Even in her own state, there is a vocal minority on the left that does not entirely support Kamala Harris.
A week into her presidential campaign, Harris has used her work tackling pollution in disadvantaged communities to contrast herself with Trump, while environmental justice groups in California have largely remained silent on the matter.
“It was the most effective way to remove Biden from the race, but there are still concerns about Kamala’s background, particularly in California,” stated Ana Gonzalez, head of the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice in Southern California, a nonprofit organization that cannot officially endorse candidates due to its 501(c)3 status.
From her time as San Francisco district attorney, where she established one of the first environmental justice investigation units, to her time as senator, where she sponsored a Green New Deal bill, and to her time as vice president, where she championed the removal of lead pipes, national environmental groups have been quick to commend Harris for her record.
Despite being referred to for comment by national organizations, influential California environmental justice groups with 501(c)4 advocacy arms that allow them to take political positions—such as Communities for a Better Environment, Asian Pacific Environmental Network, and California Environmental Justice Alliance—have so far refused to budge.
Gonzalez, a delegate from the Democratic National Committee and a board member of the umbrella group CEJA (which has not yet released a statement regarding the election), praised Harris for spearheading the allocation of billions of dollars in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to clean up pollution in low-income areas, shielding the Mira Loma community in Riverside County from diesel truck traffic while she was attorney general, and for being an ally on EJ issues in general. However, she did mention Harris’ tenure as a prosecutor, which those who are fighting for justice reform believe contributed to the continued disproportionate imprisonment of people of color in the early 2000s.
According to her, “Police brutality aligns with environmental justice issues” since minority groups and those struggling with poverty are disproportionately targeted. Thus, she was not considered a champion in our eyes for that purpose.
Individually, environmental justice advocates in California are ready to give Harris the benefit of the doubt. However, they have largely been silent regarding organizational endorsements.
“Harris has consistently shown her dedication to environmental justice in all of her roles,” remarked Diane Takvorian, a member of the California Air Resources Board and co-founder of the Environmental Health Coalition. Takvorian and Harris collaborated in 2011 when Harris criticized the San Diego Regional Transportation Plan for ignoring the effects of air pollution on already-strapped communities.
Several in-state EJ groups’ staff have stated that they are either too busy or don’t have the resources to comment in federal elections. Some local organizations may be keeping quiet about the candidate’s policies in order to preserve Democrats’ unusual show of unity in the face of an opponent whose supporters want to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency’s office for civil rights and environmental justice and to initiate a thorough investigation that would halt funding.
“There’s something about watching a Democratic Party rise from the dead that means that a lot of people who might normally nitpick that one part of someone’s record that feels like it’s coming up a little short,” said Manuel Pastor, professor and director of the Equity Research Institute at the University of Southern California. “A lot of people involved in the movement are considering, ‘Maybe I’ll hold back from throwing that rock.'”
Those California environmental organizations who have lent their support to Harris have stated their desire to see domestic issues given national attention.
“Part of our jobs as folks in these nonprofits is to try to also make sure that California isn’t left behind as resources are organized nationally and for other states,” stated Mary Creasman, CEO of California EnviroVoters, an organization that endorsed Harris a week ago. It’s true that California is seen as a political ATM machine nationally.
However, some are still considering her stances and seeking concrete promises before lending their support.
“We’re considering all of the options,” Gonzalez stated. “Although this is her background, is there a way to move forward? Then we can educate her about the problems, have direct conversations with her, and work on criminal justice reform and environmental justice simultaneously. Then we can see where she goes from here and try to solicit a commitment from her.”
