Learn About Environmental Justice
- Overview
- Definitions
- Environmental Justice Executive Orders
- Laws and Statutes
- Integrating Environmental Justice at EPA
Overview
EPA's goal is to provide an environment where all people enjoy the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to maintain a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.
EPA's environmental justice (EJ) mandate extends to all of the Agency's work, including:
- setting standards
- permitting facilities
- awarding grants
- issuing licenses
- regulations
- reviewing proposed actions by the federal agencies
EPA works with all stakeholders to constructively and collaboratively address environmental and public health issues and concerns. The Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR) coordinates the Agency's efforts to integrate environmental justice into all policies, programs, and activities. OEJECR's mission is to facilitate Agency efforts to protect environment and public health in vulnerable communities by integrating environmental justice in all programs, policies and activities.
Want to learn more about the EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights?
Read the accomplishment reports to learn more about the progress that the EPA has made in advancing environmental justice principles? Click here to read annual progress reports on the Agency's most recent EJ accomplishments.
Definitions
Environmental justice means the just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability, in agency decision-making and other Federal activities that affect human health and the environment so that people:
- are fully protected from disproportionate and adverse human health and environmental effects (including risks) and hazards, including those related to climate change, the cumulative impacts of environmental and other burdens, and the legacy of racism or other structural or systemic barriers; and
- have equitable access to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient environment in which to live, play, work, learn, grow, worship, and engage in cultural and subsistence practices.
Meaningful engagement means:
- providing timely opportunities for members of the public to share information or concerns and participate in decision-making processes;
- fully considering public input provided as part of decision-making processes;
- seeking out and encouraging the involvement of persons and communities potentially affected by Federal activities by:
- ensuring that agencies offer or provide information on a Federal activity in a manner that provides meaningful access to individuals with limited English proficiency and is accessible to individuals with disabilities;
- providing notice of and engaging in outreach to communities or groups of people who are potentially affected and who are not regular participants in Federal decision-making; and
- addressing, to the extent practicable and appropriate, other barriers to participation that individuals may face; and
- providing technical assistance, tools, and resources to assist in facilitating meaningful and informed public participation, whenever practicable and appropriate.
Environmental Justice Executive Orders
Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions To Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations) directed federal agencies to develop environmental justice strategies to help federal agencies address disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of their programs on minority and low-income populations. The Presidential Memorandum accompanying the order underscores certain provisions of existing law that can help ensure that all communities and persons across the nation live in a safe and healthy environment.
Executive Order 14096 (Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All) was established to pursue a whole-of-government approach to environmental justice by investing in and supporting culturally vibrant, sustainable, and resilient communities in which every person has safe, clean, and affordable options for housing, energy, and transportation. This order also supplements the foundational efforts of Executive Order 12898.
Executive Order 14008 (Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad) addressed the climate crisis to implement a Governmentwide approach that reduces climate pollution in every sector of the economy, increases resilience to the impacts of climate change, protects public health, conserves our lands, waters, and biodiversity and delivers environmental justice. It also introduced the Justice40 Initiative, a whole-of-government approach which mandates that at least 40% of the benefits of certain federal investments must flow to disadvantaged communities.
Laws and Statutes
The statutes that EPA implements provide the Agency with authority to consider and address environmental justice concerns. These laws encompass the breadth of the Agency's activities including:
- Setting standards
- Permitting facilities
- Making grants
- Issuing licenses or regulations
- Reviewing proposed actions of other federal agencies
These laws often require the Agency to consider a variety of factors that generally include one or more of the following:
- Public health
- Cumulative impacts
- Social costs
- Welfare impacts
Moreover, some statutory provisions, such as under the Toxics Substances Control Act, explicitly direct the Agency to target low-income populations for assistance. Other statutes direct the Agency to consider vulnerable populations in setting standards. In all cases, the way in which the Agency chooses to implement and enforce its authority can have substantial effects on the achievement of environmental justice for all communities.
Integrating Environmental Justice at EPA
Since OEJ was created, and with the creation of OEJECR, there have been significant efforts across EPA to integrate environmental justice into the Agency's day-to-day operations. Read more about how EPA's EJ 2020 Action Agenda will help EPA advance environmental justice through its programs, policies and activities, and support our cross-agency strategy on making a visible difference in environmentally overburdened, underserved, and economically distressed communities.
Every regional and headquarter office has an environmental justice coordinator who serves as a focal point within that organization. This network of individuals provides outreach and educational opportunities to external, as well as internal, individuals and organizations. To find out more about Agency efforts to address environmental justice, contact an EJ coordinator based on your location or area of interest.