U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Office of Air and Radiation

FY 2009 OAR ACTION PLAN TO INTEGRATE 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 1
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 2

Table of Contents 

 Page 

OAR Environmental Justice Contacts ............................................................................. 3 

Background: Environmental Justice in the Office of Air and Radiation.......................... 4 

The Office of Air and Radiation’s Environmental Justice Policy.................................... 8 

The Office of Air and Radiation’s Environmental Justice Action Plan........................... 9 

 

Section 1: Organizational Infrastructure........................................................ 9 

 Section 2: Management Support.................................................................... 10 

 Section 3: Operational Resources.................................................................. 11 

 Section 4: Program Support........................................................................... 12 

 Section 5: Government Performance and Results Act Alignment................ 18 

 Section 6: Internal Organizational Engagement............................................ 19 

 Section 7: External Stakeholder Engagement............................................... 20 

 Section 8: Data Collection, Management, and Evaluation............................ 27 

 Section 9: Professional and Organizational Development............................ 29 

 Section 10: Environmental Justice Assessment.............................................. 31 

 Section 11: Program Evaluation...................................................................... 31 

Environmental Justice Strategies and Activities Matrix Appendix 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 3 

OAR Environmental Justice Contacts 

Office of Air and Radiation Environmental Justice Coordinator: 

 J. Wil Wilson 

Office of Air and Radiation Tribal Coordinator:

Darrel Harmon 

Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards Contacts: 

Gregory Green 

Candace Carraway

Lena Epps-Price 

Laura McKelvey

Office of Transportation and Air Quality Contacts:

Victor R. McMahan 

Kathryn Sargeant 

Richard Baldauf 

Karen Orehowsky 

Jim Blubaugh

Office of Atmospheric Programs Contacts:

Brian McLean 

Erika Wilson 

Office of Radiation and Indoor Air Contacts: 

Elizabeth Cotsworth 

Michael Holloway 

Anna Duncan 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 4

 Improvements in public health result from OAR programs to (1) reduce emissions of criteria 

pollutants (i.e., ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and 

lead), (2) reduce emissions of air toxics, (3) address issues of climate change, (4) require cleaner 

vehicles and cleaner fuels, and (5) improve indoor air quality which benefit all citizens (including 

low income and minority communities and sensitive populations such as those with respiratory 

illnesses, the elderly, and children). 

Background: Environmental Justice in the Office of Air and Radiation

For nearly two decades, Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) has been committed to 

addressing environmental justice issues. In 1992, OAR developed its first Environmental Justice 

Action Plan which followed the recommendations of the Environmental Equity Work Group in its 

report to the Administrator entitled, “Environmental Equity: Reducing Risks for All 

Communities”. OAR’s efforts to date, have been consistent with the Agency’s Environmental 

Justice Strategy and are characterized by the following four major themes which underscore our 

environmental justice efforts: 

1. Improve assessment methodology (targeted towards populations suffering 

disproportional impacts) regarding exposure to air pollution 

Example Activities: Characterization of populations relative to pollutants; Defining and 

understanding important determinants of exposure, dose, and effect in different 

populations who are at high risk from air pollution exposure.

2. Expand outreach, communication and consensus building efforts to low income and 

minority communities 

Example Activities: Risk communication model; Cooperative outreach and educational 

programs; Public informational materials, public service advertising; and information 

collection activities. 

3. Support and enhance existing and future regional and community-based 

environmental justice initiatives 

Example Activities: Cooperative monitoring sites between the U.S. and Mexico to collect 

pollutant and meteorological data; The study of air toxics through the Mickey Leland 

Center

4. Enhance the relationship between OAR and its four adopted institutions in the 

academic relations program and explore new opportunities to expand this effort 

Example Activities: Memorandum of Understanding with North Carolina Agricultural and 

Technical State University which assists in curriculum development, strengthening 

research capability and promotes the development and training of students/faculty; 

Memorandum of Understanding with Northern Arizona University to strengthen research, 

training and public service programs focusing on Native American people and their lands. 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 5 

 Since 1970, steps taken under the Clean Air Act have reduced air pollution in the United 

States by more than 30 percent, producing dramatic health benefits for all Americans. Many of 

these emission reductions and health benefits have occurred in both urban and rural areas with 

environmental justice concerns. Everyday, clean air programs across the nation prevent roughly: 

 600 premature deaths; 

 2,000 cases of chronic illness such as asthma and bronchitis; 

 300,000 cases of minor respiratory illness such as aggravated asthma, and; 

 75,000 people from missing work. 

 Over the past 35 years, the air has become healthier to breathe in more of our cities. Between 

1970 and 2005, gross domestic product increased 195 percent, vehicle miles traveled increased 

178 percent, energy consumption increased 48 percent, and U.S. population grew by 42 percent. 

During the same time period, total emissions of the six principal air pollutants dropped by 53 

percent. 

 Since 1991, we have significantly reduced the number of areas not meeting air quality 

standards. Even though we have made great progress in improving air quality, approximately 122 

million people nationwide lived in counties with pollution levels above the National Ambient Air 

Quality Standards in 2005. 

 Between 1980 and 2005, average ozone levels decreased 28% as measured using 1-hour data 

and 20% using 8-hour data. For the same years, ambient concentrations of nitrogen dioxide 

(NO2) dropped by 37% while sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations declined by 63%. Between 

1990 and 2005, PM10 levels have gone down by an average of 25%.. PM2.5 levels, which we 

have been tracking since 1999, decreased 7% from 1999-2005. 

 In recent years, EPA has acted to dramatically improve America's air quality by providing 

national programs that when fully implemented will achieve significant reductions in air 

emissions, such as the NOX Budget Trading Program. During the 2005 ozone season, NOX 

emissions were 57% lower than in 2000 (before the program was implemented). The Clean Air 

Interstate Rule (CAIR) adopted in 2005 addresses power plant emissions in 29 eastern states plus 

the District of Columbia. When fully implemented, CAIR will reduce SO2 emissions in these 

states by over 70 percent and NOX emissions by over 60 percent from 2003 levels. A closely 

related action is the EPA Clean Air Mercury rule, the first ever federally-mandated requirements 

that coal-fired electric utilities reduce their emissions of mercury. Together the Clean Air Mercury 

Rule and the Clean Air Interstate Rule create a multi-pollutant strategy to reduce emissions 

throughout the United States. The associated air quality benefits will lead to improved health, 

longevity and quality of life for all Americans 

 Clean Air Act requirements for cleaner vehicles/engines and cleaner fuels are one important 

reason that the nation’s air quality is improving. The average new car is over ninety percent 

cleaner than in 1990. The Tier II program will allow 120 million Americans now living in areas 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 6

with dangerous pollution levels to enjoy clean air. Other fuel programs already in place provide 

additional benefits. For example, 30 percent of the gasoline consumed in the U.S., in 18 states, is 

cleaner-burning reformulated gasoline. Buses, trucks and non-road engines (e.g., bulldozers, 

locomotives, industrial engines, etc.) also are getting cleaner. Emission standards for 

locomotives, whose first phase of implementation took effect in 2000-2002, will result in 

approximately a two-third reduction in NOx emissions (about 650,000 tons per year) and 50 

percent reduction in hydrocarbon (HC) and particulate matter emissions. Most of these 

reductions will be achieved by 2010. In 2002, the Agency promulgated new standards for trucks 

and buses and diesel fuel, which take effect in 2007. As a result of this program, each new truck 

and bus will be more than 90 percent cleaner than current models, resulting in a reduction of 2.6 

million tons of NOx emissions by 2030. The level of sulfur in highway diesel fuel will be 

reduced by 97 percent by mid-2006. The Agency recently published regulations to control 

emissions from a range of unregulated non-road sources, including industrial engines (e.g, 

forklifts, and generators). The new standards are expected to reduce HC + NOx emissions by 

approximately 80 percent. In addition, EPA’s Clean Air NonRoad Diesel program will reduce 

emissions from heavy-duty nonroad diesel engines (e.g., agricultural and construction 

equipment), including new sulfur requirements for non-road diesel fuel. 

 Toxic emissions are of particular interest to the environmental justice community because of 

the proximity of many low-income and minority communities to the generators of toxic emissions 

(e.g., industrial facilities, waste transfer stations, roadways, and bus terminals). EPA rules issued 

since 1990 are expected to reduce toxic emissions by 2.5 million tons a year from chemical 

plants, oil refineries, aerospace manufacturing and other industries. As for motor vehicles, 

programs put in place since 1990 will reduce total air toxics from passenger vehicles in 2030to 

approximately 80 percent below 1999 levels, as well as reducing pollutants subject to air quality 

standards. EPA is now working to implement an integrated strategy that is aimed specifically at 

reducing toxic air pollution in urban areas. 

 To date, the U.S. and other developed countries have virtually ceased production of CFCs 

and the other chemicals most damaging to the stratospheric ozone layer, which protects us from 

ultraviolet radiation that causes skin cancers and cataracts. The Clean Air Act also has achieved 

significant health benefits by cutting annual SO2 emissions more than 5 million tons from the 

1980 level, largely through the market-based acid rain program. 

The 1990 Clean Air Act specified in §301(d) that EPA is authorized to treat tribes as ‘states’ 

for the purposes of the Act, and that EPA should promulgate regulations specifying how that 

would be accomplished. In 1995, EPA provided increased funding to tribes in anticipation of the 

February 1998 promulgation of the Tribal Authority Rule (TAR). In recognition of the unique 

status of tribes, regulatory authority for Indian country remains the responsibility of the federal 

government, but under the TAR can be delegated to tribes requesting such authority. 

