Environmental Health Coalition  The Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) is an organization founded in 1980 by Diane Takvorian and Tony Pettina and includes a staff of 19 other individuals. Their goal is to work to achieve environmental and social justice in San Diego, California. Their work mainly concerns low income communities and communities of color in San Diego. They also work to affect public policy both locally and nationally. They believe that by working closely with communities, they will be able to help mitigate the excessive amounts of pollution and other environmental hazards such as hazardous air pollution (HAPs), toxic waste disposal facilities, or superfund sites. One of their main goals is to prevent environmental injustice in San Diego, and use that work to influence national environmental justice issues. Their mission statement is as follows :  "“Environmental Health Coalition is dedicated to achieving environmental and social justice. We believe that justice is accomplished by empowered communities acting together to make social change. We organize and advocate to protect public health and the environment threatened by toxic pollution. EHC supports broad efforts that create a just society and fosters a healthy and sustainable quality of life.”" The Environmental Health Coalition was founded in 1980 originally under the name Coalition Against Cancer. The initial focus of the EHC was to clean up toxic waste sites like the 38th and Alpha street dumps. In 1983 they launched their Household Toxics Project which focuses on identifying and removing harmful toxins in houses in local San Diego residences. In 1986 the EHC co-sponsored the Tijuana Toxics Conference and in the same year launched the Toxic Free Neighborhoods and Clean Bay Campaigns. In 1994 the EHC launched SALTA, which stands for Salud Ambiental Lideres Tomando Accion or Environmental Health Leaders Taking Actions, that aimed to train locals in environmental health and justice. In 1996 the EHC protested the housing of nuclear aircraft carriers in the San Diego Bay. In 2000 The EHC worked to draft the Military Responsibilities Act and in 2002 they formed the Tijuana affiliate. In 2005 they got polluting diesel trucks banned on Barrio Logan streets and in 2006 they worked with the state to ban candies which had unhealthy traces of lead in them. In 2010 the EHC got the West Side National City Specific Plan approved and they also oversaw energy stimulus money that would go towards the low income San Diego residents. Diane Takvorian is one of the founders of the EHC. She has been the executive director since 1982 and holds a master's degree in Social Work with a focus in public policy.