Regional Environmental Justice Conference Feedback Survey
1. Overview
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Office of Environmental Justice is planning a regional environmental justice conference to provide Region 4 stakeholders an opportunity to learn more about environmental justice, dialogue around specific topics, and to network with each other. To ensure that the conference is relevant, meets your expectations, and is informative, we would like your feedback.
The conference will be held in Atlanta, GA and is tentatively scheduled for August 2012.The survey is very short and should take no more than 5 minutes to complete. Please feel free to forward the link to others who may be interested in providing their input.
The survey will close on January 31, 2012. If you have any questions, please contact Sheryl Good of my staff at 404-562-9559 or at good.sheryl@epa.gov. Denise Tennessee, Acting DirectorOffice of Environmental Justice, Region 4.
Monday, January 23, 2012
EPA Region 4 Environmental Justice Survey
CALL FOR PAPERS, POSTERS & PRESENTATIONS
6th Annual State of Environmental Justice in America Call for Papers, Posters, and Presentations
EJ Conference, Inc. invites you to submit papers, posters, and presentations for the upcoming 6th Annual State of Environmental Justice in America Conference, April 3-5, 2012. The Conference has identified the following list of research topics for the Call. Abstracts should offer innovative, theoretical and practical solutions to improve EJ planning, implementation and problem solving for communities, governments, the private sector and others.
The selected abstracts will be used to develop papers, plenary sessions, poster presentations, and panel sessions for the 6thst annual training meeting. Selected abstracts will also have the opportunity to submit manuscripts by July 1, 2012 that will be published as proceedings in a supplement to the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. The list of research areas include, but is not limited to:
• Title VI Compliance
• Environmental justice impacts of transportation on public health
• Diversity in STEM education, training and employment
• Equitable considerations in developing and implementing a clean energy policy
• Community-scale green energy solutions
• Diversity in Federal energy, environmental and economic initiatives
• Historically Black Colleges and Other Minority Serving Institutions Participation in
• Environmental Justice activities
• Tribal participation in energy production and environmental protection
• Impact of going green on EJ populations including Black farmers
• Diversity in alternative and renewable energy production
• Environmental justice activities in Federal, state and local governments
• Measuring community attributes
• Impact of going green on EJ populations
• Diversity in environmentalism
• Implications of funding different transportation modes for use by EJ communities
• Confronting Health Disparities
• EJ gap analysis benefits vs. burdens
• Participation of EJ communities in the decision-making process
• Diversity in Federal pipeline preparation
• Smart growth, equity and inclusion
• Climate change and sustainability
• Other
Please submit your abstract of 500 words or less to C4Papers@ejconference.net no later than February 15, 2012. Notice of acceptance will be sent on or before February 23, 2012.
Commitment to present must be received on or before March 1, 2012. Complete abstracts are due on or before March 20, 2012.
Presenters will be required to cover all of their expenses to participate in the conference. A limited amount of financial assistance may be available to assist with conference expenses.
Requests for financial assistance should be directed to F-A@ejconference.net no later than February 15, 2012.
Questions and requests for additional information should be directed to:
F-A@ejconference.net no later than February 15, 2012. Questions and requests for additional information should be directed to: JR@ejconference.net or call John Rosenthall, Conference Coordinator, on 202-508-3894 or 703-624-2257.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
EPA Environmental Justice Conference Call
Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has made Expanding the Conversation on Environmentalism and Working for Environmental Justice one of her top priorities. In support of this priority, we invite environmental justice advocates to participate on our Quarterly Environmental Justice Community Outreach Calls.
The purpose of these calls is to provide information to participants about the Agency’s EJ activities and maintain an open dialogue with EJ advocates. As EPA continues to advance Plan EJ 2014, the Agency hopes these calls will better inform the public about EPA’s EJ work and enhance opportunities to take advantage of federal activities.
Upcoming Call
January 19, 2012 Teleconference
Time: 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Eastern time
Phone Number: 1-877-744-6030
Access Code: 38828011#
AgendaWe are taking suggestions on additional topics for the agenda and need your feedback. We will select the topic(s) that are of general concern to communities prior to the call. Please keep in mind that the call will only last for an hour, so the number of topics discussed will be limited. The final agenda will be posted here no later than the day before the call.