 Since 1995, OAR has supported the development of professional and programmatic capacity 

among tribes to develop and implement air quality management programs to protect resources 

within the exterior boundaries of the reservation. Tribes have responded with great interest, 

growing from 7 programs in 1995, to 120 tribes currently receiving grants to develop air 

programs. In support of those programs, EPA has provided funding to Northern Arizona 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 7 

University to develop a tribal training program that has trained more than a 1000 tribal 

environmental professionals in various aspects of air quality since 1992. All of OAR’s program 

offices have participated in the rapid growth of the tribal program, providing monitors for all 

kinds of pollutants from acid rain and mercury to ozone and particulate matter, retrofitting diesel 

buses, providing training and outreach on indoor air and radiation (there are some housing units in 

the southwest made from uranium mine waste), and by providing extensive technical support and 

assistance to tribal nations. OAR initiated efforts to support tribes in Indian country to assess and 

address risk in areas. We have a pilot effort to conduct Woodstove Changeout and monitor 

exposure changes on the Nez Perce Nez. We are working with Pleasant Point Passaquatry to 

conduct fish studies exposure. In addition, OAR proposed a rule to support permitting in Indian 

country. 

 Since 1998, OAR staff has worked closely with the National Environmental Justice Advisory 

Council’s (NEJAC) and other grassroots organizations to ensure the integration of environmental 

justice into our programs, policies, and activities in a manner which is consistent with existing 

environmental laws and implementing regulations. Our interaction with the NEJAC has proven 

to be a valuable learning experience. We have learned, for example, that it is important to 

develop more straightforward approaches to dealing with the community on toxic issues and we 

have learned that many environmental justice communities have concerns about diesel emissions, 

bus and truck idling, and emissions trading programs. As a result, we are becoming more able to 

address the perceptions and concerns of many environmental justice communities. While we are 

still learning, we are now better equipped to engage in more meaningful dialogue and work with 

individuals and communities to address environmental justice issues. 

 Although we have made great strides in improving air quality over the past decade, we 

realize that additional work must be done to ensure continued public health protection. We are 

therefore currently pursuing initiatives related to reducing diesel-related emissions, enhancing our 

diesel retrofit program, reducing mercury emissions, reducing emissions from power plants, 

reducing air toxics, identifying toxic “hotspots,” developing and supporting voluntary programs to 

reduce emissions, and addressing global climate change. OAR plans to continue our history of 

developing programs which provide all citizens cleaner air and an opportunity to meaningfully 

participate in the decision-making processes which may affect their health and well-being. 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 8

The Office of Air and Radiation’s Environmental Justice Policy 

 

 All Americans deserve to be protected from pollution. The Office of Air and Radiation 

recognizes that, in some instances, minority and low income communities face a higher level of 

environmental risk than the majority population. OAR is committed to addressing this issue by 

incorporating environmental justice into its activities and decision-making processes. The goal of 

the Office is to achieve environmental justice by decreasing the burden of environmental risks to 

all communities as a result of improved air quality. 

 

 OAR staff is encouraged to consider environmental justice as a meaningful part of our 

programs and decisions. As decisions are made about the design of new programs or how to 

implement existing ones, our policy is to consider environmental justice principles very early in 

the process. OAR management believes this to be important in the process of ensuring that 

environmental justice concerns are appropriately addressed. 

 OAR is also committed to increasing the awareness of our staff working on issues which may 

affect environmental justice communities. All OAR staff is expected to have a basic knowledge 

of environmental justice and how they can incorporate the principles of environmental justice into 

their daily work. Our staff is encouraged to participate in the Fundamentals of Environmental 

Justice workshop developed by the Environmental Justice Training Collaborative---a voluntary, 

multi-stakeholder, national network initiated in the fall of 1999 by EPA Regional Offices and the 

EPA Office of Environmental Justice. OAR actively participated in the development of this 

workshop and continues to support the work of the Collaborative by assisting in the development 

of advanced training modules, facilitating training classes, and continuing to provide resources to 

support this effort. 

 The Office of Air and Radiation is committed to ensuring good public participation 

processes. Staff is expected to provide the opportunity for all stakeholder groups which may be 

affected by our programs to have an opportunity for early and meaningful involvement in the 

decision-making process. Collaborative efforts to promote the concept of environmental justice 

are also encouraged. Staff is encouraged to promote effective outreach efforts to communities 

which may be affected by our regulations, policies and guidance. 

 We attempt to make every effort in identifying areas where minorities and low income 

populations are being disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards or where there are 

potential benefits to minority and low income communities (i.e., through transportation and air 

quality improvements, mass transit policies, and voluntary programs). Once areas of 

disproportionate impacts are identified, appropriate corrective remedial steps and mitigation 

procedures should be evaluated. 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 9 

The Office of Air and Radiation’s Environmental Justice Action Plan 

 The Office of Air and Radiation’s Environmental Justice Action Plan is designed to support 

efforts to develop and implement strategies and activities to integrate environmental justice into 

existing programs, to further highlight the valuable work we continue to do in the area of 

environmental justice and to develop a more coordinated environmental justice implementation 

strategy. 

The plan addresses the following areas: 

Section 1: Organizational Infrastructure 

Section 2: Management Support 

Section 3: Operational Resources 

Section 4: Program Support 

Section 5: Performance and Results Act Alignment 

Section 6: Internal Organizational Engagement 

Section 7: External Stakeholder Engagement 

Section 8: Data Collection, Management, and Evaluation 

Section 9: Professional and Organizational Development

Section 10: Environmental Justice Assessment 

Section 11: Program Evaluation 

Appendix A: Environmental Justice Strategies and Activities Matrix 

Section 1: Organizational Infrastructure

 How does your organizational structure promote the integration of environmental justice 

within all program areas? 

 The Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) consists of four major program areas: The Office of 

Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS), the Office of Atmospheric Programs (OAP), the 

Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) and the Office of Transportation and Air Quality 

(OTAQ). The Office of Policy Analysis and Review (OPAR) is also an integral part of OAR. 

OPAR consists of policy staff who undertakes diverse activities to ensure that OAR policies are 

consistent, effective in protecting health and the environment, and economically efficient. 

 OAR has designated a lead Environmental Justice Coordinator in OPAR. Each of OAR’s 

four program offices has also designated environmental justice points of contact (see list in front 

of this plan) who are responsible for communicating environmental justice-related information 

to/from the staff in their perspective offices to the lead Environmental Justice Coordinator. This 

organizational structure promotes the integration and coordination of environmental justice 

activities within all four of OAR’s program areas. 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 10

Section 2: Management Support

 How does your Regional/Headquarters office’s management communicate expectations 

about the Environmental Justice Program, review tangible/intangible outcomes, and 

evaluate performance? 

 OAR management has clearly communicated to staff that environmental justice 

considerations will be an integral part of our day-to-day work. OAR has developed 

Environmental Action Plans since 1992. In the past, OAR has conducted annual monitoring of 

the environmental justice program to ensure that the Office is achieving our environmental justice 

goals. However, as part of the implementation of this Action Plan, OAR has developed a 

mechanism to review progress on a more frequent basis. The goal is for the OAR Environmental 

Justice Coordinator to hold monthly meetings with the Environmental Justice Contacts from each 

OAR program office to evaluate progress on the projects described in this Action Plan. 

Furthermore, the OAR Environmental Justice Contacts will brief the Director of the Office of 

Policy Analysis and Review Air on a quarterly basis on the progress being made in implementing 

the Action Plan. The Director of the Office of Policy Analysis and Review is an active member 

of EPA’s Environmental Justice Steering Committee. He provides information from these 

Steering Committee meetings to staff through the lead Environmental Justice Coordinator. 

Generally, this type of information is communicated through a series of memorandum to staff. 

OAR’s management is committed to ensuring that the goal of environmental justice is 

achieved. To affirm this commitment, OAR sometimes redirects resources from other projects to 

projects specifically designed to address environmental justice issues. One example is ORIA’s 

Indoor Environments Program. The Indoor Environments Division (IED) annually issues budget 

guidance emphasizing the importance of environmental justice by strongly encouraging projects 

that address this issue. This ongoing guidance includes the following: 

OPERATING PRINCIPLES 

Incorporate the values of environmental justice in our work; make sure we are addressing the 

needs of those who bear disproportionate risk from indoor air as a result of their 

socioeconomic status.

UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WORKGROUP 

 This is a new group that will consolidate several activities currently housed in 

Integrated/Multi-Priority and will facilitate plans and services to underserved communities. 

These projects would be cross-Divisional and would aim to increase the effectiveness and 

efficiency of the work done by the Teams to meet the needs of groups who are typically hard to 

reach with our public-health messages. 

 The Team would be charged with coordinating IED’s access to underserved communities, 

such as Tribes, ethnic minorities, and low-education/low-income families. The group will serve 

as a central resource to consider strategy and tactics for including such communities in our 

outreach as a Division. The work group will consider the needs of each community from the 

recipient’s perspective. This will help the Division, to the extent reasonable, approach each 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 11 

community with a cohesive plan or strategy and not as multiple teams with differing messages 

on multiple occasions. 

IED has identified the following groups to receive initial attention: 

 Tribal/Native American 

 Head Start 

 WIC (Women Infant Children) 

 Ethnic-specific events (i.e. Congressional black Caucus, Hispanic Heritage Month)

This budget guidance was also distributed to all regional offices. 

Section 3: Operational Resources

 Identify the aggregate full-time equivalents (FTE) in your Regional/Headquarters office 

that specifically focus on environmental justice issues. If responsibilities and duties are 

parceled out as collateral duties to one or more employees, please compute what the FTE 

equivalent would be. 

 What are the functions and day-to-day responsibilities of your Environmental Justice 

coordinator(s) and/or team? 

 Approximately six (6) full-time equivalents (FTEs) in OAR specifically focus on 

environmental justice issues. Most of these FTEs are performing environmental justice-related 

work as a collateral duty. The primary responsibility of the OAR environmental justice contacts 

is to ensure that environmental justice is being considered in all of the work we do and to 

maximize the use of OAR’s statutory authority under the Clean Air Act to address environmental 

justice issues. 

