Marin City Climate Resilience and Health Justice (MCCRHJ) is a BIPOC-led environmental justice organization based in Marin City, CA, made up of community members and allies advocating for climate resilience and health justice for one of the most vulnerable communities in Marin County. The low-income, historically Black community is overburdened by pollution, disinvestment, and high chronic disease and disability rates. The nonprofit seeks to establish equitable inclusion in planning and community preparedness, as well as the equitable allocation of resources. MCCRHJ addresses critical community issues including emergency preparedness (including flood and hazard mitigation planning), adaptation to climate change and sea level rise (including wetland restoration), and pollution (water, air, and soil quality), while promoting community engagement, including Youth Leadership Development, and social equity.
Terrie Green calling for action, Knee Deep Times, Photo: Katie Rodriguez, Nov. 2021
One major goal of Marin City Climate Resilience and Health Justice (MCCRHJ) has been equitable inclusion in the planning of effective storm drainage into Richardson Bay. Another major goal has been the equitable allocation of funds after the planning. The organization, founded in 2021, made gains on those two goals in 2023: It partnered with Marin County Flood Control, CA Office of Emergency Services, and FEMA in the planning process. And $10 million was allocated to the new pump station project. The pump station design provides long-term sustainable infrastructure to prevent contaminated water, over 4 feet deep in some cases, from flooding the community’s one access road during atmospheric rivers. Marin City’s 3000 residents, largely Black and with significantly lower income than others in Marin County, lived for decades without the attention and resources they needed to correct this disaster risk. Clean tap water and additional climate resilience are ongoing MCCRHJ concerns.