EPA has developed the following agenda with consideration of the proposed agenda topics that EJ advocates have provided.
Introduction (5 minutes)
Lisa Garcia, Senior Advisor to the Administrator for Environmental Justice
Update on Outreach for Chromium Electroplating and Steel Pickling Rule Proposal (5 minutes)
Candace Carraway, Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Air Quality and Planning Standards
Update on EPA's Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Program (10 minutes)
Rafael DeLeon, Office of Civil Rights
Update on EPA's Regulation of Sewage Sludge (10 minutes)
Bob Brobst, Region 8
Questions and Answers (30 minutes)
Previous Calls
Date
October 6, 2011
October 2011 Transcript (PDF)
October 2011 Audio
May 19, 2011
May 2011 Transcript (PDF)
May 2011 Audio
February 17, 2011
February 2011 Transcript (PDF)
February 2011 Audio
November 4, 2010
November 2010 Transcript (PDF)
November 2010 Audio
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
NEJAC Seeking Nominees
Seeking Nominations for Members to EPA's National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites nominations from a diverse range of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment to the NEJAC. The NEJAC is a multi-stakeholder federal advisory committee that provides independent advice and recommendations to the EPA Administrator about cross-cutting issues related to environmental justice.
This notice solicits nominations to fill eight (8) new vacancies through June 25, 2012. To maintain the representation outlined by the charter, nominees will be selected to represent the following stakeholder workforce sectors:
- Academia (1 vacancy)
- Business and industry (2 vacancies)
- Grassroots Community-based organizations (1 vacancy)
- Non-governmental/environmental organizations (1 vacancy)
- State and local government agencies (2 vacancies)
- Tribal governments and indigenous groups (1 vacancy)
Any interested person or organization may nominate qualified persons to be considered for appointment to this advisory committee. Individuals may self-nominate. Nominees should possess the following qualifications:
- Demonstrated experience with environmental justice and community sustainability issues at the national, state, or local level
- Willingness to commit time to the committee and demonstrated ability to work constructively and effectively on committees
- Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication, and consensus-building skills
- Ability to serve a 3-year appointment and to volunteer approximately 5 to 8 hours per month to support the Council’s activities
How to Submit Nominations: Nominations can be submitted in electronic format (preferred). In order to fill anticipated vacancies by May 2012, nominations should be received by January 25, 2012. Additional details regarding the nomination process and to learn more about NEJAC.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Environmental Justice in Native America
Special Issue on Environmental Justice in Native America
Liebert Table of Contents
Environmental Justice
Volume: 4, Number: 4 December 2011
Original Articles
Self-Determining Environmental Justice for Native America
James M. Grijalva
Tribal Environmental Justice: Vulnerability, Trusteeship, and Equity under NEPA
Barbara Harper and Stuart Harris
The Recognition Dimensions of Environmental Justice in Indian Country
Kyle Powys Whyte
Radical Adaptation, Justice, and American Indian Nations
Sarah Krakoff
Medicine Food: Critical Environmental Justice Studies, Native North American Literature, and the Movement for Food Sovereignty
Joni Adamson
Environmental Justice, American Indians and the Cultural Dilemma: Developing Environmental Management for Tribal Health and Well-being
Darren J. Ranco, Catherine A. O'Neill, Jamie Donatuto, and Barbara L. Harper
A Method for Tribal Environmental Justice Analysis
Stuart Harris and Barbara Harper
Monday, December 12, 2011
EPA Awards $1 Million in Environmental Justice Grants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it awarded more than $1 million in grants to 46 non-profit and tribal organizations working to address environmental justice issues nationwide. EPA also announced it is seeking applicants for $1 million in environmental justice small grants expected to be awarded in 2012.
EPA’s environmental justice efforts aim to ensure equal environmental and health protections for all Americans, regardless of race or socioeconomic status. The grants enable non-profit organizations to conduct research, provide education, and develop solutions to local health and environmental issues in communities overburdened by harmful pollution.
