Frequently Asked Questions
1. What
is the Origin of Environmental Justice at EPA?
2. How Does EPA Define Environmental Justice?
3. How Did the Environmental Justice Movement Arise?
4. What information did EPA rely upon to determine that
environmental injustice exists?
5. Why did EPA undertake environmental justice as a guiding
principle?
6.What is Executive Order 12898 "Federal
Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations"?
7. What is the Interagency Working Group?
8. Why was the Office of Environmental Justice established?
9. What strategy has EPA formulated to address environmental
justice issues?
10. How are environmental justice strategies being implemented
at EPA?
11. What programs exist to educate individuals and communities
about environmental justice issues?
12. What are the Environmental Justice Executive Steering
Committee and Environmental Justice Coordinators Council?
13. How Does EPA Receive Information From the Public?
14. What Tools Are Available?
15. How Do We Empower the Public?
16. How Will EPA Focus National Environmental Justice Advisory
Council (NEJAC) Meetings in the Future?
17. How Does Someone Determine the Health and Demographic
Data Around a Specific Location?
18. How Can You Work With Communities?
19. What Is Your Role?
20. What Are Some Examples of Environmental Problems?
21. How Can I Obtain More Information About Environmental
Justice?
1.
What is the Origin of Environmental Justice at EPA?
Early in 1990, the Congressional Black Caucus, a bi-partisan coalition
of academicians, social scientists and political activists met with EPA
officials to discuss their findings that EPA was unfairly applying its
enforcement inspections and that environmental risk was higher in racial
minority and low-income populations. In response, the EPA Administrator
created the Environmental Equity Workgroup in July 1990 to address the
allegation that "racial minority and low-income populations bear
a higher environmental risk burden than the general population."
The Workgroup produced a final report "Reducing Risk in All Communities" Volumes I and II in June 1992 which supported the allegation and made ten recommendations for addressing the problem. One of the recommendations was to create an office to address these inequities. The Office of Environmental Equity was established November 6, 1992. The name was changed to Office of Environmental Justice in 1994.
Since the Office was created there have been significant efforts across EPA to integrate environmental justice into how the Agency conducts its day-to-day operations. Information on these activities can be found throughout the Agency. Every Headquarters Office and Region has an environmental justice coordinator to serve as a focal point within the organization. This network of individuals plays a key role in outreach and education to external as well as internal individuals and organizations. Many questions are received concerning environmental justice and some of the more frequently asked questions seemed a good way to explain what EPA has done and plans to do in the future.
2. How Does EPA Define Environmental
Justice?
Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement
of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, culture, education,
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 racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups,
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 environmental 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.
3. How Did the Environmental Justice
Movement Arise?
The environmental justice movement was started by people, primarily people
of color, who needed to address the inequity of environmental protection
services in their communities. Grounded in the struggles of the 1960's
civil rights movement, these citizens from every facet of life, emerged
to elucidate the environmental inequities facing millions of people. These
communities rose to articulate and to sound the alarm about the public
health dangers which posed an immediate danger to the lives of their families,
their communities and themselves.
4. What information did EPA rely
upon to determine that environmental injustice exists?
In response to a variety of concerns raised by EPA staff and the public
(the Michigan Coalition, Congressional Black Caucus, and others), the
EPA Administrator William Reilly formed the EPA Environmental Equity Workgroup
in 1990 with staff from all EPA offices and regions across the Agency.
The Workgroup was directed to assess the evidence that racial minority
and low-income communities bear higher environmental risk burden that
the general population, and consider what EPA might to about any identified
disparities. The report entitled Environmental Equity: Reducing Risk in
All Communities reviewed data that existed on the distribution of environmental
exposures and risks across population groups and summarized a review of
EPA programs with respect to racial minority and low-income populations.
The Workgroup reported several major findings indicating the existence
of environmental injustice and made a number of recommendations to the
Agency including the prioritization of environmental equity.
5. Why did EPA
undertake environmental justice as a guiding principle?
Because of the Agency's strong belief that all Americans regardless of
race, color, national origin, or economic circumstance are important to
the future of our nation and should be able to live in a clean, healthy
environment, EPA Administrator Riley established the Office of Environmental
Justice in 1992; Administrator Browner made environmental justice one
of EPA's highest priorities and established environmental justice as one
of the seven guiding principles in the Agency's strategic plan in 1993.
