Editor,
On Saturday, April 27, Tri-Valley CAREs and Tracy residents celebrated Earth Day by learning about renewable energy, and conservation efforts during a celebration held in downtown Tracy. This event was designed to educate individuals on becoming more knowledgeable about conservation efforts to better our planet.
Tri-Valley CAREs was honored to participate in the event. We shared information with the community about Livermore Lab and its Site 300 high explosives testing range, which is located a mile from the Tracy city limits.
Our Vice-President, Mary Perner, Board Secretary, Gail Rieger, and our Bilingual Community Organizer, Raiza Marciscano-Bettis, asked festival participants if they knew about Site 300. We explained that Site 300 is an experimental testing site that supports the Lab’s nuclear weapons programs. Tracy residents also learned that Site 300 is a federal “Superfund” site, as is the Lab’s Main Site. The Environmental Protection Agency had placed the Main Site on its list of most poisoned sites in the country in 1987 and Site 300 joined the list in 1990.
Residents also learned that nuclear weapons activities at Livermore Lab have resulted in hundreds of toxic and radioactive contaminants released into our air, soil, groundwater, and even some surface waters at Site 300.
Many participants showed solidarity with Tri-Valley CAREs and some new relationships were established. It was gratifying to see that the community understands and is concerned about the deterioration of our environment.
We also had the pleasure of seeing Dotty Nygard, the President of Tracy Earth Project, who shared similar interests and deep concern for sustainability and a green future. Ms. Nygard thanked Tri-Valley CAREs for our continued participation in making the event a memorable and impactful one.
Tri-Valley CAREs thanks all the organizers as well as the participants who came to support Earth Day in Tracy!
By Raiza Marciscano, Tracy