The 2011 grants support activities including projects to protect children in the Boston-area from lead poisoning and asthma, conduct research on air quality in a portside Philadelphia community, and provide support to residents on the Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota to repair failing septic systems and identify water that is unsafe to drink. The 2012 grant solicitation is now open and will close on February 29, 2012. Applicants must be incorporated non-profits or tribal organizations working to educate, empower and enable their communities to understand and address local environmental and public health issues.
EPA will host four pre-application teleconference calls on December 15, 2011, January 12, 2012, February 1, 2012 and February 15, 2012 to help applicants understand the requirements. Environmental justice means the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race or income, in the environmental decision-making process.
Since 1994, the environmental justice small grants program has provided more than $23 million in funding to community-based nonprofit organizations and local governments working to address environmental justice issues in more than 1,200 communities. The grants represent EPA’s commitment to expand the conversation on environmentalism and advance environmental justice in communities across the nation.
More information on the Environmental Justice Small Grants program and a list of grantees
Environment Justice Small Grants 2012 Request for Proposals and schedule of pre-application teleconference calls
Thursday, November 10, 2011
EJ Strategies at Federal Agencies
Link to Federal Agencies' Strategies
In August, EJ IWG agencies signed the “Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Justice and Executive Order 12898” and formally agreed to certain environmental justice commitments.Among them, each federal agency agreed to post its strategy on its website for public comment. Those federal agencies that have not already made a strategy available for public comment have provided, or are working to provide, information to the public about their strategy development process.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Obama, The Black Community & Environmental Justice
THE PRESIDENT’S AGENDA AND THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
November 2011 [Nov 9 Conference]
The President’s Commitment to African American Families
“For centuries, African American men and women have persevered to enrich our national life and bend the arc of history toward justice. From resolute Revolutionary War soldiers fighting for liberty to the hardworking students of today reaching for horizons their ancestors could have only imagined, African Americans have strengthened our Nation by leading reforms, overcoming obstacles and breaking down barriers” – President Obama, February 1, 2011
Environmental Justice
In too many American communities, minority families shoulder a disproportionate burden of pollution in the places where they live, work and learn. These disparities result in health challenges like asthma and heart disease and end up turning away job creators looking for attractive, healthy places to set up their businesses. In 2009, about 2,380,000 African Americans reported that they currently have asthma and African American women were 30 percent more likely to have asthma than white women. The President is committed to addressing those disparities and ensuring that all communities have the opportunity to enjoy the health and economic benefits of a clean environment and has begun to lay the ground work for achieving environmental justice for all Americans in a number of ways:
Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice. After a decade of inaction, in September 2010, the Obama Administration reconvened the Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice, to ensure that federal agencies are working together as never before to tackle this persistent challenge and provide all Americans with strong federal protection from environmental and health hazards.
White House Environmental Justice Forum. In December 2010, at the White House Environmental Justice Forum, Cabinet Secretaries and other senior Administration officials met with more than 100 environmental justice leaders from across the country to engage advocates on issues affecting their communities, including reducing air pollution, addressing health disparities, and capitalizing on emerging clean energy job opportunities. This was a first-of-its kind forum and an opportunity to have an honest dialogue about opportunities and challenges to achieving environmental justice in communities across the country.
Memorandum of Understanding. Reflecting the dialogue, concerns and commitments made at the forum and other public events, in August of this year, 17 federal leaders signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Justice and Executive Order 12898 (MOU). This MOU better defines and broadens the mission of the EJ IWG and commits each agency to develop an environmental justice strategy. These strategies, which will be finalized in early 2012, will serve as a road map that will help integrate environmental justice into the programs agencies run, the policies they make, and the activities they engage in.
(The White House)
Monday, November 7, 2011
EPA Region 8 EJ Community Stakeholder Dialogue
Federal Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Environmental Justice Community Stakeholder Dialogue
Hosted by: EPA Region 8 and the Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) 2011 Conference
Date: Wednesday, November 16 2011
Time: 6:30 - 9:00 PM (Doors Open at 6:00 PM)
Location: Denver Sheraton Hotel, Grand Ballroom1550 Court Place, Denver, Colorado 80202
Parking: Parking is available with two-hour metered street parking or in parking lots/garages. Parking is not reimbursed. Guests are encouraged to use local transportation. The bus shuttle service on the 16th street pedestrian mall is free.