In an Agency-wide meeting, she stated that "many people of color,
low-income and Native American communities have raised concerns that they
suffer a disproportionate burden of health consequences due to the siting
of industrial plants and waste dumps, and from exposure to pesticides
or other toxic chemicals at home and on the job ... EPA is committed to
addressing these concerns and is assuming a leadership role in environmental
justice to enhance environmental quality for all residents of the United
States." In 2001 Administrator Whitman recommitted the Agency to
"integrating environmental justice into all Agency programs"
in her August 9 memorandum. Subsequently she established a reporting requirement
to provide documentation of environmental justice activities.
6. What is Executive Order 12898
"Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations
and Low-Income Populations"?
The Executive Order was signed by President Bill Clinton on February 11,
1994, to focus federal attention on the environmental and human health
conditions of minority and low-income populations with the goal of achieving
environmental protection for all communities. The Order directed federal
agencies to develop environmental justice strategies to aid federal agencies
identify and address disproportionately high and adverse human health
or environmental effects of their programs, policies, and activities on
minority and low-income populations. The Order is also intended to promote
nondiscrimination in federal programs substantially affecting human health
and the environment, and to provide minority and low-income communities
access to public information on, and an opportunity for public participation
in, matters relating to human health or the environment. The Presidential
Memorandum accompanying the Order underscores certain provisions of existing
law that can help ensure that all communities and persons across this
nation live in a safe and healthful environment.
7. What is the Interagency Working
Group?
One of the provisions of the Executive Order established an Interagency
Working Group (IWG) on environmental justice chaired by the EPA Administrator
and comprised of the heads of eleven departments/agencies and several
White House offices. These include the EPA, the Departments of Justice,
Defense, Energy, Labor, Interior, Transportation, Agriculture, Housing
and Urban Development, Commerce, and Health and Human Services, the Council
on Environmental Quality, the Office of Management and Budget, the Office
of Science and Technology Policy, the Domestic Policy Council, and the
Council of Economic Advisors. The IWG meets on a monthly basis to continue
the collaborative projects. Fifteen demonstration projects have been selected
which depict this with additional projects to be selected each year.
8. Why was the Office of Environmental
Justice established?
EPA created the Office of Environmental Justice in 1992 in response to
public concern and at the recommendation of the Environmental Equity Workgroup.
The Office oversees the integration of environmental justice into EPA's
policies, programs, and activities throughout the Agency; serves as the
point of contact for environmental justice outreach and educational activities;
provides technical and financial assistance. The Office also
serves as the lead on the Interagency Working Group of other federal agencies
to incorporate environmental justice into all federal programs.
9. What strategy has EPA formulated
to address environmental justice issues?
EPA began developing a strategy to address environmental justice concerns
prior to the signing of the Executive Order. The final document, Environmental
Justice Strategy: Executive Order 12898, is consistent with the Executive
Order and ensures the integration of environmental justice into the Agency's
programs, policies, and activities. The strategy contains five major areas
with include: 1) Public Participation and Accountability, Partnerships,
Outreach, and Communication with Stakeholders; 2) Health and Environmental
Research; 3) Data Collection, Analysis, and Stakeholder Access to Public
Information; 4) American Indian and Indigenous Environmental Protection;
and 5) Enforcement, Compliance Assurance, and Regulatory Reviews.
10. How are environmental justice
strategies being implemented at EPA?
Implementing environmental justice programs at EPA has required modifying
the Agency's approach to include educating its officials to recognize
that certain populations who are disproportionately impacted by environmental
pollution are excluded from the decision and policy making process. EPA's
implementation of environmental justice programs includes securing the
commitment of senior management; environmental justice guidance for all
staff; environmental justice training within the Agency; a cross-media
team approach; coordination with states, Indian tribes, industry, and
all stakeholders; devotion of resources to program implementation, systematic
review and integration of environmental justice priorities into activities,
establishment of pilot projects; and development of measurement tools
for accountability.
11. What programs exist to educate
individuals and communities about environmental justice issues?
For several years, EPA has sponsored an internship program with the express
desire to encourage students to pursue an environmental career. The internships,
which are limited to six months of duration, formalize training and provide
"hands-on" experience for students. Students must be registered
at a university to participate. In addition to the internship program,
the Small Grants Program is available to increase address local problems,
raise environmental awareness, expand outreach, and provide training and
education. More information about these programs can be found on the environmental
justice web page.
12. What are the Environmental
Justice Executive Steering Committee and Environmental Justice Coordinators
Council?
In 1994, the Agency implemented a new organizational infrastructure to
integrate environmental justice into EPA's policies, programs, and activities.
This new organization created these groups to work in conjunction with
the office of Environmental Justice. The Environmental Justice Executive
Steering Committee is made up of senior managers representing each of
the Headquarters offices and representatives from the regions. It provides
leadership and direction on strategic planning, cross-media policy development,
and ensures that coordination is implemented at all levels to ensure that
environmental justice is incorporated into Agency operations. The Environmental
Justice Coordinators are the front-line staff specifically responsible
to ensure policy input, program development, and implementation at regional
and headquarters offices. They are the first contact with the public.