 Specifically, OAR’s lead Environmental Justice Coordinator: 

 Serves as the office’s representative during Office of Environmental Justice Monthly 

Coordinator meetings. 

 Develops and manages a multi-disciplinary approach for the Office of Air and 

Radiation’s Environmental Justice Program; provides broad administrative, technical, 

and program direction and guidance to all environmental justice staff; plans and 

directs the flow of work for the Environmental Justice Program; assigns priorities and 

makes work arrangements in response to critical work activities; and develops teams 

to address the various issues as they are presented. 

 In coordination with other programs and offices, develops and implements an 

Environmental Justice Program which focuses on communication to management and 

staff of environmental justice issues; communication with internal and external 

stakeholders; consultation, advocacy, and problem-solving activities; and, 
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OAR staff are actively involved in a number of activities designed to make progress in 

achieving our environmental justice goals. For example, OAR is assisting in (1) the development 

of better tools to conduct environmental justice analyses, (2) the development of tribal air 

coordinating activities with the other environmental justice contacts in OAR to provide 

the most effective program feasible. 

 In conjunction with other offices, develops and implements strategies for achieving the 

Agency’s environmental justice goals. 

 Develops and recommends to the senior management, budgets and staffing plans to 

meet the resource needs of the Environmental Justice Program. 

 Represents the headquarters and regional offices in a variety of settings to 

communicate Environmental Justice Program activities; participates on national 

environmental justice workgroups; serves as the focal point on coordination of 

Environmental Justice issues; represents the office in highly visible and controversial 

discussions with a diverse public; facilitates the maintenance of effective relationships 

between the Environmental Justice Program and the diverse stakeholders impacted by 

implementation of OAR regulations and guidance. 

 Each of the four program offices in OAR has also identified environmental justice contact 

persons (see list at front of plan). These contacts make up the Environmental Justice Coordinating 

Council (EJCC) for the Office of Air and Radiation. The mission of the Coordinating Council is 

to provide cogent and practical recommendations to senior management on how OAR can 

incorporate environmental justice into day-to-day operations and programmatic responsibilities. 

The OAR lead Environmental Justice Coordinator will have the responsibility of chairing the 

EJCC. The responsibilities of the members of the EJCC include, but are not limited to: (1) 

disseminating information to staff on environmental justice-related issues, (2) ensuring that rules 

which may affect an environmental justice community are highlighted and that the appropriate 

staff are assigned to address any issues which may arise, (3) ensuring that citizens have early and 

meaningful involvement in the decision-making process, (4) promoting the integration of 

environmental justice, (5) providing consultation and assistance to promote and implement this 

Action Plan in OAR; and (6) gathering, analyzing, interpreting and providing an environmental 

justice perspective on relevant information associated with activities conducted by our program 

office. 

Section 4: Program Support 

 Does your Regional/Headquarters office have any ongoing mechanisms for focusing on 

environmental justice issues, such as teams and workgroups? If yes, please list and 

describe. Also, state how these mechanisms are tied to other programs and activities in 

your regional/Headquarters office. 

 Are there any specific programs/initiatives for which environmental justice are (or should 

be) listed as a funding priority? If yes, please list or attach. 

 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 13 

programs, and (3) the development of environmental justice training. In addition, OAR provides 

technical and financial support to the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council’s Air and 

Water Subcommittee. 

 Below is a list of the teams and workgroups serviced by OAR staff which focus on 

environmental justice-related issues:

Atmospheric Mercury Initiative

Mercury is a neurotoxin that is emitted from many sources domestically and internationally. The 

primary exposure pathway is through fish consumption, putting tribal members and subsistence 

fishermen at potential risk from elevated mercury levels. Publicly accessible mercury monitoring 

data is an important part of helping people better understand the atmospheric contributions to 

mercury problems in their communities. EPA is collaborating with the National Atmospheric 

Deposition Program (NADP) membership of federal agencies, states, tribes, and other 

organizations, and the broader mercury research community to establish a new atmospheric 

mercury monitoring network. In addition, as part of this effort, EPA and NADP are collaborating 

with the Cherokee Nation to establish a new mercury monitoring site on tribal lands. 

ENERGY STAR Residential Programs

EPA’s Office of Atmospheric Programs has numerous ENERGY STAR outreach programs and 

has collaborated with other agencies and organizations to help provide low income families with 

energy savings and opportunities for energy efficiency through the ENERGY STAR residential 

programs and other partnerships. 

For example, EPA provides funding to support a workgroup consisting of the Ford Foundation as 

well as state energy offices and housing finance agencies. This workgroup is developing a new 

energy efficient mortgage that will offer a subsidized interest rate to low income homeowners to 

allow them to purchase an energy efficient home or finance efficiency improvements to their 

existing home. 

EPA has also provided funding for outreach and analytical support to state housing finance 

agencies (HFAs) to help them in their decision to incorporate ENERGY STAR-related measures 

as part of their criteria for evaluating applications for public funds to develop affordable rental 

housing for low income families. As of the end of 2007 ENERGY STAR had contacted 30 state 

HFAs. Nine state HFAs have awarded extra points to projects that meet ENERGY STAR’s 

guidelines for new construction, and five state HFAs have made ENERGY STAR guidelines a 

threshold requirement to qualify for low income housing tax credit funding. There were about 

7,700 ENERGY STAR qualified homes built in FY07 using some form of public funding either 

from HUD, other Federal agencies, state/local agencies, or tax-exempt bond proceeds. EPA has 

also partnered with Habitat for Humanity’s (HFH) U.S. affiliates to promote the construction of 

ENERGY STAR qualified homes. ENERGY STAR’s residential construction standards have 

been included as part of HFH’s U.S. construction standards. To date there are 75 HFH affiliates 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 14

that have become ENERGY STAR partners. Together, HFH affiliates have built more than 3,500 

ENERGY STAR qualified homes. 

In 2007, as a result of more targeted EPA outreach to the manufactured homes industry, there was 

a 17% increase from 2006, and a 66% increase from 2005 in the number of ENERGY STAR 

qualified manufactured homes produced and completed in the U.S. In total there are over 26,000 

ENERGY STAR qualified manufactured homes. 

EPA works with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in helping them 

implement their Energy Action Plan, which has the main goal of reducing energy use in all HUD 

funded housing. Part of this effort has included developing a benchmarking tool to allow 

developers of affordable housing to measure the energy efficiency of their housing projects. 

Finally, EPA conducts presentations about the ENERGY STAR residential programs at 

conferences sponsored by affordable housing groups such as Neighborworks, the Miami-Dade 

Housing Finance Agency, and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority. 

Tribal Air Monitoring Service (TAMS)

EPA participates on the TAMS Climate Change Subcommittee in order to raise awareness within 

the TAMS community of the interaction of climate change and air quality issues. 

Climate Change Tribal Impacts, Communication and Outreach Cooperative Agreement

The cooperative agreement entitled "Climate Change Tribal Impacts, Communication & 

Outreach" has been awarded to the Arizona Board of Regents for and on behalf of Northern 

Arizona University, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP). The goal of the 

cooperative agreement is to communicate climate change impacts on, and adaptive responses in 

Indian Country, and develop a communications plan for transmitting the information to tribes, 

policy makers and the public. 

OAR Tribal Workgroups: OAR has supported the National Tribal Air Association (NTAA), 

a tribal air quality organization dedicated to ensuring that tribes set priorities and determine 

mechanisms for interacting with other governments on air issues. The mission of the NTAA is to 

collectively advance air quality management policies and programs, consistent with the needs, 

interests, and unique legal status of American Indian Tribes, Alaska Natives, and Native 

Hawaiians. The NTAA policies include cooperation with other tribal organizations and 

workgroups on air-related policies and issues. 

In addition, OAQPS has provided support to tribes in applying for CARE grants. And, in 

conjunction with ORD, OAR is supporting efforts with the Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Tribe 

and the Sprit Lake Tribe to conduct risk assessments and develop template guidance for other 

tribes in conducting risk assessments 

 OAR’s Office of Radiation and Indoor Air staff work closely with representatives from the 

Navajo Nation to develop a strategy for identifying homes with elevated radiation levels. Some 

homes may have been built using uranium mill tailings in the mortar, or uranium bearing rocks or 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 15 

building materials from the abandoned mines. When completed, we expect to distribute this 

strategy for promotion and possible adoption by other tribal nations with similar issues. 

 Additionally, ORIA works cooperatively with the Institute for Tribal Environmental 

Professionals (ITEP) at Northern Arizona University. ITEP is developing and implementing 

outreach and educational efforts to improve community knowledge about radiation science, the 

hazards of exposure to radiation, and the potential risks associated with abandoned uranium 

mines. 

 

Office of Environmental Justice Workgroups: A number of OAR staff participates on 

workgroups formed by the Office of Environmental Justice. These include the Clean Air Act 

Permitting Training Module Workgroup, the Environmental Justice Coordinator’s Workgroup 

and the newly formed Environmental Justice Coordinating Council. 

 OAR also provides funding for a number of specific projects which have environmental 

justice-related issues (refer to matrix in back of plan for more details): 

 Baltimore Region Environmental Justice and Transportation Project. EPA’s Office 

of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ), the Baltimore Urban League, Baltimore 

Metropolitan Council, and Morgan State University propose to identify and develop 

practices and tools to undertake a comprehensive analysis of environmental justice and 

transportation-related issues in the Baltimore region. The goal of this project is to integrate 

environmental justice into transportation planning as an on-going and daily activity with 

meaningful community involvement throughout the process. 