The purpose of this meeting is to give community stakeholders the opportunity to engage in open dialog with federal agencies about environmental justice issues that concern them. Environmental justice encompasses a broad range of issues including access to resources, information and environmental decision making.
For more information please contact Nancy Curren (curren.nancy@epa.gov), 303.842.6195
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Annual Sierra Club Grassroots EJ Conference
Saturday, November 5, 20119:00am to 2:30pm
Lindenwood Christian Church2400 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN(Corner of Union and East Parkway
rita.harris@sierraclub.org or by phone at 1-901-324-7757
10th Annual Sierra Club Grassroots Environmental Conference
Registration & Coffee 8:30am
Opening Session 9:00am to 9:30am
Break 9:30am to 9:45am
Session #1 Workshops: 9:45am to 10:45am
1) Gravel Mining Threatens Our Drinking Water Aquifer – Dr. Nancy Brannon (Memphis, TN)
Groundwater Expert, Sierra Club
2) GMO Foods: Do We Really Know What We Are Eating? – Katherine Pendleton, DNP,
MSN, RN, Sierra Club TN Chapter (Nashville, TN)
3) Kilowatt Hours – Dan Joranko, (Nashville, TN) Tennessee Alliance for Progress
4) TN the Volunteer State for Radioactive Waste – Glenn Carroll, Nuclear Watch South (Atlanta, GA); & Ann Harris, We the People, Inc., Sierra Club Anti-Nuclear Taskforce, & TVA Whistleblower;
5) Health Effects of Toxic Air Pollution – Irv Sheffey (Washington, DC) Sierra Club EJ Organizer
Break 10:45am to 11:00am
Session #2 Workshops: 11:00am to 12 noon
6) Cancer Alley + Hurricanes + BP Oil – Darryl Malek-Wiley (New Orleans, LA) Sierra Club EJ
Organizer
7) Do We Need to Overhaul Landfill Regulations? – Bruce Wood (Nashville, TN) BURNT, Inc.,
Tennessee Landfill Reform Activist
8) Urban Community Agriculture – Sizwe Herring (Nashville, TN) EarthMatters Educator & Permaculture Expert
9) Living in Harmony with Native Plants – Kristin Lamberson (Mississippi) Audubon Naturalist
10) Taking Blight to Court – Sheila Wright (Memphis, TN) Memphis City Beautiful Board
Member
11) Radioactive Waste is Closer Than You Think – Glenn Carroll (Atlanta, GA) Nuclear Watch
LUNCH – 12 Noon to 1:00pm – Enjoy a hot catered lunch & meet new people!
1:00pm -KEYNOTE PANEL – “EJ Activist Stories & Testimonies”
Highlighting ongoing community struggles for Environmental Justice
2:00pm - Presentation of the 2011 Dick Mochow Environmental Justice Award
Door Prizes!!!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
American Public Health Association EJ Session
EJ Session at the Upcoming American Public Health Association Meeting
Session Title: Working Toward Achieving Environmental Justice through Scientific Enterprise, Policy Action, and Community Empowerment
Session Description: The purpose of this session is to share two products of a March 2010 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Symposium on the science of disproportionate environmental health impacts with the public health community and other environmental justice stakeholders:
1) analytic essays on issues likely to contribute to disproportionate environmental health impacts, now published in the December issue American Journal of Public Health; and
2) an EPA report, "An Update on Ongoing and Future EPA Actions to Empower Communities and Advance the Integration of Environmental Justice in Decision Making and Research", which provides information on EPA's ongoing and proposed actions that address environmental justice issues raised by participants at the Symposium.
At this session, updates will be provided on other related activities within EPA, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, and the Office of Minority Health within the Department of Health and Human Services, and feature perspectives of community EJ and social justice advocates on the potential impact of EPA's ongoing and planned actions on improving community health and environment.
More information about the March 2010 Symposium.
