Presented to NACEPT by

Heather Anne Case, MPH, MBA Office of Environmental Justice January 20, 2011 1

## Vulnerability  

## A concept that provides a holistic approach to addressing environmental justice issues 

## Plan EJ 2014  

## Plan EJ 2014 is road map for advancing environmental justice 

## Actions to Advance EJ  

## Work in rulemaking and science focus on multiple factors that can lead to disproportionate impacts
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### “ Expanding the conversation on environmentalism and

working for environmental justice”
 

### Build strong working relationships with tribes, communities of color, economically distressed cities and towns, young people.
 

### We must include EJ principles in all of our decisions.
 

### The protection of vulnerable subpopulations is a top priority 3

###  

## “A matrix of physical, chemical, biological, social, and cultural factors that result in certain communities and subpopulations being more 

## susceptible to environmental factors because of greater exposure to such factors or a compromised ability to cope with and/or 

## recover from such exposure.” World Health Organization: Principles for Evaluating Health Risks (2006). 4PAST PRESENT 

## “True North” • Prevent and/or reduce adverse environmental and health impacts from pollution
• Ensure equal access to decision - making process

• Increase economic, social, health and environmental benefits

# Plan EJ 2014: Road Map for Advancing Environmental 

# Justice

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## Plan EJ 2014  

### The Guiding Document and framework for organizing EPA’s on - going and future work to 

## advance environmental justice  

### 4 -year horizon to correspond with 20th 

### anniversary of E.O. 12898  

## Implements principles in EPA’s Strategic Plan, Cross - cutting Strategy for EJ and Children’s Health  

### Implementation of elements lead by Agency 

## Programs Regions 7 

## 5 cross - agency focus areas:  

### Rule making ▪ Incorporate EJ into rule making  

### Permitting ▪ Consider EJ concerns in EPA’s permitting process  

### Compliance enforcement initiatives ▪ Accelerate compliance and enforcement initiatives  

### Community- Based Action ▪ Support community-based action programs  

### Administration -wide action on EJ ▪ Foster Administration -wide action on EJ 8

###  

## 4 tool development areas:  

### Science  

### Law  

### Information  

### Resources  

## Program Initiatives

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### EPA developed interim guidance related to its rule making process. Purpose is to:
 Explicitly integrate EJ considerations into the fabric of EPA’s ADP—

from rule inception through all the stages leading to promulgation and implementation
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### For all rules with potential EJ concerns three questions frame the development of the rule:  

### How will your public participation process provide transparency and meaningful participation for 

### minority, low- income, and indigenous populations, and tribes?  

### How do you plan to identify and address existing and new disproportionate environmental and public health impacts on minority, low - income, and 

### indigenous populations during the rulemaking process?  

### How did the actions taken under #1 and #2 impact the outcome or final decision?

11Proximity Cumulative Impacts Physical Infrastructure

Susceptible Populations Unique Exposure Pathways Ability to Participate in DecisionMaking (social capital) Articulate how and why minority and/or low income groups experience disproportionately higher environmental health risks.  EPA commissioned the development of papers on the following topics:

 Proximity to pollution sources  Unique exposure pathways  Multiple and cumulative exposures and impacts  Physical infrastructure  Lack of community capacity/Diminished ability to participate in decision making 13 Papers include:

 state of the science reviews,  conceptual frameworks for integrating specific concepts, and  papers on conceptual and methodological issues of differential vulnerability across population groups.  EPA is collaborating to publish these papers in the American Journal of Public Health with:  National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities  Office of Minority Health/HHS  Anticipated publication date - Summer 2011. 14

### EJ in Rulemaking Technical Guide
 Apply science to the ongoing development of technical guidance to support rulemaking process guidance.  Provide regulatory analysts with:  A framework for integrating EJ into their analyses
 Methods for assessing disproportionate environmental health risks – existing and anticipated: ▪ Among minority and low income populations relative to a defined comparison group(s). ▪ Within the various rule making contexts/statutory authorities  Overarching goal is to design analysis so as to facilitate its application in decision making.  Anticipated EPA Science Advisory Board Peer Review - Spring 2012 15 Administrator Lisa P Jackson “.....An area that calls for innovation and bold thinking, and I am challenging all of our employees to bring vision and

creativity to our programs”

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