 Hotspot Exposure Assessment Program. OAR’s Office of Transportation and Air 

Quality, Air Toxics Center has participated in a number of studies that specifically 

investigated impacts from mobile sources in select microenvironments , including 

environmental justice communities. These projects included: (1) Fresno Asthmatic 

Children’s Environment Study, (2) Baltimore Traffic Study, and (3) Los Angeles School 

Bus Exposure Assessment. This and other research has helped quantify impacts from 

mobile source-generated toxics (for example , in the context of the national mobile source 

air toxics rule ) Ongoing research in other parts of EPA will continue to inform model 

development and the application of assessment tools (see item immediately below) 

 Predicting Localized Toxics Impacts of Transportation Projects: OTAQ is developing 

guidance on how to use models to predict the concentrations of toxic pollutants in the 

immediate vicinity of proposed transportation projects. This would provide a planning 

tool for communities and the public when selecting among transportation alternatives and 

developing mitigation for proposed transportation facilities. 

 Air Toxics Community-based projects: OAQPS is continuing to assist Regions with the 

implementation of community-based air toxics programs. The goal is to work with the 

community, our state and local partner agencies, and other stakeholders to identify 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 16

solutions to toxic hotspot issues. Since 2000, OAR has provided funds for over 40 

community-based projects that are led by the EPA Regional offices. Many of these 

projects have been used to assess the problems and develop plans for reducing emissions 

within minority and low-income communities. For example, Oakland, California, is an 

environmental justice community which is adversely affected by multiple factors, 

including truck traffic to and from a nearby port, and multiple stationary sources including 

one major source which produces yeast. Funding was provided to study the communities’ 

issues and produce a mitigation strategy. In addition, the State and port have also 

provided funding for mitigating some of the problems in the area. The community has 

been actively involved in determining priorities for these initiatives. 

 Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE): CARE is a new initiative, 

founded in OAR, involving cross-Agency collaborative partnerships. In December 2006, 

the Office of Air and Radiation transferred Agency management lead for the CARE 

program to the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics Substances. OAR Immediate 

Office staff members, Larry Weinstock and Marva King, continue to lead CARE activities 

on the cross-Agency headquarters administrative team. Through CARE's communitybased, community-driven, multiple environmental pollutant cooperative agreement 

program to reduce toxics, EPA works with state, local and tribal government agencies and 

various local organizations, including non-profits, citizens, businesses, and schools 

helping create collaborative partnerships to address toxics in their local environment. 

CARE empowers communities to improve their environment through local action, 

providing technical support and federal funding directly to these collaborative partnerships 

working at the local level. 

Through CARE, EPA solicits proposals for two different types of competitive grants to 

tribal and local governments, community organizations, and NGOs. The smaller grants 

support the development of community based stakeholder groups to assess local toxics 

risks. The larger grants are for communities that have already organized and assessed 

risks and are ready to select risk reduction activities. From 2005-2006, the CARE 

program awarded twenty-nine community projects and held two annual national training 

workshops. In 2007, the program anticipates awarding between ten to fifteen community 

projects and holding its third annual national training workshop. Twenty-seven of the 

twenty-nine CARE projects are located in economically distressed project areas.

 Guidance to Reduce Toxics in Local Communities. EPA has also produced a draft 

guidance which describes a method that State, Tribal and Local governments can use to 

work with their communities in developing a plan that lays out multimedia sources of 

pollution (air, water and hazardous waste), specific activities and goals for reducing 

pollution and a framework for strong public participation. OAR and OSWER are currently 

funding a pilot project in Phoenix, Arizona to demonstrate the use of the guidance. 

Region 9, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and multiple local organizations 

have developed a stakeholder group of all interested parties to discuss their issues and how 

to best address them. In addition, the State and EPA have conducted inspections at 

facilities of concern in the community and are working on pollution prevention options for 

several industries. 
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 17 

 National Clean Diesel Campaign. OAR will continue to support diesel retrofit programs 

as a cost-effective solution for lowering emissions from diesel exhaust in communities 

across the nation. This Program is a non-regulatory, incentive based, innovative program 

designed to pursue reductions in hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and 

particulate matter from existing diesel vehicles and equipment by the installation of 

pollution-reducing technology. 

As part of this program, OAR and the regions have established diesel retrofit projects in 

hundreds of communities nationwide. In addition, EPA’s Clean School Bus USA 

program, started in 2003, has addressed school bus fleets across the nation, including 

many located in areas of disproportional environmental impacts. These programs 

promote the use of advanced emission control equipment reducing pollution from 

existing fleets. 

Congress has provided approximately $30 million for clean diesel projects from FY 2003 

through FY 2006. In addition, it is expected that FY 2007 funds (approximately $12 

million) will result in similar clean diesel projects; the vast majority will benefit children 

and other sensitive populations. 

A menu of tribal options for grants is also being developed to stimulate proposals from 

tribal organizations for funding projects. 

Competitive proposals for funding which address environmental justice issues in the 

areas served by the projects are required. Thirty-five Clean School Bus (CSB) grants and 

10 NCDC projects were awarded with FY 2005 funds. All (100%) of the CSB projects 

targeted children. Thirty (86%) of those CSB projects involved areas with higher than 

average poverty levels for children less than 18 and/or were in areas in non-attainment for 

PM and/or Ozone. 17 (49%) of the CSB projects are in areas with higher than average 

poverty levels for children. Nine (9) of the 10 (90%) NCDC projects targeted areas in 

ozone and/or PM non-attainment areas or had a higher than the national average poverty 

rate for children less than 18 years old. 70% of the NCDC projects were in areas with 

either PM or Ozone non-attainment concerns. For FY 2008 and beyond, as provisions in 

the Energy Policy Act of 2005 are implemented, priorities for clean diesel projects will 

include alleviating disproportional environmental impacts on sensitive populations. 

 Clean School Bus USA. In April 2003, EPA launched “Clean School Bus USA,” a 

children’s health program aimed at reducing air pollution from school buses. This 

program is part of EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign. 

Across the country, 25million children ride school buses spending between 20 minutes 

and several hours per day on these vehicles. Unfortunately, older school buses can 

pollute up to sixty times more than the newest buses using clean technology. Children 

are especially vulnerable to the effects of diesel emissions which can cause respiratory 
disease and exacerbate long term conditions such as asthma. Reducing pollution from 

school buses will help improve local air quality and reduce children’s exposure to diesel 

exhaust. Children in environmental justice areas who suffer from asthma caused by 

diesel exhaust will benefit by the removal of one more asthma trigger. 

 Clean School Bus USA has three primary goals: 

• Reduce unnecessary school bus idling 100% by 2010. 

• Retrofit and upgrade 100% of the existing 1990-2003 diesel school buses by 

2010. 

• Replace 100% of pre-1990 school buses with new clean buses. 

To financially support this effort, Congress provided almost $25 million from FY 2003-

FY 2006 for a cost-shared grant program designed to assist school districts in upgrading 

their bus fleets. Congress also included $7 million in EPA’s FY 2007 budget for clean 

school bus projects. In solicitations for Clean School Bus USA projects, disproportional 

environmental impacts on the local population is listed as one of the factors that EPA 

considers in evaluating proposals. OAR strongly indicated that one of our goals is to 

improve the health of communities that are considered low-income, have high asthma 

rates, and/or receive a disproportionate amount of pollution from diesel vehicles. 

OAR is also working directly with tribes to reduce children's exposure to diesel exhaust 

from their commute to school on buses. For example, OAR awarded a grant to the 

Puyallup tribe in the state of Washington to establish a clean diesel retrofit project. This 

project involved installing advanced emission control technologies on their school bus 

fleet that will reduce particulate levels of the bus's exhaust by over 90 percent. An 

objective of this project was to address the disproportionate exposure risk for minority 

children that live in this tribal community. 

 SmartWay Transport Partnership. The movement of goods or freight involves the use of 

large diesel engines and areas with high concentrations of diesel truck and engine activity can 

have significant concentrations of air pollutants. The goal of EPA’s SmartWay Transport 

Partnership is to create incentives for the transportation industry to adopt cleaner and more 

fuel efficient vehicles. We accomplish this goal through a variety of methods. For example, 

we: 

o Recruit shipping companies (e.g., Ikea) to commit to ship 50% or more of their 

goods on SmartWay qualifying trucking companies 

o Recruit trucking companies to adopt technologies and strategies that will achieve 

greater fuel economy and reduce emissions 

o Award grants to evaluate and deploy technologies and strategies that assist 

partners with achieving their goals 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 18
o Provide public recognition and brand/logo recognition for cleaner and more 

efficient transportation 

o Educate the public and transportation industry about methods to save money and 

improve air quality 

When it comes to identifying and improving air quality in areas with potential 

environmental justice-related concerns, the SmartWay program has two strategies. First, 

we issue grant awards to evaluate and deploy technologies that will reduce emissions and 

conserve fuel. Our solicitations for proposals typically include a ranking or general 

consideration of environmental and compliance-related factors to assist in making fair 

and efficient decisions. Based on the proposals received, we apply all ranking factors and 

considerations in our selection of grant recipients. In many cases, we have awarded 

projects in communities with potential environmental justice related concerns.1

 

However, grant awards are subject to EPA appropriations and may not occur every year. 

The second strategy, and mainstay of the program, is deploying “SmartWay Upgrade 

Kits” on trucks and promoting the “SmartWay Truck.” The SmartWay Upgrade Kit and 

Truck involve converting a truck into a cleaner and more energy efficient vehicle. The 

upgrade kit consists of an idle reduction device (e.g., auxiliary power unit), wide-based 

tires, tractor-trailer aerodynamics, and an emissions control device. Combined, these 

components will achieve up to a 19% reduction in oxides of nitrogen and a 50-80% 

reduction in particulate matter. The SmartWay Truck is similar, in that, we have created 

a certification for a truck that meets specific fuel saving and emission reduction criteria. 

To deploy the SmartWay Upgrade Kit or Truck, we create financial opportunities for 

truck owners to purchase these technologies. For example, working with the Small 

Business Administration, US Department of Agriculture, and others, we have created 

various loan packages for truck owners. The loan packages all provide lower cost loans. 

The USDA program involves working with community development banks to assist 

trucking companies located in rural areas, defined as having a population less than 25,000 

which may also include low income or minority areas. 

