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 Linda MacKay
“People need to know that they can play a part in what happens in their community.”
Linda McKay moved from Los Angeles to the Central Valley town of Alpaugh in 1984 because she wanted a cleaner and safer environment for her children. But she didn’t quite get what she expected. Instead, the move to Alpaugh has led Linda to become involved in many environmental justice issues affecting her community. She has learned the dangers of toxic pesticide drift and from airborne particulate matter. Her passion is to help people become informed about the dangers facing their community. She feels that education that leads to action, and that action creates change.
She first became involved with environmental justice issues in 1989 when the community learned of a proposal to build a toxic waste incinerator in Alpaugh. The community was outraged and contacted Greenpeace organizer Bradley Angel and CRPE’s Luke Cole, as well as other communities fighting similar projects. After a raucous public hearing in Alpaugh in which 80% of the town turned out to oppose the incinerator, the incinerator company was scared away. At that time, Linda became aware of another proposed toxic waste incinerator in nearby Kettleman City and cancer clusters in McFarland and Earlimart. After her successful fight in Alpaugh, Linda decided to stay involved.
Today, Linda McKay serves on the CRPE Advisory Board. She has served as President of the Mountain Communities Town Council. Her main goal is to stay educated and help educate others.
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