Date: Tuesday, November 1, 2011Time: 6:30PM - 7:30PMVenue: Room 204A, Walter E Washington Convention Center, Washington DC 20001
Session Co-Chairs
Onyemaechi C. Nweke, DrPH, MPH
Office of Environmental Justice, US EPA
Devon Payne-Sturges, DrPH
National Center for Environmental Research, US EPA
Speakers
Lisa F. Garcia, JD
Senior Advisor to the EPA Administrator on Environmental Justice
Associate Assistant Administrator, Office of Environmental Justice, US Environmental Protection Agency
John Ruffin,PhD
Director, National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities
Garth Graham, MD, MPH, FACP
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, Department of Health and Human Services
Hilton Kelley
Founder and CEO, Community In-Power Development Association, Inc., Port Arthur, TX North American Winner, Goldman Environmental Prize (2011)American Public Health Association Damu Smith Environmental Achievement Award (2008)
Bill Gallegos
Executive Director, Communities for a Better Environment, Huntington, CA Member, California Environmental Justice Advisory Committee
For more information, please contact: Onyemaechi Nweke: Phone: 202 566 2314
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
EJ at the U.S. Department of Labor
The US Department of Labor (DOL or Department) has announced a renewed effort to achieve environmental justice (EJ). The Department views environmental justice from a workplace training, health and safety perspective. The Department is developing an environmental justice strategy that is in line with the mission of the Department and Secretary Solis' vision for the future: good jobs for everyone.
The vision of good jobs for everyone includes ensuring that workplaces are safe and healthy; helping workers who are in low-wage jobs or out of the labor market find a path into middle-class jobs; and helping middle-class families remain in the middle-class. The Department's environmental justice strategy focuses on agencies directly involved with worker training (the Employment Training Administration (ETA)), and health and safety issues (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
As DOL takes a fresh look at our EJ policies in order to strengthen the EJ process, they will be looking for ideas and feedback. DOL invites public comment for how they can address environmental justice through programs, policies, regulations or reporting requirements. The site for public comment will be open until November 18th. The Department will then review those comments. A strategy is planned in 2012.
The Department of Labor is committed to environmental justice. President Obama has renewed agencies' environmental justice planning by reinvigorating Executive Order 12898 (EO 12898), which tasked several Federal agencies with making environmental justice part of their mission. The agencies were directed to do so by identifying and addressing, as appropriate, the disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of their programs, policies, and activities on minority and low-income populations.
In August 2011, agencies listed in EO 12898 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (EJ MOU), which, among other things, commits agencies to develop a final environmental justice strategy. So please join the conversation.
EPA Events This Month in Albuquerque, NM
The Environmental Protection Agency is pleased to announce the following six officially EPA sponsored events for the week of October 24th-27th, 2011 in Albuquerque, NM
The Federal Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Environmental Justice Monday, October 24, 2011 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Mountain Time The Albuquerque Marriott 2101 Louisiana Blvd. NE Salons F-J The Federal Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Environmental Justice will conduct a community dialogue on Monday, October 24, 2011. Information regarding meeting details will be provided at a later date. More information on the Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Environmental Justice.
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) Meeting Tuesday, October 25 and Wednesday October 26, 2011 The meeting will convene at 9:00 a.m. and reconvene at 8:45 a.m. Mountain Time The Albuquerque Marriott 2101 Louisiana Blvd. NE Salon F-J The next face-to-face meeting of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) will be held at the Albuquerque Marriott Hotel, 2101 Louisiana Boulevard, NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87109, on October 25 and 26, 2011.
NEJAC Public Comment Period - The NEJAC meeting will host a public comment period on Tuesday, October 25, 2011, starting at 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time. This session of the NEJAC will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to share their concerns and what they would like the NEJAC to advise EPA to do about the issue. More information on the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council.
EPA Stakeholder Meeting on Uranium Legacy Contamination Issues featuring EPA Assistant Administrator, Mathy StanislausTuesday, October 25, 2011 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time The Albuquerque Marriott 2101 Louisiana Blvd. NE Carlsbad Room Mathy Stanislaus, Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, will hold a stakeholder meeting on legacy contamination issues related to uranium mining.
