Residents of the Mountain View neighborhood in the South Valley of Albuquerque have filed a complaint with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding environmental justice and air pollution in minority and low-income communities. The South Valley of Albuquerque is in an unincorporated area of Bernalillo County, but abuts the city and is heavily impacted by city decisions.
The South Valley residents are asking the EPA to investigate whether the city of Albuquerque and its city council are violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination against people due to their race, national origin or color. Additionally, they requested that the EPA hold Albuquerque responsible for violations of civil rights. The residents are represented by the New Mexico Environmental Law Center. Friends of the Valle del Oro Wildlife Refuge joined the Mountain View residents in filing the complaint.
The Los Jardines Institute along with the Natural Resources Defense Council filed a separate complaint with similar allegations. …