![[logo] US EPA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081107015128im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Compliance and Enforcement Annual Results:
Environmental Justice
FY2006 Annual Results Topics
- Integrating Environmental Justice Implementation into Enforcement and Compliance
- Environmental Justice Smart Enforcement Assessment Tool
- Enhancing the Public's Ability to Report Environmental Violations
- International Chiefs of Police Resolution on Environmental Justice
- Applying Environmental Justice to Supplemental Environmental Projects
- Authorizing Tribal Governments to Conduct Inspections on Behalf of EPA
- Pesticides Inspector Spanish Language and Cultural Training
- Information for Small and Minority Livestock Farmers
Integrating Environmental Justice Implementation into Enforcement and Compliance
Each of the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance's (OECA) National Enforcement and Compliance Program Priorities has an environmental justice component in its performance-based implementation strategy. This will ensure that minority and/or low income groups and communities are not disproportionately placed at risk from environmental and/or human health threats, especially by the activities covered by the National Priorities.
Environmental Justice Smart Enforcement Assessment Tool
For the last two years, OECA has been working on the development of the Environmental Justice Smart Enforcement Assessment Tool (EJSEAT). This tool will help us to consistently define areas and facilities with potential environmental justice concerns based on a set of health, environmental, compliance, and social demographics indicators. As of summer 2006, we have already developed a prototype version of the EJSEAT that is available for testing on our Online Targeting Information System (OTIS) Web site. The EJSEAT will not be considered final until we obtain successful internal and external peer review of the tool. Once the EJSEAT is fully functional, it will allow us (after the identification of areas with environmental justice concerns based on information available to EPA) to use race and income information to assess how OECA's actions affect areas with minority and/or income populations. The EJSEAT will also be very instrumental in the effective implementation strategies for our National Program Priorities.
Enhancing the Public's Ability to Report Environmental Violations
In 2006, we developed our Reporting Environmental Violations Web page. This allows the public to help us protect our nation's environment by identifying and reporting environmental violations online. To expand our public outreach, and specially get the help of the Hispanic community, we created a Spanish Reporting Environmental Violations form to make it easy to Spanish-speaking citizens to submit their environmental "tips and complaints." Along with the Web page, we developed the Reporting Environmental Violations brochure in English and Spanish (Denunciando violaciones ambientales) which has helped us to better educate the public about environmental crime and the need to report it. The information reported through this mechanism is referred to EPA environmental enforcement personnel or to the best appropriate regulatory authority that can best address the reported concerns.
International Chiefs of Police Resolution on Environmental Justice
In order to advance environmental justice principles and objectives in the deliberations, meetings, and capacity building of external organizations (e.g., State associations, trade associations, the law enforcement community and stakeholder groups), a resolution on environmental justice was adopted by the full membership of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, a force of 19,000 police executives in more than 100 different countries. This effort assists in the recognition of the need to integrate environmental justice principles into environmental criminal enforcement practices, criminal case assessment and selection, and in the reduction of pollution around the globe. This effort will also assist in the reduction of crimes in communities with potential environmental justice concerns and educate a broad and diverse audience on the dangers of environmental crime, and the adverse impact on human health. Recently, Court TV featured an EPA criminal environmental enforcement case that involved the death of a child due to blood-lead poisoning. All facets of the investigation were presented, including the fact that the victim, family, and other residents lived in a community with a disproportionate number of environmental hazards, and were at the lower end of the sphere in opportunities for economic and educational advancement. This year EPA along with many other federal, state and local governments observed the fifth annual "National Environmental Crime Prevention Week." The week focused on increasing the awareness of environmental crimes, including numerous training sessions with a focus on environmental justice.
Applying Environmental Justice to Supplemental Environmental Projects
OECA made a great effort to monitor and implement Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) that reduce particulate emissions from wood heating appliances in low-income households and communities. During the year, the Wood Heater Program initiated SEPs with Fireplace Products International (FPI) and England 's Stove Works (ESW). The FPI SEP will result in annual particulate emissions reductions of 1.5 tons per year in EPA-Region 9. The ESW SEP will result in annual particulate emissions reductions of 2.2 tons per year in EPA-Region 3. The FPI SEP will replace 30 wood stoves in 30 low-income households in Whatcom County over a 26-month period. The ESW SEP will replace 44 stoves in 44 low-income households over a 26 month-period in Virginia and West Virginia . This will reduce heating costs by 50% for participating households. The SEP progress reports show that FPI replaced 19 wood stoves in 19 low-income homes over 13 months (63% completion in half the time). ESW replaced 33 wood stoves in 33 low-income houses since 3/12/2005 (75% completion).
Authorizing Tribal Governments to Conduct Inspections on Behalf of EPA
By the beginning of fiscal year 2005 (9/30/04), the OECA had issued the Guidance for Issuing Federal EPA Inspector Credentials to authorize Employees of State/Tribal Governments to Conduct Inspections on Behalf of EPA (PDF) (97 pp, 1.4 MB, About PDF). This year, OECA issued 18 inspector credentials to tribal inspectors representing 10 tribal organizations under three EPA statutes (CWA, FIFRA and RCRA). The tribal organizations included: the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Tribe; Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe; Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe; Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes; Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Tribes; Standing Rock Sioux Tribe; Oglala Sioux Tribe; The Navajo Nation; Salt River Pima - Maricopa Indian Community; and the Yakama Nation.
Pesticides Inspector Spanish Language and Cultural Training
As part of OECA's Pesticides Inspector Residential Training (PIRT), OECA held in August a Hispanic Culture/Spanish language session with focus on intensive Spanish language and cultural training.
Information for Small and Minority Livestock Farmers
OECA developed eleven (11) special fact sheets for small and minority livestock farmers. The Small Farms fact sheets are posted under the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center Project. There will be several (3+) webcast features for extension educators and others who advise farmers to familiarize them with the fact sheets.
Annual Results by Fiscal Year
FY2006 | FY2005 | FY2004 | FY2003 | FY2002 | FY2001 | FY2000 | FY1999