National Nurses United

oppose the expansion of the fossil fuel industry, fighting new oil pipelines, fracking, expansion of refineries and movement of tar sands, oil drilling near residential areas, the list goes on. Each month, a core group of NNU nurses working on environmental jus- tice issues convenes by conference call to learn what is happening around the country and support one another. Nurses are also invaluable allies of traditional environmental organizations, appearing side by side at protests with their mem- bers, speaking up at rallies, and lending their considerable medical authority and expertise on all kinds of environmental issues. "From fighting for clean water and against fracking to standing against pipelines like Dakota Access, NNU nurses have been on the front lines of campaigns critical to our environment and the people depending on it," said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food and Water Watch. "This includes opposing Trump's extremist agen- da, but also advancing a bold progressive vision that takes on the large corporate interests poisoning the planet. We're grateful to have NNU as a close partner as we work together to heal our democracy and our polluted environment." With nurses' involvement, different campaigns around the country to fight fossil fuel pollution have been successful. In Chicago, where oil refineries stored petcoke in enormous, uncovered mountains along the Calumet River that blew toxic dust across Southeast Chicago playgrounds, schools, and neigh- borhoods, nurses were part of the community activists who won removal of those piles in 2016. On the California coast, nurses, allied with environmentalists and community residents, succeeded this March in blocking expansion of a rail line Phillips 66 wanted to run train loads of dirty and potentially explosive bitumen to its refinery. "We've been seeing a rise in respiratory illness—so many colds, sinus problems, bronchitis, COPD, pneumonia," said Rolanda Wat- son, a Chicago RN of the petcoke piles and heavy industrial pollu- tion in her city. "People will say it's the weather, or something is just going around. But babies aren't supposed to have asthma. There's a reason for all this." In this article, we highlight some more of the active work our NNU nurses are undertaking to save the planet, and their patients. funding from the dirty oil pipeline projects. With a goal of meeting fellow activists and finding additional ways to plug in, she also attends local meetings on other environmental issues, including a project dedicated to combatting dangerous heat waves. Searfoss says nurses in her community currently have their eye on resisting the Montana Vista pipeline, a proposed pipeline slated to carry petrole- um products through a stretch of far East El Paso County. "This is more than another issue; all life depends on us working together to reduce CO 2 emissions," said Searfoss, who has spoken with fellow RN environmental justice fighters in other parts of the country, and felt an increased sense of determination to know that each local fight is part of a larger, unified movement. "It's nice to hear about progress in other states; it gives us hope here in Texas," says Searfoss. "There is a lot to do to achieve environ- mental justice." Texas is a big state, and down near the southern tip in the Rio Grande Valley, Laura Dominguez is worried about what is happen- ing to the natural beauty and ecology of her Gulf Coast community, which she clearly loves. A former science teacher turned forensic registered nurse, Dominguez remarks that the border city of Brownsville is noted for butterflies and birds not seen in other parts of the United States because of its proximity to South America, that local commercial fishers and shrimpers depend on unspoiled waters for their livelihood, that the valley depends on tourism and beach access, that you can find sea turtles in Gulf waters. Now, she reports, energy firms want to build liquified natural gas [LNG] pipelines leading to plants at the Port of Brownsville, which opponents fear can explode, contaminate the region's water system, and sicken peo- ple with their fumes. So Dominguez, who is a longtime member of NNU's Rio Grande Valley metro council, is also a dedicated member of the local envi- ronmental coalition to oppose LNG, Save RGV from LNG. She tries to schedule her shifts for every other week so that she makes time to attend meetings, protests, rallies, and other events. "Any attack on the environment will affect our health," said Dominguez. "My concern is for my community and their health, knowing that we already have a lot of other health issues that we fight, such as high blood pressure and diabetes." M AY | J U N E 2 0 1 7 W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G N A T I O N A L N U R S E 15

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