SmartWay selects pilot projects that bring together certain key components. 

 Availability of lower cost loans through community development banks, as 

determined by the banks ability and willingness to participate in the SmartWay 

program. 

 Presence of truck dealerships and service centers capable and willing to install 

SmartWay Upgrade Kits 

 Counties designated by EPA as nonattainment or maintenance for ozone and/or 

particulate matter, and 

 

1

 In FY 05 and ’06, EPA awarded several grants that benefit EJ areas. For example, EPA awarded $60K to a 

project (total project cost with partner support - $200K) to evaluate idle reduction equipment on 7 locomotive 

engines in a low-income, minority neighborhood in Chicago. 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 19
 Other relevant environmental and compliance related factors, including an 

analysis of relevant potential EJ-related concerns and demographic information. 

Taking the four components identified above, SmartWay will be better able to enact a 

uniform, fair and efficient plan to recruit truck owners who reside in areas with: (1) 

readily available funding mechanisms, (2) nonattainment/maintenance designation and 

other relevant environmental and compliance factors, (3) proximity to truck dealerships 

and service centers, and (4) a consideration of potential environmental justice-related 

concerns. 

SmartWay is also developing a program to reduce diesel emissions from drayage and 

regional trucking operations. These trucks are frequently older, travel through areas with 

potential EJ-related concerns and emit higher levels of emissions. Again, SmartWay is 

working in public and private partnerships to develop low cost financing options to help 

small and medium sized trucking companies purchase trucks equipped with aftertreatment exhaust devices. OTAQ expects to use some of the funds authorized by 

Congress as part of the Diesel Emission Reduction (DERA) program to help leverage 

some of these options. SmartWay is also developing an assessment tool that can be used 

by marine and rail terminals to estimate local drayage emissions. This tool will allow for 

the evaluation of different operational strategies, like improved gate operations and 

chassis pools, that can help reduce truck idling and total vehicle miles driven. 

EPA's SmartWay Transport Program includes an initiative to reduce air pollution and 

Conserve fuel from idling trucks and locomotives. As part of this program, OTAQ is 

organizing a regional coalition of communities, state and local governments, and trucking 

and truck stop companies to install idle reduction systems along major interstate 

corridors, (such as I-65 in the Midwest and I-95 in the Northeast). The criteria for 

identifying locations include areas with low-income, minority populations in proximity to 

a disproportionate number of facilities. Two such locations include a large truck stop in 

Gary, Indiana which received a $125,000 grant for the installation of truck stop 

electrification infrastructure, and a locomotive switch yard which received a $60,000 

grant for anti-idling devices. 

 Major and Minor New Source Review (a.k.a Tribal NSR rule). On August 21, 2006, 

OAR proposed the Tribal NSR rule to address significant regulatory gaps in the 

protection of air quality in Indian country. The Tribal NSR rule will address new and 

modifying stationary major and minor air pollution sources. Currently, minor sources in 

Indian country are unregulated. In addition, we do not currently have a permitting 

mechanism for major sources in non-attainment areas in Indian country. Tribes have 

expressed concerns about the potential for cumulative impacts and un-level playing fields 

for economic development. This a pilot project for tribal consultation. OAR hopes to 

develop this new rule with sensitivity to the needs and culture of tribes and with attention 

to the impact of our actions on tribal sovereignty. After proposal, we held a number of 

outreach activities on the content of the proposal including web training and face-to-face 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 20
meetings in Chicago, Phoenix, Temecula CA, and Seattle. We expect to complete the 

rulemaking this fall. 

 Asthma Initiative. Since indoor environmental pollutants are important asthma triggers, 

it is the goal of OAR’s indoor environmental asthma initiative to integrate indoor 

environmental management into medical and health care asthma management practices. 

This initiative is targeted to reach nearly 7 million children living with asthma, 

particularly those in low income families that are disproportionately affected by the 

disease. The initiative establishes a national public education and prevention program in 

response to the asthma epidemic in the United States. The goal of the education and 

prevention program is to raise public awareness of indoor environmental asthma triggers 

(e.g., secondhand smoke, dust mites, mold, pet dander, and cockroaches) and recommend 

actions that can be taken to reduce children's exposure to the triggers in homes, schools 

and child care settings. OAR is working to insure that environmental management is 

fully incorporated into all asthma education and disease management programs. 

 In New Haven, CT, OAR funded the Community Clean Air Initiative, which is comanaged by the New Haven Health Department and the City Plan Department. The 

project developed and implemented a risk reduction strategy for prioritized air toxics 

sources. The local inventory provided credibility and a firm basis for the workgroup to 

focus on areas of concern in a 3-prong approach: transportation, industrial sources such 

as surface coaters, and degreasers, and fossil fuel reduction and indoor air sources. 

Specific projects include the purchase of ultra low sulfur diesel fuel for the entire 

municipal fleet of about 120 school buses, garbage trucks, maintenance equipment and 

fire trucks; pollution prevention workshops for surface coaters and degreasers; a Smoke 

Outside asthma reduction initiative that focused on school and public health nurses, 

health and day care centers 

 

 OAR funded a monitoring study and risk assessment which found unacceptable screening 

levels of air toxics in Jefferson County, Kentucky, which relied on collaboration among 

the community (including industry), local and state air agencies, University of Louisville, 

and EPA. This led to negotiations between the greatest sources of some of the most 

serious pollutants and the local government (mayor's office and air program) to reduce 

those emissions. It has also supported the development of risk based air toxics 

regulations for Jefferson County, Kentucky. 

 The St. Louis Community Air Project is a broad-based collaborative effort that has 

focused on 1) indoor air toxics 2)diesel emission reductions 3) improved emissions 

inventory and pollution prevention assistance for small businesses and 4) efforts to focus 

on "greener buildings" by working with the St. Louis Chapter of the U.S. Green Building 

Council. Early successes included retrofitting diesel school buses, an idling reduction 

initiative, and community capacity building on air toxics reduction practices. 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 21
 The Great American Woodstove Change-out is primarily a voluntary partnership 

approach that addresses the challenge of motivating homeowners and communities to 

replace their old, polluting woodstoves with new, safer, more efficient and cleaner 

burning technology (e.g., EPA-certified woodstove) and to educate them to burn more 

cleanly. The project furthers both of the Agency’s National Environmental Justice 

Priorities by reducing the number of asthma attacks caused by exposure to particulate 

matter and reducing exposure to air toxics. 

 Along with EPA Region 8, OAR partnered with, Lincoln County, MT, Hearth Patio and 

Barbecue Association (HPBA), and the State of Montana to begin replacing up to 1200 

woodstoves with cleaner burning hearth appliances in the Libby, Montana area. As part 

of the larger EPA-led Great American Woodstove Change-out campaign, this partnership 

has worked to garner resources and to educate the public about clean wood burning 

techniques and about the importance of proper woodstove and chimney maintenance. 

The Libby, Montana woodstove change-out campaign was kicked off in June of 2005. 

We expect that by the end of the 2007, there will be 950 change-outs. The partners 

developed replacement criteria and a program schedule, and the industry jumpstarted the 

program by contributing $1 million in woodstoves, chimneys and installation – enough to 

replace old stoves for about 300 low-income Libby families. Other resources were 

leveraged from EPA, the state of Montana and Congress. Monitors for both PM2.5 and 

air toxics were purchased and installed along existing monitors. Additional outcomes 

include: improved indoor air quality as new stoves will be properly vented and sealed, a 

50% improvement in energy efficiency, use of 1/3 less wood, and a reduction of the risk 

of chimney fires due to a cleaner burn and less creosote build-up. Water quality will 

likely improve because of lower pollutant deposition (benzo(a)pyrene) into nearby 

waters, including the Kalispell River. 

Section 5: Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Alignment (link to mission 

and priorities):

 How is your Regional/Headquarters office’s environmental justice program linked 

to your Regional/Headquarters office’s main GPRA priorities? 

 How are your Regional/Headquarters office’s environmental justice strategies and 

activities integrated into specific programmatic areas/functions? (e.g., permitting, 

community outreach, etc.) 

 Does your Regional/Headquarters office utilize Performance Partnership 

Agreements (PPAs) and Performance Partnership Grants (PPGs) to specifically 

address environmental justice issues? If yes, please list and describe. 

The Office of Air and Radiation does not have GPRA goals which separately address 

environmental justice. OAR’s current GPRA goals focus on protecting human health and the 

environment through implementation of our criteria pollutant and toxics programs. Consistent 

with the information provided in this plan, OAR’s goal is to provide clean air for everyone, 

regardless of their race or socioeconomic background. Therefore, environmental justice 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 22
considerations are an integral part of all of OAR’s GPRA goals. The following three examples 

illustrates OAR’s efforts to integrate environmental strategies into our ongoing programmatic 

activities. 

 Under one of OAR’s current GPRA goals, ORIA is responsible for overseeing the safe 

disposal in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) of radioactive waste from approximately 20 

sites around the country. The Department of Energy (DOE) manages waste disposal operations 

related to the WIPP. The removal of waste from surface storage, and its isolation in a single, 

underground location, will facilitate the cleanup and closure of DOE sites contaminated with 

radioactive materials. ORIA is sensitive to the interests and concerns of communities affected 

by WIPP, and have taken action to solicit input from communities and minority groups. This 

helps address many of the environmental justice-related concerns associated with the placement 

and operation of DOE sites. 

 ORIA’s Las Vegas laboratory facility provides direct support toward increasing the number 

of indoor radon gas measurements in the homes of economically-disadvantaged residents. 

ORIA’s laboratory provides a large supply of no-cost home radon test kits to individuals and/or 

organizations that work with targeted populations in local communities. Under this program, 

ORIA assists with the laboratory analysis of the home radon tests, sends final test results, and 

maintains a database on the number and location of kits that were analyzed during each fiscal 

year. 

