Blowing out pollution: Activist aims to spawn clean air for Northern Virginia

By Devika Koppikar

Alexandria resident Sue Okubo suffers from lung disease. Her lungs are not at full capacity, she said. Nevertheless, she uses her full personal capacity as an environmental activist—aiming to spawn clean air for Northern Virginia. Studies have shown that polluted air accelerates the onset of lung disease and many other health challenges, Okubo noted, which is a situation that she hopes to avert for others.

AF spoke to Okubo, a Japanese American, who is working to limit the pollution expected from the I-395 Hot Lanes. Having recently retired from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Okubo, along with several neighbors in the Landmark area, invested $70,000 of in personal funds for clean air.

Asian Fortune: How did you first become an activist in the Asian American community?

Sue Okubo: I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, where I was the only Asian Pacific American in my high school.  I felt for many years that I should work to fit into the society of the majority population, and wanted to fit in.  When I met fellow APAs in federal service in 1994, I realized the importance being a Japanese American and what I could contribute to the advancement of others in federal services.  I was already a senior executive and had experiences that could be shared. So I joined the Asian American Government Executives Network (AAGEN), where I served as Chair, Vice Chair and board member.

Asian Fortune: Tell me more about your professional background.

Sue Okubo: I went to school in New Orleans, Louisiana, attended Tulane University where I received a BBA and a Ph.D. in economics.  I moved to Washington, DC after I completed my studies, working first for the Institute for Defense Analyses, and then for the federal government.  I worked first for the National Science Foundation, and ended up at the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, where I was the Associate Director of Industry Accounts.  I worked briefly in the private sector, but the importance of public service drew me back to Washington, where I spent most of my working years.

Asian Fortune: Tell us about your latest project.

Sue Okubo: The hammering and pounding near my home led me and my neighbor Mary Hasty to ask questions about the impact of the ramp (at Turkeycock Run) on the residents, especially with regards to air pollution. We went door-to-door to get signatures for a petition to commission a study on the effects of pollution in our area after the completion of the terminus ramp.

At first, our neighbors were a little hesitant about the effort. But once they understood the potential impact of the HOT Lanes, they became quite concerned. We were then able to get 25 to 30 residents involved in this campaign. Today, we have several civil associations, businesses and schools as part of our effort. Together, we have formed the group, Concerned Residents of Landmark (CROL), to address a problem that will impact 80,000 Virginia residents.

Asian Fortune: What were the results of your efforts?    

Sue Okubo: The study we commissioned found the following extremely troubling facts:

Thousands of idling     vehicles on the ramp and 395N will create concentrated levels of     pollution that will exceed federal safety standards by up to 20 times. The pollution will blanket a several-mile radius from the ramp, polluting neighborhoods on both the east and west side of 395,     as well as many public and private schools, parks and playgrounds,     and daycare centers. At least 75,000 area residents will be     exposed to several hours of concentrated levels of pollution that     EPA states are unsafe for even one hour of exposure. The particular     pollutants—nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter—are deemed by EPA as two of the most dangerous. Exposure of an hour or less to such high concentrations of NO2 alone has been documented to inflame a healthy person’s airways and send those with asthma or other respiratory problems to the emergency room.

These levels of pollution are especially dangerous to the elderly, small children, and the chronically ill, including those with heart disease, cancers, lung disease.  The pollution will affect even healthy individuals.

Asian Fortune: What are your next steps?

Sue Okubo: We are now working with state legislators to designate funding for air quality monitoring once the ramp is opened to traffic. We believe such monitoring will reveal unacceptable levels of pollution that will demand mitigation in order to protect public health.

Once the ramp is built, we have no recourse. However, we hope to have a monitoring system in place that will determine the level of pollution and its impact upon our communities. This monitoring system will cost $150,000. We are in the process of trying to get the state of Virginia to pay for this and are working with state legislators to make this a reality.

Through this monitoring, we hope to determine the extent of pollution created by the congestion created by the ramp.  We have gotten the support of state representatives to get funding for this effort. We also plan to meet with Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe.

For more information on Sue Okubo’s latest work, visit: http://www.delaytheramp.com/