Student POV: EPA must work with Mecca residents on solutions to air quality concerns
Living in Mecca, it’s not uncommon to wake up to the smell of smoke or foul odors coming from Desert View Power Plant. The plant sits less than a mile away from our community, releasing pollutants into our air. I never thought the plant was safe, but I didn’t realize until recently just how toxic it’s making our environment. And now, I can’t believe more isn’t being done to close it permanently.
In June 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notified Desert View Power Plant that it was violating federal law due to its excessive emission of air pollutants. Nearly two years later, the plant remains under investigation while my family and everyone else in our community waits for answers and, more importantly, for solutions.
The eastern Coachella Valley has a history of poor air quality from surrounding agriculture, industrial development and the Salton Sea, all of which contribute to high respiratory illness rates across the valley. Desert View Power Plant has only added to the problem with emissions that can cause dizziness, decreased lung function, kidney damage and more. Meanwhile, the EPA's notice of violation has seemingly done nothing to lessen the ongoing distress of the plant’s pollution on my community.
Our families, many of whom are farmworkers, are doing the best they can to provide for their loved ones while being the most exposed to pollution as they toil in the fields. Though they are constantly experiencing health concerns, many can't afford to miss work or get the healthcare they need.
The EPA notice cited Desert View Power hundreds of times for federal air quality violations, including excess emissions of mercury, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride and carbon monoxide. If the plant isn’t going to follow the law, it’s time to shut it down, permanently.
While we appreciate the EPA meeting with residents and continuing its investigation, we need improved communication with our community and immediate action that addresses our air quality concerns. The plant may have recently paused operations, but there’s no guarantee that its long-term solution won’t continue to harm our community.
We deserve to breathe clean air. The resolution to the EPA investigation must include developing projects in collaboration with our community to improve air quality while also meeting the vision and needs of residents.
Additionally, there must be a process in place that ensures future incidents of emissions exceedances from any polluting source are caught, reported to the public, halted and addressed promptly to prevent further deterioration of the region's air quality and impacts on surrounding communities.
Mecca is my home. I want to stay and raise a family here. There’s no better place than a community where my entire family was raised and where I’m surrounded by neighbors who show up for each other. But we need others to show up for us too. We deserve to live, not just survive.
The EPA plans to meet with Mecca residents again May 14 from 6 - 7 p.m. at Mecca Elementary School, 65250 Coahuilla St, Mecca, CA 92254. If you’re interested in learning more, come to the meeting, and if you want to join our fight for cleaner air, sign our petition at bit.ly/ECVDVP.
America Noriega is a junior at Desert Mirage High, a board member of Moviemiento Estudiantil Chicano de Altan, and a volunteer with VITA and Flying Doctors in her community. She moved to her mother’s childhood home of Mecca when she was 10 and is a third-generation Coachella Valley resident. America can be reached at america.noriega2025@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: EPA must work with Mecca residents on solutions to air quality concerns
