On July 19 about 40 candidates for elected office in Baltimore City went on "Toxic Tour 2003." The bus tour, organized by State Senator Lisa Gladden (District 41) and the Maryland League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, left Poly-Western High School to make stops at the Gwynns Falls Trailhead and in Fairfield at Wagner's Point where activists discussed environmental issues they believe should be agenda priorities for legislators.

At Poly-Western, 7th Congressional representative Elijah Cummings spoke about having asthma problems as a seven year-old. When he suffered a recurrence at 42, Cummings experienced "a wake-up call." Cummings, who is rated 100% by the League of Conservation Voters, noted various causes of asthma in urban settings--pollution, rats. Cummings, who says the environment is worse now than when he was born, believes that business, legislators, and environmentalists can "seek solutions together."

From Poly-Western, the Tour drove to the southern most tip of the City--Brooklyn/Fairfield, stopping in Leakin Park along the way. While on the red bus, participants heard from Dr. Ellen Silbergeld, editor of the journal "Environmental Research," on environmental health issues in Baltimore. Indymedia missed this part of the presentations as we were among those, including some candidates, who had to follow in the carpool. However, the League provided "Toxic Tour" participants with much supplementary material.

From these documents, a candidate can learn that asthma hospitalization for children in Baltimore City is higher than other jurisdictions in Maryland with the highest rates in the 21213 and 21217 zip codes; that the areas in Baltimore City with the highest elevated blood lead level for children one to five years are in the 21213, 21215, 21216, 21217, and 21223 zip codes; that poor and minority communities bear the brunt of Baltimore's environmental hazards; that, in addition to the recent sewage spill in Herring Run where 10,000 gallons spilled per minute, there are slow, small leaks throughout the system; that incinerator ash, such as that generated at the BRESCO plant, contains toxins and higher levels of mercury and lead than other fuel sources. Alternatives are also discussed. One which should interest candidates concerns recycling and jobs. Ten times as many jobs are created by recycling projects than by landfill systems, according to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

At the Gwynns Falls Trailhead, participants left the bus and the supplementary carpool to hear about and ask questions on Leakin Park. At 1,200 acres, Leakin is one of the largest urban parks in the country. The main problem is sewage overflow. Mary Roby, board member of the Baltimore League of Environmental Voters, discussed a recent national study of city parks by Peter Harnik of the Trust for Public Land. Roby, quoting from "The Excellent City Park System: What Makes It Great and How to Get There," noted areas in which Baltimore does not measure up to standards. For example, the report's recommendations call for a city to "have a clear expression of purpose" and "an ongoing planning and community involvement process," yet Baltimore does not even have an advisory board for its parks. Roby also noted that whereas New York City has 18.9% of its area devoted to parks, Baltimore has only 11.1%. (The national average for high-density cities is 13.1%.) Generally, Roby called for "more public/private partnership" to address the issue of public lands in Baltimore.

Leaving the car when arriving in Fairfield in Southeast Baltimore on the Patapsco River, the first thing all noticed was the smell. Terry Harris, founder of the Cleanup Coalition, discussed issues of toxic substances, chemical spills, and environmental justice. Harris pointed to the gas and diesel transfer stations and the sewage treatment plant nearby. Harris said that a community of 300 once lived in this area. As the area's chemicals industry increased production, so did the level of toxicity. Eventually, this small, working-class community, too small to "sway an election," had to be moved out. Harris sees the experience of the Brooklyn/Fairfield community as an "environmental justice issue." Harris also talked of the FMC chemicals accident, the Quarantine landfill, the large medical waste incinerator, and water pollution caused by Millenium Chemicals, formerly Glidden. In all, there are 14 heavy industrial facilities located on this southeast peninsula. Harris outlined three basic issues for attention by elected officials--emergency response systems, planning, and sensitivity to communities.

When the Tour returned to Poly-Western, Indymedia spoke to some candidates. Seth Rosenberg, a Democrat running for City Council for the 6th District, said that he was a member of the Friends of Gwynns Falls and Leakin Park so he was familiar with the issues there. However, he found the Tour informative because, "if elected, he represents not just his district, but the whole city." Rosenberg said he learned important information about the problem of toxic substances in industrial areas of Baltimore. Bill Barry, a Green running for City Council in the 3rd District, said "the environment and the economy are fundamental. This Tour shows that the environment is a huge potential issue for political challengers." If the City Council were asked "where have you been on this issue?," the answer, Barry said, would be "Nowhere!."

Nature, it seems would agree. When we left the industrial landscape of Wagners' Point, we heard a lone gull cry, as if to say, "Look, what have you done?"

Resources:

Baltimore City League of Environmental Voters:
www.cityleague.org/

Institute for Local Self-Reliance's "Waste to Wealth Program":
www.ilsr.org/recycling/

Maryland League of Conservation Voters' "Maryland Environmental Briefing Book":
www.marylandconservation.org/

Peter Harnik's "The Excellent City Park System: What Makes It Great and How to Get There":
www.tpl.org/tier3_cd.cfm