Environmental Justice at Department of Transportation

The Department of Transportation is taking a fresh look at our Environmental Justice policies in order to strengthen the EJ process. This includes working to create new mode-specific tools and guidance for achieving EJ. To the extent possible, DOT will ensure harmonization across the modes. Although there are unique elements in each program, the goal is to avoid any needless obstacles for project developers and communities.

The US DOT is committed to the principles of EJ, which include:

• To avoid, minimize, or mitigate disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental effects, including social and economic effects, on minority populations and low-income populations.
• To ensure the full and fair participation by all potentially affected communities in the transportation decisionmaking process.
• To prevent the denial of, reduction in, or significant delay in the receipt of benefits by minority and low-income populations.

These goals of environmental justice should be considered throughout transportation planning and project development, and through all public outreach and participation efforts conducted by the US DOT and their grantees.

DOT values the insight and experience of grantees, transportation planners, affected community members, and other stakeholders, and invites you to take part in the upcoming discussions and engagement opportunities on EJ at DOT.