EPA To Discuss EJ at Washington Conference

The Environmental Protection Agency will address environmental justice issues at a conference tomorrow at the Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. Craig Hooks, EPA acting administrator for the Office of Administration and Resources Management, will deliver the keynote speech at the Third Annual State of Environmental Justice in America Conference on May 27.

The conference will continue on Thursday and Friday at the Crystal City Doubletree Hotel in Crystal City, Va. The conference aims to bring together participants from federal agencies, academia, business and industry, non-profit organizations, local community activists and citizens to dialogue on achieving equality of environmental protection. This year’s conference will focus on youth involvement, sustainable community planning, environmental health in disadvantaged communities, and environmental justice considerations in emergency preparedness and homeland protection.

EPA’s own environmental justice program helps disproportionately-impacted communities create healthy, sustainable neighborhoods through local projects aligned with the top five priorities of EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson — protecting America’s water, improving air quality, managing chemical risks, cleaning up hazardous waste sites, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Over the past 15 years, EPA has awarded more than $32 million in environmental justice funding to help more than 1,100 communities address local pollution problems, creating healthier and more sustainable environments. More information