs of the disadvantaged communities in its jurisdiction.” Their guidance also offers an example to address pesticide exposure through “mandatory buffer zones and pesticide use notification programs”. 

Other jurisdictions like Marin County have included local policies to improve water quality like establishing a groundwater monitoring program for unincorporated areas and requiring use of the least toxic pest control methods. Additionally the City of Placencia includes community-specific analyses of community burdens and explicitly commits to prioritizing environmental justice-related programs. 

Escobedo says she is optimistic with the potential for this process. SHe says, “ it’d be really helpful to have a really strong document to enforce and pressure not only the County but other stakeholders to do the right things when it comes to communities. Incorporating not only issues but solutions can pave the way for the to community to enforce their own needs and have a legal toolkit to prevent harmful things in our backyard. It definitely can be something that will help residents as a defense and will improve their lives and assets for the better.”

The Ivanhoe Sol will continue to monitor this process as it officially begins until its completion in 2022. 

For residents interested in engaging in this process, please refer to the following resources:

• Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Accounts @ tc_envjustice
• Environmental Justice Website @ https://tularecounty.ca.gov/rma/index.cfm/planning-building/environmental-justice/
• Upcoming Meeting:  an Educational Webinar’ will be hosted by IVAN Tulare and will cover the basics of what environmental justice is and how the public can get involved in the planning process. This event is scheduled to occur on May 27th at 1:00 pm. Contact IVAN Tulare via Facebook or at Phone: (559) 562-3060
•  to be added to the email invite list. 

To connect with Tulare COunty’s Resource Management Agency, please email “[email protected]” or call directly at (559) 624-7187 (English) and (559) 878-5831 (Espanol)

By Kris Paul, Ivanhoe Sol

Maria Esperanza Sanchez Bella’s hands shook from nerves. It had been three years since she had attended school in Ivanhoe. The flat oil field plains in Bakersfield had been traded for familiar flat horizons filled with orchards: orange, lemon, walnut, peach and even a few almonds.

The bell rang and the kids started shuffling off toward their assigned rooms. Espe, as she liked to be called, looked for a recycling bin to toss her empty plastic juice bottle, but found none, so she was forced to place the waste in a trashcan. The air held a slight hint of a metallic pesticide that misted the oranges that lived on the other side of the schoolyard fence, as the children lined up to file into their classrooms, none of whom were aware of the swirling atmosphere they were breathing in.

Espe fell in line with the others as some of the others chattered away. Her only other friend from 3rd grade had moved to the town of Goshen, on the other side of Visalia, two years before, so she was now alone in line, chatting with no one.

“You’re new here,” spoke one little kid.

“Sort of,” replied Espe. “I used to go here, but then we moved, and now we moved back.”

“Oh,” the other said. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Maria, but everyone calls me by my nickname, Espe.”

“I like your name. My name is Elena.” Her voice rose as she introduced herself. “It must be hard starting school in the middle of the year.”

Espe didn’t know what to say so she quickly muttered, “yeah…”.

The students found their seats, with Espe being informed by the teacher where to find her desk.

The day carried on as quickly, or slowly, as it chose. During science class, the students were presented with a chart of the water cycle. The picture showed the flow of the various states of water and where they were present. The teacher then asked the students to take out a piece of paper, write three questions on it, then pass it forward to the front of each row, where she would then pick up each stack.

Espe thought of her questions quickly, passed the paper up and waited to hear the teacher ask, then answer, as many of the questions as she could before lunch.

Other students waited patiently, while some did not, which slowed the overall process while the teacher attempted to calm them all. They eventually quieted themselves and she continued until she got to Espe’s questions. The teacher paused, re-read the words on the paper, and attempted to formulate a suitable answer that would satisfy the first question.

“What are people doing to conserve water?”

The teacher wasn’t sure. She knew that there were watering rules, but it appeared that very few actually followed them in a community so far from larger ones that had resources to enforce watering rules, but the smaller ones…

A loud bell rang just as these thoughts were passing through the teacher’s head. She dropped the entire pile of papers in the wastebasket and announced, “Well friends, that’s lunch. Okay, everybody line up so we can go to the cafeteria.”

Espe sat with Elena at lunch, which eased the anxiety around the sitting alone paradox that accompanied the elementary cafeteria at lunch time.

“Why did you move back?”

“My dad was working on a big oil pipeline, but then he didn’t have any work, so we moved back here so him and my mom could work in the packing house with his brother. Does your dad work in the packing house too?”

“No, my dad works doing construction.”

Espe sat and watched as student after student threw away their leftovers, their wrappers, their empty drink containers and napkins.

With no recycling bin options available, Espe was again forced to place her lunch leftovers into a regular garbage bin along with Elena.

“Are there still clubs at this school?”

“I think so. Why?”

“I was thinking that we could start a recycling club, if there wasn’t one already, I mean.”

“I think you have to go to the office to find out, but that doesn’t sound like a fun club. Who wants to join a club that picks up trash?”