 To better assist tribes, OAR is working to provide technical assistance and program support 

to build tribal capacity in addressing indoor and outdoor air concerns. OAR is working to 

develop federally based programs which would enable EPA to address air quality problems of 

Indian Nations where tribes may be unable to do so themselves. 

Section 6: Internal Organizational Engagement

 Does your Regional/Headquarters office’s environmental justice program have 

any ongoing mechanisms to communicate with, receive input from, and otherwise 

consistently engage with other programs in your Regional/Headquarters office? If 

yes, please list and describe. 

 Has your Regional/Headquarters office developed any related guidance to the 

staff regarding the integration of environmental justice in areas such as 

authorization/delegation, environmental education, grants and contracts, 

inspection, enforcement and compliance assistance, permitting, performance 

partnership, public participation, waste site cleanup/brownfields, etc.? If yes, 

please list and describe. 

 Staff from the Office of Air and Radiation engages in frequent meetings with staff from the 

Office of Environmental Justice to ensure that OAR’s environmental justice program is 

consistent with Agency policy and direction. Because the Agency is moving toward a multimedia approach to addressing environmental issues, OAR consistently collaborates with other 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 23
media offices to ensure that our program goals are consistent when issues related to air pollution 

are raised. Specific issues/projects may require more frequent communications with other 

programs. Listed below are a number of collaborative efforts in which OAR staff are involved: 

 EPA’s Children’s Health Initiative 

 Agency Asthma Initiatives; 

 Community for a Renewed Environment (CARE) Program Policies on mercury 

emissions; 

 The National Environmental Justice Training Collaborative. Through the work of the 

collaborative, OAR is kept up-to-date on the latest environmental justice training 

initiatives; 

 Regularly scheduled meetings with other Headquarters and Regional EJ 

Coordinators; 

 Involvement with the EPA Environmental Justice Steering Committee 

 Policies on near-roadway exposure assessment (this includes work with the Office of 

Federal Activities on NEPA Policy as well as coordination with the North American 

Commission for Environmental Cooperation). 

 OAR proactively pursues opportunities to integrate environmental justice into our program. 

This expectation has been consistently communicated to staff through our action plans and 

memorandums. 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 24
Section 7: External Stakeholder Engagement

 Does your Regional/Headquarters office have any processes in place to receive 

input on environmental justice issues from external stakeholders, such as 

workgroups, advisory bodies, or listening sessions? If yes, please describe the 

process and explain how the input gathered may be (or has been) used by your 

Regional/Headquarters office. 

 Does your Regional/Headquarters office have any ongoing mechanisms to share 

information to external groups regarding environmental justice such as websites, 

faxback system, printed outreach materials, etc.? If yes, please list and describe. 

Also please mention the specific stakeholder group(s) which benefit from these 

outreach mechanisms. 

 How does your Regional/Headquarters office identify stakeholders who could 

benefit from increased awareness about environmental justice and being more 

engaged in the collaborative problem-solving process? 

 How does your Regional/Headquarters office promote collaborative problemsolving among stakeholders? 

 Does your Regional/Headquarters office have any special initiatives or provisions 

to address issues for persons with limited English proficiency? If yes, please 

describe or attach. 

 In the course of your environmental justice outreach, does your 

Regional/Headquarters office utilize any informational materials translated in 

languages other than English? If yes, please list and describe. 

 Are there any specific grant programs for which environmental justice was listed 

as funding priority? Please list and describe. 

 The Clean Air Act requires that the public have the opportunity to participate in the 

regulatory process. Therefore, OAR staff meets frequently with external stakeholders who may 

be affected by or who may have a vested interest in the rules and guidance the Office develops. 

With respect to environmental justice groups, OAR works closely with Office of Environmental 

Justice staff to identify such stakeholders. This interaction with external stakeholders may take 

many forms including, but, not limited to the following: (1) a meeting with industry or an 

environmental group, (2) a public hearing or public listening session, (3) through the public 

comment period required for all rulemakings, or (4) through workgroups formed under the 

Federal Advisory Council Act (FACA). OAR also engages in dialogue with groups such as the 

Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management and the National Association of Clean 

Air Agencies, to get a better understanding of how states and local air quality control agencies 

may be affected by the actions of our office. 

 OAR works closely with two Federal Advisory Groups, the National Environmental Justice 

Advisory Council (NEJAC) and the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC). Staff is 

always present at NEJAC meetings and provides support as needed. When appropriate, OAR 

also brings environmental justice related issues to the attention of the Clean Air Act Advisory 

Committee (CAAAC). The Office of Air and Radiation is sensitive to the public health and 

environmental concerns of affected tribal and other communities through its radiation activities. 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 25
For example, two of ORIA’s regulatory programs are the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and 

Yucca Mountain. Both of these facilities are designed, owned, and operated by the Department 

of Energy. ORIA develops the public health and safety standards for WIPP, conducts audits and 

inspections, and serves as the regulator for WIPP. Public health and safety standards were also 

developed for Yucca Mountain. ORIA’s laboratories have performed public consultation and 

developed a communications needs assessment to understand 1) what the public’s concerns were 

about the WIPP project, 2) what their informational needs were, and 3) how best to communicate 

with them. Notices advertising the public hearings were placed in English and Spanish 

newspapers. Additionally, the services of a Spanish translator were provided at WIPP public 

hearings. During the development of our Yucca Mountain standards, ORIA met with state and 

local representatives and representatives from many Native American tribes to explain roles and 

regulations and listen to public concerns. 

Currently, the Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) and the NEJAC are undertaking 

a collaborative effort to examine the impacts to communities from the transportation of freight -

also known as goods movement. Freight transportation, the movement of goods using trucking, 

rail and ships, is an integral part of the U.S. economy. However, freight movement involves the 

use of large diesel engines which are a major source of air pollutants including oxides of nitrogen 

(NOx), particulate matter (PM), greenhouse gas emissions, and fuel use. OTAQ employs several 

innovative public private efforts to address freight issues including the SmartWay Transport 

Partnership (SWT) and National Clean Diesel Campaign (NCDC). OTAQ’s goal is to achieve 

reductions of up to 19% in NOx 50-80% in PM, and by 2012, reduce CO2 emissions by 33-66 

million metric tons and save 150 million barrels of oil (equal to 12 million cars off the road). 

Since an initial meeting in September 2007, OTAQ and the NEJAC are forming a working group 

with representatives from various interests including business, science, and community to 

examine how to further facilitate current and identify innovative ways to address the complex 

issues involved in the movement of goods. For example, SmartWay Transport is working 

closely with the NEJAC to identify and expand financial and market-based incentives that 

challenge the freight industry to improve its environmental performance while reducing 

operating cost and providing greater energy security. SmartWay Transport’s goal is to develop 

sustainable financing strategies to provide truck companies and owner-operators access to 

financing options to help pay for technologies that not only reduce fuel use and air pollution but 

also subsequent impacts to communities. Upgraded trucks financed with SmartWay’s low 

interest program are less expensive and more environmentally efficient than the same truck not 

upgraded and many of these trucks are drayage and regional trucks which are frequently older, 

emit more air pollutants, and often driven by low-income and minority drivers. 

As the result of a nationwide grants competition, ORIA’s Indoor Environments Division funds 

many formal cooperative agreement partnerships with external stakeholders which are focused 

on one-on-one public education regarding asthma and other indoor air issues in low-income 

communities. The competition guidance required applicants to address environmental justice in 

their proposals. The guidance criteria that were issued clearly stated: 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 26
“EPA strives to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and reduce associated human health 

risks (such as asthma attacks) posed by pollutants in indoor environments/building 

types. This is accomplished by increasing awareness and understanding of indoor air 

quality principles and risks as well as by promoting appropriate voluntary practices 

and risk reduction actions to improve indoor air quality by the public and key 

stakeholders. EPA is also committed to working with disproportionately impacted 

populations and tribes to reduce risks from poor IAQ.”

 ORIA’s Indoor Environments Division (IED) has recognized the need to reach diverse 

audiences in order to effectively reduce health risks and uses a wide variety of approaches and 

techniques including the following: 

 All major publications are translated bilingually, including Spanish and other major 

languages. 

 

 The IED home page contains a “Recursos en Espanol” button that can be “clicked,” and 

directs the user to all available Spanish publications. 

 The national media campaigns are developed and aired bilingually in both Spanish and 

English languages 

 The development of low literacy and bilingual educational and resource brochures for 

national distribution. 

 In addition to the activities listed above, ORIA works with a wide variety of other federal 

partners and public national organizations that have extensive regional and local networks and 

share mutual goals with the program such as the protection of public health and establishment of 

local efforts to stimulate public action through media and grassroots efforts. ORIA supports 

national organizations with extensive regional and local networks to help establish local 

environmental justice outreach programs. This support is accomplished by encouraging 

involvement with organizations that have the unique ability to reach special populations. OAR 

meets regularly with these groups in order to create new opportunities for achieving significant 

risk reduction. Funding is provided to cooperative partners in support of developing new tools 

for building community-based programs that are flexible enough to be responsive to the needs of 

residents in local communities. Some examples of activities include the following: 

 National Safety Council – work with low-income homeowners to make 

discounted radon test kits available. 

 Association of Clinicians for the Underserved – provide asthma education to 

low income families 

 Intertribal Council of Arizona – “Circuit rider” to do asthma education National 

Association Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan - educate Native American 

mothers and caregivers to reduce second hand smoke exposure to children Wake 

Forest University-train health educators to work with migrant and seasonal 

workers and educate Head Start families 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 27
 Center for Ecological Technologies - collaborate with health care professionals 

and social service providers to educate low-income or economicallydisadvantaged parents to reduce children’s incidence of asthma 

 U.S. HHS Office of Head Start – conduct national campaign to educate parents 

of children enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start programs about reducing 

children’s exposure to secondhand smoke and asthma triggers. 

