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Region 6 Environmental Justice Program
The guiding principle of the Office of Environmental Justice is that everyone, regardless of race or income, is entitled to share equally in the benefits of environmental protection.
The goal of our Environmental Justice Team is to ensure that all people are protected from disproportionate impacts of environmental hazards. Environmental Justice is about real people facing real problems and designing practical solutions to address challenging environmental issues. The environmental justice movement advocates programs that promote environmental protection within the context of sustainable development.
The Agency's commitment to Environmental Justice was reaffirmed in a November 4, 2005, memo from Administrator Johnson (2 pp, 35K, About PDF). Region 6 is committed to integrating EJ into our programs and activities.
Frequently Asked Questions about Environmental JusticeOn May 27-29, leaders and stakeholders from across the country will gather at the Doubletree Hotel in Crystal City, Virginia, to participate in the third annual Environmental Justice in America Conference.
This Conference will provide interactive forums with leading experts focused on proactive and innovative solutions in the areas of Environmental Justice, Climate Change, Green Jobs and Collaborative Problem Solving. The conference will provide participants the opportunity to learn about new tools and resources that are available and examples of best practices used to build capacity in communities.
Keynote speakers are Secretary Hilda Solis, Department of Labor, Congresswoman Dona Christensen and other senior government officials. Program speakers include representatives from federal and state agencies, local governments, tribes, community groups, business and industry, public interest groups, academia and other entities.
Register today for the Environmental Justice in America Conference. 
Conference Topics
- Success stories in assuring justice for communities
- Climate Change and Green Jobs
- Land use decision-making and land revitalization
- Corporate/community relations
- Environmental justice implications in the Hurricane Katrina response
- Sustainable community planning and development/smart growth
- Just and sustainable energy policy
- Community participation in environmental decision making
- Building community capacity
- Distribution of community benefits
- Environmental health in disadvantaged communities
- Provision of infrastructure and resources in rural America
- Environmental education Innovations in environmental justice legislation, regulation, and litigation
- Environmental justice considerations in emergency preparedness and homeland protection
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting applications for the 2009 Achievement in Environmental Justice Awards. Nominations must be postmarked by May 13, 2009. National awards for achievements in environmental justice will be given to multi-stakeholder partnerships for their achievement in addressing environmental justice issues or achieving the goals of environmental justice in a manner that results in positive impacts to a community. Each multi-stakeholder partnership applying for an award must have reached a significant environmental justice milestone or accomplishment within the past 5 years (2004-2008). EPA will announce award winners in Fall 2009. Award winners will receive national recognition for their significant environmental justice achievements. Winners will also be featured on the EPA Office of Environmental Justice's Web site. National recognition may also open doors for the award winners to network and partner with other organizations across the U.S. that share a similar commitment to environmental justice excellence.
Click here to download an application
Click here to learn more about the Environmental Justice Achievement Awards Program. You may also contact Lisa Hammond at (202) 564-0736 or at hammond.lisa@epa.gov.
Environmental Justice Awards Recognize Local Excellence
Dillard University’s Deep South Center for Environmental Justice and the New Mexico Environment Department have received Environmental Justice Achievement Awards from EPA.
The awards recognize organizations for success in addressing environmental justice issues or adopting the goals of environmental justice to positively impact their community.
The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice mobilized minority residents and minority contractors to participate in the cleanup and rebuilding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
The Environment Department developed policies, amended regulations, and worked to affect decision-making with environmental justice goals in mind.
EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice inaugurated the award program this year to recognize organizations for their distinguished accomplishments in addressing environmental justice issues. EPA received dozens of nominations from across the United States. Twelve awards were given to community-based organizations, universities and state and local governments from nine states.
Environmental Justice Achievement Awards
EPA Provides Spanish and Chinese Language Web Sites
EPA has launched a new consolidated Chinese-language Web site as part of its ongoing effort to provide environmental information in English, Spanish and Chinese. The new site compiles EPA Chinese-language materials on a wide variety of issues from lead poisoning prevention, energy efficiency, and clean water to proper management of pesticides. The site also serves as a valuable tool in delivering important health and environmental information to the Chinese-speaking community, both here in the U.S. and worldwide, to help protect local communities as well as the global environment. Chinese is the third most widely-spoken language in the U.S., after English and Spanish.
To view EPA’s Chinese site, visit: http://www.epa.gov/chinese.
To view EPA’s Spanish portal, visit: www.epa.gov/espanol.
Supplemental Environmental Projects
SEPs are environmentally beneficial projects that a violator voluntarily agrees to undertake during settlement of an enforcement action. The purpose of a SEP is to secure significant environmental or public health protection improvements beyond those achieved by bringing the violator into compliance.
Click here to learn more about SEPs in Region 6.
EPA study looks for better asbestos removal technology
More than three years ago, EPA’s Office of Research and Development and Region 6 embarked on a project to evaluate an alternative method to speed up efforts to demolish abandoned, dilapidated buildings containing asbestos.
Click here to learn more about the Alternative Asbestos Control Method