A list of individuals to contact for help in specific EPA offices/regions
can be found on the contact page.
13. How Does EPA Receive Information
From the Public?
To ensure that EPA was obtaining adequate stakeholder advice as it implemented
a national environmental justice program, the Agency chartered the National
Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) in 1993. The Council which
is governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act provides independent
advice to EPA on all matters relating to environmental justice. It consists
of 25 members appointed from stakeholder groups including community-based
organizations; business and industry; academic and educational institutions;
state and local government agencies; tribal government and community groups;
non-governmental organizations and environmental groups. In addition to
the Executive Council of 25, the NEJAC additional members t o serve on
the seven subcommittees. Six subcommittees are organized around themes
to help develop strategic options for EPA. The subcommittees are: 1) Waste
and Facility Siting, 2) Enforcement, 3) Health and Research, 4)Air and
Water , 5) Indigenous Peoples, and 6) International. The seventh subcommittee
serves to address specific issues unique to Puerto Rico and only meets
in Puerto Rico. Each subcommittee is managed by a Designated Federal Officer.
To find out more information about the NEJAC visit the web site. http://www.epa.gov/oeca/oej
14. What Tools Are Available?
The National Environmental Justice Program Office is developing a National
Environmental Justice Handbook to provide an institutional framework for
EPA of what environmental justice is, its history and principles and basic
definitions. The Handbook among other things is intended to: (1)Develop
one programmatic template for environmental justice programs across the
agency; (2) Develop one consistent set of methodologies for assessing
environmental justice problems; (3) Develop one set of basic commonly
used definitions; (4) Identify outreach and participation strategies for
key partners in the environmental justice mission, both internal and external
to EPA; and 5) Provide a set of working protocols for integrating meaningful
community involvement/public participation in the decision-making process.
15. How Do We Empower the Public?
The Community Small Grants Program is a financial assistance program available
to help communities; grassroots organizations, and other non-governmental
organizations become knowledgeable about environmental justice. The primarily
purpose is to assist community-based organizations that are working in
developing solutions to local environmental issues. The Community Small
Grants Program was established in 1994, and since then, more than 900
grants of up to $20,000 each have been awarded to community organizations.
As a result of these grant awards, community-based organizations (i.e.,
grassroots groups, churches, and other nonprofit organizations) have expanded
citizen involvement and given people the tools to learn more about exposure
to environmental harms and risks, and consequently, to protect their families
and their communities as they see fit. Some projects have included: (1)
creating and implementing a community-based model for permanent solutions
to polluted, abandoned land, in low-income neighborhoods by producing
A Guide to Vacate Lots booklet; (2) educating migrant farmworkers about
coliform contaminations; (3) developing activities which promote awareness
of the dangers of lead-based paint and (4) protecting surface water and
groundwater on Native American reservations by developing rational criteria
for abandoned wells.
16. How Will EPA Focus National
Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) Meetings in the Future?
The Agency is working to assure that the NEJAC provides meaningful recommendations
which can directly impact national policies. In that regard, in 1999 the
Agency asked the NEJAC to consider a focused approach to its meetings.
The policy issues to be addressed are:
- This meeting focused on what factors should be considered by a
federal agency, as well as state or local agencies with delegated permitting
authority, in the decision making process prior to allowing a new facility
to operate in a community that already may have a number of such facilities.
Washington, D.C. - November 30-December 2, 1999
- This meeting focused on whether there is a direct correlation
between the environment and the public health problems of the residents
of communities that are inundated with pollution-generating facilities.
Atlanta, Georgia, - May 16-18, 2000
- This meeting addressed whether the Federal government has succeeded
in fully integrating environmental justice into its programs, operations,
policies, and activities pursuant to Executive Order 12898. Washington,
D.C. - October 24-26, 2000
- This meeting addressed whether water quality has an impact on environmental
justice consideration where fish consumption is considered subsistence.
Seattle, WA - December 3-6, 2001
- This meeting will explore the connection between pollution prevention techniques and environmental justice issues. Baltimore, MD December 9-12, 2002
17. How Does Someone Determine
the Health and Demographic Data Around a Specific Location?
