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East Bay Conservation Corps Testimony, page 2 



of volunteer workers from the local community, including school- 

 aged children. Corpsmembera are often in charge of directing and 

 supervising these volunteers - this opportunity to be a role model 

 and to provide leadership is a valuable one for inner-city young 

 people whose self-esteem is often low. 



By focusing on high-need urban areas the Waterways Restoration Act 

 will enable the East Bay Conservation Corps and many other local 

 conservation and service corps to send more crews of youth and 

 young adults to work in their own communities and thus strengthen 

 the social and economic fabric of these overlooked neighborhoods. 

 This placing of a priority on accomplishing projects in low income 

 and ethnic minority communities ensures a powerful focus on 

 environmental justice, a focus which we firmly endorse. We as a 

 nation must begin to promote the stewardship of our environmental 

 and human resources. The Waterways Restoration Act Of 1994 does 

 just that. For all of these reasons, we strongly urge the passage 

 of HR 428 9, the Waterways Restoration Act. 



