ESS co-sponsors symposium on PFAS and California Tribes
On e.berkeley.edu/morellofroschlab/portfolio/water-equity-science-shop-wess/">Water Equity Science Shop), Daniel Beene (University of New Mexico), and Tedde Simon (Tribal Liaison, UC Berkeley) organized and moderated a one-day conference at SCU on shallow groundwater contamination near tribally managed lands in California from PFAS, which are often described as persistent organic pollutants or "forever chemicals." Keynote speakers were Otakuye Conroy-Ben (Oglala Lakota), a leading researcher on PFAS contamination on Tribal lands nationally, and Gregg Castro (Salinan/ Rumsien-Ramaytush Ohlone), Charlie Toledo (Towa), and Shaun Livermore (National Tribal Water Council, Poarch Band of Creek Indians) on Tribal perspectives and priorities. The conference provided opportunities to learn and discuss what is currently known about the issue and facilitated conversations about opportunities for collaboration among PFAS researchers, Tribal community members, and policy advocates. Presenters described current research efforts and water quality data. Tribal community members spoke about how research can support diverse community needs, and all participants envisioned actionable research to support advocacy and policy change. See the full program and list of speakers. The conference was sponsored by the Initiative, the Water Equity Science Shop at UC-Berkeley, SCU’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Inclusive Excellence Initiative, the Environmental Justice Data Fund, the University of New Mexico METALS SRP, and the SCU Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences. Research coordinator Maria Eugenia Flores-Gomez and undergraduates Samantha Lei, Stephanie Davies, and William (Ivy) Alexander supported the conference. Watch the video recording.