HOUSTON - Several environmental justice advocates in the Houston-area have endorsed Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee for re-election in the 2024 Democratic Primary Election.
According to a press release, the individual endorsements come from Dr. Robert Bullard, Keith Downey, Kathy Blueford-Daniels, Reverend James Caldwell, Jackie Young Medcalf, and Sandra Edwards.
“We need elected leaders who will take bold action to address environmental injustice,” said Bullard, a professor of urban planning. “County Attorney Menefee has shown courage on this issue, both in standing up for marginalized communities and in advocating for transformative change for the future.
“We need our young leaders to understand how important the climate crisis is and how black and brown communities are bearing the brunt of it. Our county attorney gets it.”
The press release states that Menefee has prioritized environmental issues in his first term, including securing Environmental Protection Agency oversight of creosote cleanup in Fifth Ward, suing the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality over concrete plant pollution impacts, holding refineries and plants accountable for violations of the Clean Air Act, and advocating for the Biden administration to revamp the Chemical Safety Rule and the National Air Ambient Quality Standards.
“I’ve had to sound the alarm about environmental issues in Kashmere Gardens too many times,” said Downey, an environmental activist. “We can’t do it alone in the community. We need leaders to join us in the fight, and the county attorney has done that time after time.”
Menefee says he is overwhelmed by the support from the community advocates.
“Pollution and environmental contamination have impacted people in our community in a real, tangible way,” Menefee said. “Our communities have had to battle cancer clusters, shelter-in-place orders, and higher rates of lung and heart issues.
“I am committed to continuing to use my position to advocate for these communities, and for everyone across Harris County to breathe clean air and drink clean water.”
Menefee currently serves on the EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee, co-chairing the Environmental Justice subcommittee.