A White House & EPA Stakeholder Meeting on Small Business, Job Training and Green Jobs featuring EPA Assistant Administrator, Mathy StanislausWednesday, October 26, 2011 10:30 a.m. - Noon Mountain Time The Albuquerque Marriott 2101 Louisiana Blvd. NE Carlsbad Room Mathy Stanislaus, senior official with the Obama Administration, will hold a stakeholder meeting on the environment and jobs. Mr. Stanislaus is the Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. This visit is part of the Administration's plan to hear from local stakeholders across the country. Specific topics include, but are not limited to green jobs, small business capacity building, workforce development and job training.
EPA Tribal Consultation Meeting on EPA's Plan EJ 2014Thursday, October 27, 2011 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Mountain Time The Albuquerque Marriott 2101 Louisiana Blvd. NE Salon F-J The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is consulting and coordinating with federally recognized tribes on Plan EJ 2014 and has scheduled an in-person meeting with tribal leaders in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Thursday, October 27, from 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM, to obtain input on Plan EJ 2014 and the nine Implementation Plans. The targeted audience is tribal government leaders and their designated representatives. More information on EPA's tribal consultation and coordination on Plan EJ 2014.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Environmental Justice at USDOT
The U.S. Department of Transportation is renewing its effort to achieve Environmental Justice (EJ). As DOT takes a fresh look at EJ policies in order to strengthen the EJ process, the will be looking for feedback and ideas from transportation and community stakeholders. From now until the end of the year, DOT invites you to provide your insights, experiences, and ideas for enhancing environmental justice in transportation related activities.
Here is a review of some upcoming opportunities to participate in the conversation:
Log on to the National On-Line Dialogue on Environmental Justice and Transportation. You can join colleagues from across the country in a public conversation about Environmental Justice and Transportation.
Review the revised USDOT Environmental Justice Strategy and submit comments.
Register for the National Webinar to learn more about Environmental justice and share your insights, scheduled for October 20th.
RSVP for the National Public Meeting on Environmental Justice and Transportation, to hear from Senior Leadership at DOT on the Department's EJ work on November 21st at the US Department of Transportation in Washington, DC. DOTRSVP@dot.gov
Sign up to participate in targeted sessions conducted by the Federal Transit Administration.
At DOT, EJ concerns and goals should be considered throughout all public engagement efforts, from project planning through construction and operation. This includes public outreach conducted during transportation planning and during the environmental reviews required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The goals of EJ are:
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.
DOT values the insight and experience of grantees, transportation planners, affected community members, and other stakeholders. We hope you will take part in the upcoming discussions and engagement opportunities on EJ at DOT.
For more information about the aforementioned activities, please contact Rebecca Searl Higgins
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Dept of Commerce Releases Draft EJ Strategy
The Department of Commerce announces the release of its draft Environmental Justice Strategy
On August 4, 2011, the Department of Commerce and other Federal agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop or revise existing environmental justice (EJ) strategies to protect minority and low-income populations from experiencing disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects caused by an agency’s programs, policies, and activities.
In compliance with this commitment, the Department of Commerce is releasing for public comment a draft EJ Strategy, which will completely replace the Department’s original EJ Strategy produced in 1995 in response to Executive Order 12898 section 1-103. Through October 31, 2011, the Department welcomes any comments or feedback on this draft EJ Strategy.
In addition, the Department is soliciting feedback on the following specific topics:
Are there additional Departmental programs, policies, or activities that should be included in the EJ Strategy in addition to those already identified?
What should the Department’s environmental justice goals and objectives be in relation to providing and supporting climate science, services and adaptation?
Department of Commerce Draft Environmental Justice Strategy
NEJAC Sessions Available Via Teleconference
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) Public Meeting:
Sessions Available via Teleconference Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Registration is Now Open (Advance registration closes October 17)
During the upcoming face-to-face meeting of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) on October 25-26, 2011, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the following two sessions will be available via teleconference. The teleconferences will take place on Tuesday, October 25, for those unable to attend in person:
1) Panel Discussion on U.S.-Mexico Border 2020 (11:00 a.m. to noon Mountain Time)*
2) EPA’s Tribal Program (1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time)
There will NOT be a public comment period during these sessions.
Please note that a limited number of lines will be available, and those who are pre-registered will be given priority. Participating individuals will be able to hear “real time” presentations and NEJAC member discussions on the topics specified above.
