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United States Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Justice

 

Quick References
NEJAC Next Meeting:
Data Systems
(including ECHO)

Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair treatment means that no group of people, including a racial, ethnic, or a socioeconomic group, should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, municipal, and commercial operations or the execution of federal, state, local, and tribal programs and policies. Meaningful involvement means that: (1) potentially affected community residents have an appropriate opportunity to participate in decisions about a proposed activity that will affect their environment and/or health; (2) the public's contribution can influence the regulatory agency's decision; (3) the concerns of all participants involved will be considered in the decision making process; and (4) the decision makers seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected.

In sum, environmental justice is the goal to be achieved for all communities and persons across this Nation. Environmental justice is achieved when everyone, regardless of race, culture, or income, enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work

To find out more about environmental justice visit the web sites associated with this page:

1. The National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) is a federal advisory committee that provides independent advice, consultation, and recommendations to the Administrator of EPA on matters related to environmental justice;

2. Starting in 2003, each major program and regional office in EPA was required to submit an "Environmental Justice Action Plan" detailing the efforts to integrate environmental justice into their policies, programs, and activities. Each office then provides a "progress report" on the accomplishments toward meeting the goals established in the prior year's action plan.

3. The federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice (IWG) was established by Executive Order 12898 in 1994. The IWG is made up of twelve federal agencies and chaired by EPA, targets coordinated federal initiatives and resources to help environmentally and economically distressed communities;

4. The OEJ grants programs are designed to address environmental justice concerns and issues. In addition to these grant programs, there may be other EPA grants that include environmental justice components;

5. EPA's Office of Environmental Justice sponsors a Community Intern Program through a cooperative agreement with the Environmental Careers Organization (ECO);

6. To get more information about the environmental conditions in your local community use the link "Where You Live" on the left side of the page.

7. To find the right contact person for anything related to environmental justice, use the link "Contact Us" just below the page header. Then look at the descriptions found on that page and click on the one that most closely matches your issue or question.

 

Planning & Results | Compliance Assistance | Compliance Incentives & Auditing | Compliance Monitoring
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