Saturday, December 30, 2006

Inspector General's Report on Environmental Justice Implementation

In 2004 the OIG issued a report on the implementation of environmental justice Presidential Executive Order 12898. EPA's response is included in Appendix D of the report and an excerpt is included below:


"The Agency does not accept the Inspector General's central and baseline assumption that environmental justice only applies to minority and/or low-income individuals. The EPA firmly believes that environmental justice belongs to all people, including those living in minority and/or low-income populations. All Americans, including minority and/or low-income residents, have a right to clean air, clean land, and clean water, and to have a meaningful say in the environmental decisions that affect them. These are basic rights that belong to all people, regardless of race
or income."

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