Thousands of urban and rural schools have implemented indoor air management plans as 

a result of OAR’s Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools program resulting in thousands of 

students and staff working and attending school classrooms each day with improved 

indoor air quality. Furthermore, OAR staff has worked with other organizations and 

developed and piloted courses for school officials and facility managers which help 

explain the benefits of Performance Contracting in improving building conditions and 

reducing energy use by improving indoor air quality. 

As a result of the work of OAR’s radon risk reduction program – there are about 788 

thousand homes with an operating mitigation system and about 1.5 million homes have 

been built with radon-reducing features. 

OAR continues to support tribal programs in many ways by including tribal 

representatives on policy groups like the CAAC and the National Monitoring Strategy 

Workgroup, ensuring that they are involved in ongoing Regional Planning Organizations 

to address regional haze and other issues. Notably, where tribes choose not to participate, 

OAR takes seriously its obligation to implement federal programs on reservations where 

it is necessary and appropriate to protect human health and the environment. 

OAR has recognized the need to both educate and inform the public on the work we are 

doing to improve public health and the environment. To this end, OAR has developed 

outreach materials geared toward informing communities of many of the programs that 

are underway. A number of our informational brochures have also been translated to 

Spanish. Copies of most of these materials can be found through the EPA website at 

www.epa.gov. Below is a list of some of the environmental justice-related outreach 

resources which are available: 

 National Radon Hotline [1-800-SOS-RADON (1-800-767-7236)] and National Hispanic 

Indoor Air Quality Hotline 866-528-3187 

The Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) is providing a grant to the National 

Safety Council to reach culturally-diverse populations through the staffing and operation 

of the bilingual hotlines which respond to public requests for IAQ information and 

referrals. The hotlines supports increasing radon testing and mitigation in Hispanic 

communities through follow-up with consumers requesting the radon test kit coupons, 

and providing information about many other indoor air quality health issues (e.g. 

mercury, secondhand smoke exposure to children, etc.). 

 Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Website (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/ ) 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 28
The Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools website is designed to strengthen and expand 

EPA’s national outreach program that is designed to create healthier indoor environments 

for children in our nation’s schools by providing tools and resources to spur the use of the 

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Kit. 

 Asthma Website (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/asthma/). ORIA’s Indoor Environments 

Division has launched a national public and prevention program in response to the 

asthma epidemic in the United States. The website is designed to raise public awareness 

of indoor environmental asthma triggers and actions that can be taken to reduce children's 

exposure in homes, schools and child care settings. The website provides public 

information about tools and resources, primary contacts, asthma triggers, and answers to 

other frequently asked questions. 

 Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) National Information Hotline. Based on feedback 

from stakeholders ORIA has addressed the communications needs of culturally-diverse 

communities by developing a toll-free (1-800) information line. The general public can 

access the line 24 hours per day and 7 days per week to hear recorded messages about 

current and planned EPA activities and opportunities for public involvement. Because 

New Mexico and other affected states have a large Hispanic population, the WIPP 

Information Line message is available in both English and Spanish. Many of our public 

information brochures and materials are also available in both English and Spanish. 

 Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) National Website (www.epa.gov/radiation/wipp) 

and (www.epa.gov/radiation/yucca). The ORIA website provides the general public 

with access to important information about WIPP and Yucca Mountain. 

 TribalAIR Website (http://www.epa.gov/oar/tribal/airprogs.html). The TribalAIR 

web site is designed to strengthen EPA and Tribal air quality programs in Indian Country 

by: providing timely and user-friendly access to key information; promoting the 

exchange of ideas; and making available relevant documents to all environmental 

professionals who live and work in Indian Country. 

 The TribalAir Newsletter is a quarterly newsletter produced by OAR’s Office of Air 

Quality Planning and Standards as one of our tools to make Tribal air professionals aware 

of our air pollution control activities early enough allow tribes to participate in their 

development. This newsletter provides information on upcoming activities (e.g., 

workshops and training) as well as, a place to report progress. 

 Air Quality Index Booklet and Air NOW Website (http://www.epa.gov/airnow). OAR 

is working to make information about air quality as available to the public as information 

about the weather. A key tool in this effort is the Air Quality Index (AQI). EPA and local 

officials use the AQI to provide the public with timely and easy-to-understand 

information on local air quality and whether air pollution levels pose a health concern. 

The AQI booklet tells you about the AQI and how it is used to provide air quality 

information. It also tells you about the possible health effects of major air pollutants at 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 29
various levels and suggests actions the public can take to protect their health when 

pollutants reach unhealthy concentrations. The AQI focuses on health effects that can 

happen within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. 

ENERGY STAR Website (http://www.energystar.gov) The ENERGY STAR website has a 

large number of tools for consumers and ENERGY STAR partners. It includes a webpage 

dedicated to energy efficiency in affordable housing: 

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bldrs_lenders_raters.pt_affordable_housing

In 2007, EPA launched the Recoursos en Espagnol portion of the website. This section provides 

Spanish language resources for homeowners, renters, small businesses, and congregations. In 

addition, it has several “How We Saved” stories which profile Latino families around the 

country who have saved energy through the ENERGY STAR program. 

Acid Rain Website (http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/) EPA’s Acid Rain Website provides 

background information on acid rain as well as educational resources and links to the Acid Rain 

kids site. All portions of the Acid Rain website are available in Spanish. 

Data and Maps Website (http://camddataandmaps.epa.gov/gdm/) EPA’s Data and Maps 

website is a publicly accessible portal to a variety of data including national power plant 

information, acid deposition and air quality data, and emissions and allowance data to query and 

download by a particular source, state and time period. 

Climate Change Website (http://epa.gov/climatechange/) 

EPA's Climate Change website offers comprehensive information on the issue of climate change 

in a way that is accessible and meaningful to all parts of society – communities, individuals, 

business, states and localities, and governments. 

[[edit Sunwise section as follows]] 

SunWise ToolKit and Website (www.epa.gov/sunwise/es/home.html) The SunWise program 

was developed several years ago to educate and inform communities about ozone depletion and 

its adverse effects on the environment and health. The SunWise Tool Kit is an educational 

activity kit aligned with national education standards that has been adopted by more than 18,000 

schools and provides sun protection information to protect school children from excessive UV 

exposure and cancer risk. The SunWise website includes an overview of ozone depletion, its 

causes and what we can do to address the issue. Its primary focus is on preventing and 

minimizing adverse health effects. The website is translated into Spanish. 

Section 8: Data Collection, Management, and Evaluation 

 List your Regional/Headquarters office’s main data sets - the ways in which you collect 

environmental justice information. Also, describe how this information is utilized by your 

Regional/Headquarters office (e.g., environmental justice assessment, program 

tracking/evaluation, etc.). 

 Does your Regional/Headquarters office have a method of identifying and highlighting 

best practices and lessons learned? If yes, please describe. 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 30
As part of the analysis of the annual National Awareness of ENERGY STAR survey, EPA 

monitors the public awareness of the ENERGY STAR brand across the U.S. Census 

demographic groups and income levels. In the most recent survey (2007) there were no 

statistically significant differences in awareness levels amongst those groups. EPA also tracks 

media stories mentioning ENERGY STAR in Spanish language print and television outlets. 

EPA maintains a quarterly reporting process that tracks the number of ENERGY STAR qualified 

manufactured homes built, and the number of homes built by Habitat for Humanity affiliates. 

We also receive annual reports from HUD regarding the number of ENERGY STAR qualified 

homes built using public funds. In addition, we keep track of outreach efforts to state housing 

finance agencies. 

 Air Quality Trends “Fact Book” and Website (http://www.epa.gov/air/airtrends). 

Shows air quality trends in metropolitan areas using the latest data. 

 Tier 2 Brochure Tier 2/Gasoline Sulfur Brochure ("Refineries and Cleaner Fuels: 

reducing sulfur to improve the air"). OAR has developed a brochure designed to educate 

communities living around refineries. The brochure describes the environmental benefits 

of the Tier 2/gasoline sulfur program, why refineries may need to get permits to make 

changes needed to reduce gasoline sulfur levels, and how community members can get 

involved in the permitting process. 

 It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air (http://www.italladdsup.gov) is a unique public 

education and partnership-building initiative developed collaboratively by several federal 

agencies to help regional, state and community efforts to reduce traffic congestion and air 

pollution. It All Adds Up emphasizes simple, convenient actions people can take to 

improve air quality and reduce congestion. The voluntary initiative is sponsored by the 

U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Highway Administration, OAR’s 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality, and DOT's Federal Transit Administration. 

 Mobile Source Outreach Assistance Competition. Each year, OAR’s Office of 

Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) manages a competition for state and local air 

agencies which is designed to provide “seed” funding for innovative outreach projects 

which can be replicated in like communities nationwide. Environmental Justice is one of 

the primary areas of emphasis in the annual Request for Proposal. 

 OAR has also consistently promoted, supported, and provided resources to enhance 

regional, state, and local environmental justice initiatives. Unlike the projects listed in Section 

4: Program Support, OAR is not the lead for the projects listed below. However, OAR has 

decided to support these efforts to build relationships and to foster a collaborative atmosphere to 

more effectively achieve desired environmental results. OAR has found these efforts to be 

tremendously successful partnerships. Some examples are: 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 31
 Environmental Justice Training Collaborative. OAR continues to support efforts to 

centralize the continued implementation and further development of environmental 

justice training in the Agency. 

