The Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice (IWG), established under Executive Order 12898, in 1994, is comprised of eleven federal agencies and several White House offices. Each agency, with leadership from EPA, is working to integrate environmental justice into its individual programs. On August 9, 2001, EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman reaffirmed (PDF 41KB) the Agency's, and affirmed the Administration's, commitment to environmental justice.
The IWG currently has three active task forces: Health Disparities (PDF 41KB); Revitalization Demonstration Projects (PDF 62KB); and Native American (PDF 258KB). These three task forces are focusing on the priority issues of the IWG. One such issue is the protection of tribal cultural resources and sacred places. The Native American Task Force completed a compendium of federal memoranda, policies, executive orders, guidance, and statutes on Native American sacred places and cultural properties (hyperlink) to identify the tools which can be used to protect these resources.
In March 2003, the IWG selected 15 new Revitalization Demonstration Projects to showcase collaborative partnerships among federal agencies and other stakeholders in the area of community revitalization and environmental justice. To learn more about these projects, please see the background document (PDF 125KB) which includes brief descriptions of each project, the two-page fact sheets (PDF 1.42MB) on each project, and the request for proposals (RFA) (PDF 194KB) which provides in depth information on the purpose and intent of the IWG demonstration projects program and the requirements for the projects.
In May 2000, the IWG released the Integrated Federal Interagency Environmental Justice Action Agenda (PDF 785KB) which identified 15 such model programs. The action agenda insures the targeting of coordinated federal initiatives and resources to help environmentally and economically distressed communities. Together, the 12 federal agencies and departments identified 15 national environmental justice demonstration projects. The anticipated result will be dramatic improvement in the quality of life in 15 minority and low-income communities that suffer disproportionate environmental impact.
As a follow-up to the Action Agenda, the IWG has been examining those projects as they are implemented. The Status Report on Environmental Justice Collaborative Model (PDF 4.25MB) recounts the lessons learned and successful elements of the 15 Action Agenda projects and begins to define a collaborative problem-solving model that is emerging from the experiences.
Starting in 2001, EPA's Evaluation Support Division began conducting an evaluation (Evaluating the Use of Partnerships to Address Environmental Justice Issues) that looked at six IWG projects to determine the value of using partnerships to address environmental justice issues. This effort included six case studies and an analysis that examined: (1) project processes, activities, and outcomes; (2) key factors influencing project success; (3) value of partnering to address environmental justice issues; and (4) value of federal agency involvement in partnership efforts. A core set of findings and recommendations were also included. To learn more about this effort click on "Evaluating the Use of Partnerships to Address Environmental Justice Issues" above.
The Environmental Justice Directory (PDF 893KB), which is a comprehensive listing of the contacts in the various federal agencies that make up the IWG, was published in October, 2000. With this resource, the Office of Environmental Justice hopes to enhance coordination and communication among federal agencies, state and local governments, and the public in addressing environmental justice issues. In particular, we hope this directory will serve as a "roadmap" for the public who must have access to several agencies in order to address the multiplicity of concerns and problems in their communities.
Some of the documents provided by EPA are Adobe Acrobat PDF (Portable Document Format) Files. They can be viewed, and printed, with the use of an Adobe Acrobat Reader.
|