The National Environmental Justice Program Office is working with the
Agency in making more information available to the public through the
Envirofacts database. This will be done by including census data and health
statistics along with the EPA data already available. Health data (such
as county level mortality statistics) will be provided from federal sources
where such data is collected. These are the National Center for Health
Statistics, the Centers for Disease Control, the Agency for Toxic Standards
and Disease Registry and other health departments and agencies. The EnviroJustice
Mapper tool is available now. You may visit the web site for more information
about this database. http://www.epa.gov/epahome/Data.html
18. How Can You Work With Communities?
EPA's Regional Coordinators have suggested a number of communication techniques
for working with all communities but especially low income and culturally
diverse communities:
Listen to what is said;
Take the community seriously. If you hear from a community resident
that there is a problem, listen and see if you can help;
Make use of facilitators when groups bring a problem to a local meeting;
Identify and work with informal networks;
Get out early and talk with your community members;
Work with the media cognizant of the specific community in which you are seeking information;
Recognize that culturally diverse citizens are frequently not members of national environmental organizations and may need to be contacted through other more local means;
Hold workshops with local community leaders;
Build bridges for long term planning changes;
Be sensitive to working with culturally diverse groups. Each culture sees the issue differently; and
Involve both four year and two year academic institutions near the community, especially the Tribal Colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), and institutions which serve Hispanic students and Asian students.
Learn about the community in which you are working. How familiar are you with its population? For example, are there people who don't speak English well, people who can't read, or people who are shut in? Will work schedules keep people from attending community meetings?
Did you know that 32 million (14 percent) of the people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home? For example in California, 0.6 million people speak Chinese and 5.5 million speak Spanish at home. Over 17 million (8 percent) of the people living in the U.S. speak Spanish at home.
Are announcements and information of special interest to non-English speakers, such as fish advisories and Superfund site fact sheets, available in the native language needed to reach the most impacted people? What is the requirement to reach the most impacted people? How diverse is the community?
Consider Age. Inter-generational equity means that younger or older generations should not bear a greater environmental burden. Children are especially vulnerable to harm from toxic substances and may be exposed through normal play. Is there a relatively high population of children in the community? Do children play outdoors where they may come in contact with contaminated soil and water?
Understand cultural diversity. Many cultural groups depend upon fishing to augment their diet either because of poverty or tradition. Of the 250 million Americans, 49 million (20 percent) are African American, American Indian, or Asian American; 22 million (9 percent) are Hispanic American.
Poverty severely limits options and opportunities. Low income groups cannot always move away from undesirable places, do not have adequate health care and may suffer more exposure to environmental hazards.
20. What Are Some Examples of Environmental Problems?
Lead. Almost two-thirds of American housing units were built before 1970. Although the use of lead paint for houses was banned in the 1970's, older homes often contain paint with high concentrations of lead. Additional sources of lead in the home are: drinking water extracting lead from lead pipes and fixtures, lead in dust (usually from paint), and contaminated soils carried in from outside. The primary pathway for exposure is from ingestion of paint chips and dust containing lead. There is a particularly high concentration of lead problems in low-income and culturally diverse populations, who live in the inner city where the public housing units were built before 1970.
Waste Sites. Low income, and quite often culturally diverse populations, are more likely than other groups to live near landfills, incinerators, and hazardous waste treatment facilities.
Air Pollution. In 1990, 437 of the 3,109 counties and independent cities in the U.S. failed to meet at least one of EPA's ambient air quality standards. Many Americans live in these communities: 57 percent of all whites, 65 percent of African Americans, and 80 percent of Hispanics.
Pesticides. Approximately 90 percent of the 2 million hired farm workers in the United States are people of color, including Chicano, Puerto Ricans, Caribbean blacks and African Americans. Through direct exposure to pesticides, farm workers and their families may face serious health risks. It has been estimated that as many as 313,000 farm workers in the U.S. may suffer from pesticide-related illnesses each year.
Wastewater: City Sewers. Modern sewage systems were developed to carry sewage and storm water separately to prevent overflow problems that are common in older, urban areas. Many inner cities still have sewer systems that are not designed to handle storm overflow. As a result, raw sewage may be carried into local rivers and streams during storms, creating a health hazard.
Wastewater: Agricultural Runoff. More recently, streams and rivers in rural areas with concentrations of commercial truck farms and animal feedlots have suffered mysterious lesions in fish and algae blooms resulting in fish kills. High levels of phosphorus support algae growth, which blocks re-aeration, reducing the level of oxygen needed to support aquatic life. It is suspected that the increased use of commercial fertilizers and concentrations of animal wastes contribute to the degradation of receiving streams and rivers in rural areas, with communities that are often low income and culturally diverse.
21. How Can I Obtain More Information
About Environmental Justice?
You can contact the Office of Environmental Justice at 1-800-962-6215
or 1-202-564-2515 or you can contact the office or region you are most
interested in by calling the individual listed on the EPA Contacts Page.