EJ Strategies at Federal Agencies

Compendium of Federal Agencies' Policies, Strategies, Work/Implementation Plans, Guidance on Environmental Justice

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.

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)

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

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!!!