“We had one at my old school. It’s not about picking up trash. It’s more of like, finding ways to help not make so much garbage and teaching other people how to not make so much garbage.”

The tenor of Espe’s voice reached Elena’s ears and convinced her to go with Espe. “Okay, let’s go to the office and see what we have to do next.”

The Ivanhoe Community Council will be raffling off gift baskets to three lucky fathers for Father’s Day!

Directions: Cut out the entry ticket from this Ivanhoe Sol page, fill it out with the father’s information and the name of the person who is nominating the father. You can sign up your father, grandfather, or a man who has been like a father to you.

Entry is limited to one application per household.

There will be a container to receive the raffle tickets at La Estrella Market 15917 Ave 328, Ivanhoe, CA 93235. All entries must be in by June 18. 

A live drawing to announce the winners will take place on the Ivanhoe Community Council Facebook page June 19, 2021 at 5pm. 

Good luck to all the amazing Fathers!

By Mayra Becerra, Ivanhoe Sol and Ivanhoe Community Council

For years, the Ivanhoe Community Council has met regularly to address many of the concerns raised from Ivanhoe residents. Their activities have ranged from advocating for more sidewalks to collaborating with Tulare County to apply for funds dedicated for projects within the community. 

Drive through Emergency Preparedness Events

At their April meeting, the Ivanhoe Community Council shared we are currently working on bringing a drive thru emergency preparedness event to the community in a partnership with Self Help Enterprises. Walnut Grove Church has already agreed to allow the groups to use their premises. Although a location has been secured, times and dates are still to be decided by June.  The logistics and details still need to be confirmed but this event is designed to bring valuable information to residents. If your organization would like to participate and set up a table to distribute informational materials you can contact us at [email protected] or 559-468-6253. 

Community Rose Garden Improvements

Currently we are working on adding a bench at the Ivanhoe Rose Garden to give residents a nice place to sit down while enjoying the garden. This is possible through the Tulare County Good Works fund and the ongoing support of our Tulare County Supervisor, Eddie Valero. If there are additional community beautification projects you would like to see come to life feel free to reach out. We are always looking for ways to add more beauty to our community. 

Back to School Planning

Plans are also on the way to organize a back-to-school event for the Fall semester of 2021, pending safety restrictions being lifted. This includes handing out school supplies among other resources that students can use for the upcoming school year to support their academic and personal success. Every year, many students go without essential materials to The Community Council plants for this to become an annual event. 

Securing Funding for the Ivanhoe Community Council

Finally, our non-profit organization is working to be able to give more back to the Ivanhoe community be seeking additional funding opportunities. This year is an important year to set the groundwork for the future of the Ivanhoe Community Council. These will require among many things the support of the community  to build a stronger organization so that we can continue to grow and therefore reinvest in our community. Together we can build the future we want for our community!

By Mayra Becerra, Ivanhoe Sol

The Ivanhoe Youth Group was formed in Fall of 2020 to identify the needs of the younger demographics of the Ivanhoe Community. This diverse group consists of youth from elementary school up to collegiate ages with interests ranging from gaming, skateboarding, and entrepreneurship. 

Currently the group meets virtually 1-2 times a month on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6pm with the goal of cultivating their minds to continue to grow and give back to their communities.

Community Events

Ivanhoe’s Youth Group continues to work together to plan activities and events for the children of Ivanhoe. Over the recent weeks, the group has been brainstorming how to bring events  like movie nights the area amidst a pandemic but have been met with some challenges. Although the group has reached into their creativity, the logistics of identifying a location big enough to have peoplesafely spaced out continues to hinder some of the initial ideas they have developed. 

They are optimistic that more community members can obtain their COVID-19 vaccine to allow for greater safety in the area. This is something that is promising with new guidance for the United States Center for Disease Control that youth aged 12-15 are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Looking Towards the Future

Frustrations with event planning have not stopped the youth group from advancing issues they feel are important for Ivanhoe. This group is currently partnering with the Ivanhoe Community Council in order to develop advocacy skills. These skills are important as the youth group continues to express interest in advocating for more greenery, support for students, and for a better environment. 

As a sponsor to the Youth Group, the Ivanhoe Community COuncil is also supporting them in connecting not just this group but also tutors for any student. In addition to these efforts, the youth group has also written to various community leaders they wish to learn from. 

Celebrating Local Youth Accomplishments

Some of This June 2nd  two of the youth participants Jose Becerra and Marvin Gonzalez will be graduating from Golden West High School. On June 8th the  youth group will host a small virtual ceremony for their graduates and celebrate the beginning of summer for the rest of the group. Members of the youth group want to make sure there is a positive space to celebrate each of our youth’s big and small accomplishments. 

If any youth is interested in joining the virtual ceremony or regular meetings via Zoom, they can be accessed at the following link on your internet browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2050410630. 

The meetings are open to all youth who want to get involved, new ideas and new faces are always welcome.