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Wal-Mart Critics Calls News Conference, Charge Warehouse Threatens Lives

MERCED - Citizens from throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley - concerned about the dangerous pollution from a planned 1.2 million square foot Wal-Mart warehouse here they charge will threaten lives - will make a last-ditch appeal to residents Tuesday morning to join them in the fight to stop the world's largest retailer.

The group hold a media availability and rally TUESDAY (Aug. 11) at 10 a.m. at a shopping center at Parsons and Yosemite Pkway. The group plans to traverse the neighborhood of 3,000 homes which are located on the doorstep of the proposed Wal-Mart.

The Merced Planning Commission has scheduled the first of a series of hearings Aug. 19, and the Merced City Council will decide on the issue Sept. 21.

Tuesday's walkers will focus on the impact on children who attend nearby schools, and how the increased pollution from 900 diesel trucks daily will harm their already fragile health - nearly 1 in 4 Merced children already carry inhalers.

They said the environmental impact report (EIR) identified many significant negative impacts of this massive project, especially in the areas of air quality, traffic, and noise which will threaten the health of Merced, and valley residents.

The project will expose thousands of residents, including children in nearby schools and neighborhoods, to pollution as air quality worsens.

Property values of adjacent homes are expected to sink further because of the 230 acre size (24 football fields) of the Wal-Mart project.