A group of envi­ron­men­tal­ists, racial jus­tice advo­cates, and indige­nous tribes have filed a com­plaint with the U.S. Envi­ron­men­tal Pro­tec­tion Agency alleg­ing that the eco­log­i­cal cri­sis on the San Fran­cis­co Bay Delta has roots in racism, accord­ing to a col­umn by Michael Fitzger­ald for Stock­to­nia.

Stock­ton’s Lit­tle Mani­la Ris­ing, Restore the Delta, the Win­nemem Win­tu and Shin­gle Springs Band of Miwok Indi­ans, and Save Cal­i­for­nia Salmon filed the 288-page com­plaint link­ing the eco­log­i­cal cri­sis in the Bay Delta to white suprema­cy, accord­ing to the arti­cle.

“[The com­plaint] alleges that the state Water Resources Con­trol Board is fail­ing to do its job to set clean water stan­dards for the Delta — which is true — and this most­ly hurts peo­ple of col­or, a vio­la­tion of Title VI of the Civ­il Rights Act of 1964 requir­ing all groups be giv­en equal treat­ment under the law,” writes Fitzger­ald.

As clear from the cita­tion above, Fitzger­ald opines that the com­plaint makes a per­sua­sive argu­ment.

The com­plaint asks the U.S. EPA to force the Water Resources Con­trol Board to set clean water stan­dards for the Bay Delta.  

More details about the polit­i­cal con­text sur­round­ing the com­plaint are includ­ed in the source arti­cle below.