You can register as follows:
By E-mail with “Register for the NEJAC-October Teleconference” in the subject line. Provide your name, organization, city, state, e-mail address, and telephone number for future follow-up; and specify the session(s) that you will attend.
By Phone or Fax to 877-773-1489 with your name, organization, city, state, e-mail address, and telephone number. Please specify “NEJAC-October Teleconference” and the session(s) that you will attend in your fax or voice message.
Non-English speaking attendees wishing to arrange for a foreign language interpreter may also make appropriate arrangements by calling 877-773-1489.
Members of the public who wish to attend one or both sessions must pre-register by Noon Mountain Time on October 17, 2011.
Information about services for individuals with disabilities: For information about access or services for individuals with disabilities, please contact Ms. Estela Rosas, APEX Direct, Inc., at 877-773-1489 or via email.
Friday, October 7, 2011
CARE Grant Recipients Recognized at White House
The EPA will mark the award of 100 cooperative agreement grants by EPA’s Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program during a White House event scheduled for the morning of October 18, 2011.
The CARE program enables and assists communities across the country better understand, address, and deal with their environmental problems through local partnerships. Since its launch in 2005, the CARE program has leveraged EPA grant funding dollar-for-dollar with in-kind donations to 87 communities in 40 states and territories with over 1,700 partners engaged.
CARE communities are addressing EPA priorities and goals on climate change, improving air quality, assuring the safety of chemicals, cleaning up their communities, and protecting America’s waters. The CARE program has demonstrated its success in a number of ways from receiving a very positive third party evaluation by the National Academy of Public Administration to modeling the Administrator’s vision of “One EPA” to fulfilling the Agency priority of “Expanding the Conversation on Environmentalism.”
On the morning of October 18, 2011, participants and other invitees will celebrate the CARE Program with a briefing on community partnerships and green jobs followed by a tour of the White House.
HUD Releases Draft EJ Strategy
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Draft Environmental Justice Strategy Released
The Department of Housing and Urban Development is happy to announce the release of its draft Environmental Justice Strategy. This EJ strategy is a four-year plan to address environmental justice concerns and increase access to environmental benefits through HUD policies, programs, and activities. Our Department is committed to meeting the goals of Executive Order 12898, “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations,” which states that each federal agency, with the law as its guide, should make environmental justice part of its mission.
This release is the latest step in a larger Administration-wide effort to ensure strong protection from environmental and health hazards for all Americans. In August, federal agencies signed the “Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Justice and Executive Order 12898” (EJ MOU), which committed each agency to, among other things, finalizing an EJ strategy and releasing annual implementation reports.
The draft strategy will be open for public comment for 45 days, or until November 14, 2011. Comments can be submitted by emailing EJStrategy@hud.gov or by attending an Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice Listening Session. The department will then review those comments and finalize the strategy by February 2012. After the strategy is final, the Department and its federal partners will continue to engage stakeholders through outreach, education and stakeholder events and respond to public comments through annual implementation reports.
Draft Environmental Justice Strategy
Comments may be emailed to: EJStrategy@hud.gov
Links to the other federal EJ Strategies are expected to be posted on the Interagency Working Group webpage at by Friday, October 7th.
For more information about the EJ MOU
EJ IWG Releases Community Resource Guide
Environmental Justice Interagency Working Group (EJ IWG) Releases Community Resource Guide and Interagency Directory
The community resource guide includes programs within agencies that may assist communities in reducing toxic exposures. The program may provide technical assistance, federal funding or a combination of both technical assistance and federal funding. Through this and other efforts, federal agencies are recommitting to improving the health and sustainability of communities across America.
Community-Based Federal Environmental Justice Guide (PDF)
The interagency directory provides basic information about the role of the federal agencies contained in this publication including their organization chart and key contact information for agency program areas.
Environmental Justice Federal Interagency Directory (PDF)
In addition to these resources, a compendium on federal strategies, policies, guidance documents and work plans for implementing the Executive Order 12898 is also available on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) website at IWG Compendium.
For more information about the EJ IWG visit: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/interagency/index.html
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Liebert Online Environmental Justice Volume
Liebert Online
Environmental Justice Volume: 4, Number: 3 September 2011
If you need any further help, please email us at e-toc@liebertpub.com.