 Reducing Air Emissions at Airports. Many of the nation’s busiest airports are located 

in urban areas which struggle to meet air quality standards. EPA shares concerns about 

how airport-related emissions impact surrounding communities and recognizes the 

challenges that airport activities pose on state and local efforts to achieve and maintain 

healthy air quality. OAR is providing both technical support and financial resources to 

ensure that air emissions from airports are being properly addressed and reduced. OAR 

staff is currently participating as advisors for an activity appropriately characterized as a 

federal-city partnership to enhance the lives of the residents of Los Angeles. EPA has 

convened several interagency meetings to dialogue with organizations having 

responsibility, authority, and technical expertise concerning issues involving airport 

operations in order to develop the framework for a comprehensive study to determine the 

contribution of air emissions from Los Angeles World Airport (LAX) to the surrounding 

communities. However, airport-related environmental justice issues are not unique to 

Los Angeles; this study also provides the opportunity for Federal interagency cooperation 

to develop methodologies and guidance that could serve as a model for future studies 

throughout the country. 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 32
 Air Quality and Source Apportionment Study of the Area Surrounding Los Angeles

International Airport 

The Air Quality and Source Apportionment Study of the Area Surrounding LAX, a 

technically complex, comprehensive study-- unprecedented in scope, involves 

numerous issues of great importance to EPA and would not only benefit 

stakeholders in the Los Angeles area, but would produce data to be used in future 

assessments at other airports nationwide. The air toxics component of the air 

emissions generated by airport-related activities is of particular importance in this 

proposed study, and the results would also better position EPA and other relevant 

agencies to respond constructively to airport-related health and environmental 

concerns expressed by communities throughout the country. 

Components of the study plan including the Technical Workplan, Emission 

Inventory Protocol, Fuel Sampling Protocol, and Pilot Study Quality Assurance 

Project Plan have been developed in draft by consultants contracted by LAX with 

oversight and technical assistance provided by representatives of EPA, the 

California Air Resources Board, and South Coast Air Quality Management 

District. OAR staff is also providing guidance to LAX concerning development 

of a meaningful community involvement plan, formation of a public advisory 

committee, and related matters. 

 Maricopa County Risk Assessment. This is a partnership between the three tribes 

located in the Phoenix area and the State of Arizona to identify and address air toxics 

risks. This project will also address environmental justice-related issues for both 

minority and disadvantaged communities within the Phoenix city limits. 

Section 8: Data Collection, Management, and Evaluation

 List your Regional/Headquarters office’s main data sets - the ways in which you collect 

environmental justice information. Also, describe how this information is utilized by 

your Regional/Headquarters office (e.g., environmental justice assessment, program 

tracking/evaluation, etc.). 

 Does your Regional/Headquarters office have a method of identifying and highlighting 

best practices and lessons learned? If yes, please describe. 

 Traditionally, OAR does not collect environmental justice information in an isolated 

manner. However, there are a number of air quality-related data resources which this Office 

maintains and which are used to better characterize and assess the air quality in local 

communities. This information is also used to evaluate program effectiveness and to identify 

areas where additional attention may be needed. 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 33
The AirData Web site provides access to yearly summaries of United States air pollution 

data, taken from EPA's air pollution databases. The data include all fifty states in addition to the 

District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. AirData contains information 

about pollution sources and monitoring levels. 

 

Air quality data can mainly be found in the AIRS, National Emissions Trends, and the National 

Emission Inventory for Hazardous Air Pollutants Databases. As a result of best practices and 

lessons learned, OAR:

 Established a new cooperative agreement with the University Of Michigan School Of 

Public Health that will result in a broad review of community-based indoor 

environmental asthma interventions to determine the best and most effective practices in 

local communities around the country. 

Section 9: Professional and Organizational Development

 Does your Regional/Headquarters office plan to provide training on environmental 

justice? If yes, please list and describe. 

 What methods do you utilize to promote shared learning, such as best practices and 

 lessons learned among staff? If yes, please list and describe. 

 

OAR is offering voluntary training on the fundamentals of environmental justice to its entire 

staff on a periodic basis. Personnel involved in permitting, urban air toxic initiatives, community 

based initiatives, and those evaluating cumulative risk from toxic emissions are the primary 

target audience. OAR management believes this is an important training which can benefit all 

staff including OAR managers. OAR staff is also assisting the OEJ in providing the 

fundamentals course to other internal and external constituents. 

 In order to identify new methods to help promote shared learning and best practices in 

local communities, ORIA’s Indoor Environments Division (IED) continues to fund a 

number of projects that are targeted at diverse and under served populations. The 

objective is to create a system for identifying new methods in a consistent and most 

effective manner. 

 

Section 10: Environmental Justice Assessment

 Does your Regional/Headquarters office have a process by which an environmental 

justice assessment is conducted? If yes, please describe. 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 34
 Does your Regional/Headquarters office rely on any information resources with which to 

conduct an environmental justice assessment, such as the Environmental Justice Mapper, 

Environmental Justice Toolkit, etc.? If yes, please list and describe. 

To date, OAR’s environmental justice assessments have generally consisted of a review of 

demographic data (including socioeconomic status, minority populations and educational 

background) and the generation of GIS maps of the area of impact. 

Radiation Ambient Monitoring Systems (ERAMS) Project. This initiative (also 

entitled the National Radiation Monitoring Program) supports the provision of emergency 

response in the event of a large scale national incident (such as that of a Chernobyl or 

similar incident). Major goals of the initiative are to provide good baseline data and to 

generate good decision making data to help protect public health. Some specially 

selected sites, for example, with respect to tribes in Prairie Island, Minnesota have been 

in place for several years. These air sites help to provide ongoing special monitoring for 

tribal lands. The project is being implemented on population basis, whereby NAREL is 

adding air monitoring stations in many communities which include EJ-related 

communities. 

Section 11: Program Evaluation

 Each Program Office and Region will identify 1-2 activities for EJ reviews and establish 

a schedule for this first round of reviews in their FY09 EJ Action Plans. The EJ reviews 

should be described in the Program Evaluation Section of the Narrative as well as 

documented in the performance measures matrix. 

EPA’s Office of Atmospheric Programs conducted an environmental justice assessment of its 

Acid Rain Program in 2005. This was the first EPA EJ review of a program in EPA and analyzed 

the impacts of the Acid Rain Program (ARP) on people of different races, ethnicities and income 

levels. This staff analysis showed that at full implementation of the program in 2010, each racial, 

ethnic, and income-level group studied received similar average improvement in PM2.5 in the 

eastern U.S. (where the vast majority of the emission reductions took place) as a result of the 

ARP. No disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of the Acid 

Rain Program were found for any minority, low-income, or other population. 

Building on this staff analysis of the environmental justice impacts of the ARP, EPA will 

develop the format and analytical questions to periodically assess the impact of the Clean Air 

Interstate Rule (CAIR), with implementation starting in 2009, on EJ communities. 

In FY2009, OAR will conduct an environmental justice review of the Major and Minor New 

Source Review (described in Section 4) using the Agency’s Protocol for Conducting 

Environmental Justice Reviews for the Standard Setting and Rulemaking/Regulatory 

Development Function. The purpose of the review will be to highlight achievements, lessons 

OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 35
OAR Environmental Justice Action Plan Page 36

learned, and potential improvements of the manner in which OAR has integrated environmental 

justice considerations in the rulemaking process. 

 Success with OAR Environmental Justice initiatives is measured by the extensive number of 

ongoing projects and their effectiveness in addressing far reaching issues which are important to 

the environmental justice community. As mentioned earlier in this Action Plan, OAR plans to 

review progress on implementing the Environmental Justice Action Plan on a frequent basis. If 

OAR management determines that sufficient progress is not being made in a timely manner, a 

determination will be made on how to strengthen or improve the Office’s performance. 

 Key personnel, with specific responsibility to coordinate environmental justice-related 

issues for the Office, have performance measures which are specifically related to environmental 

justice. 
OFFICE OF AIR AND RADIATION 

FY 2009 Environmental Justice Action Plan 

Section 2: Performance Measures Matrix 

Definitions of terms used in the Performance Measures Matrices:

Goal - any of the 5 major goals identified in the EPA Strategic Plan FY 2006-2011 and the Cross Cutting Strategy. 

Objectives - any of the 8 national environmental justice priorities or other priorities identified by the Headquarters Prog

accomplish a goal. Activity - any action undertaken in order to address an Objective. Please list each activity only one time even if it applie

consider including it under Cross Cutting Strategies. Output - the direct results of an Activity. “Output measures” answer, quantitatively, the question: What will be accomp

Outcome - description of the impacts (i.e., changes in condition) resulting from an Activity. “Outcome measures” answ

impacts will the output/activities make relevant to public health and/or the environment? Note that in identifying outcoma baseline (i.e., starting point) from which progress is measured. If the starting point or baseline condition is unknown, 

provide a short rationale supporting your assumption. As identified by the Office of Policy Economics and Innovation’s As identified by the Office of Policy Economics and Innovation’s Evaluation Support Division, outcomes can be: 

 Short-term (awareness) – changes in learning, knowledge, attitude skills, understanding  Intermediate (behavior) – changes in behavior, practice or decisions 

 Long-term (condition) – changes in condition1

1 Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation. National Center for Environmental Innovation. Evaluation Support Division, “Introduction to Pe
OFFICE OF RADIATION AND INDOOR AIR (ORIA) 

2009 Environmental Justice Action Plan 

Section 1: Performance Measures Matrix Highlights 

FY 2009 Robust-Results Oriented Activity 

Description: ASTHMA PROGRAM STRATEGY Asthma is a serious, sometimes life-threatening respiratory disease that affects the quality of life for millions of Americaincluding 6.8 million children, have asthma and prevalence is higher among families with lower incomes. African-Ame

higher rates of emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths than do Caucasian-Americans. Approximately Americans have asthma and Puerto Ricans are disproportionately impacted. The rate is 125% higher than non-Hispanic 

Native Americans have more symptoms and more severe symptoms than other groups. Although there is no cure yet, ast

through medical treatment and management of environmental triggers. Some common triggers include dust mites, moldsecondhand smoke, and ozone and particle pollution. The Asthma Program Strategy outlines EPA’s effort to help reduce or prevent asthma-related deaths and morbidity, inclresulting from exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollutants and reach our long term goal: "By 2012, 6.5 million people 

actions to manage environmental triggers. We will make progress toward this goal by mobilizing and equipping commuasthma care." 

Activities/ Resources/ Applicable Outcome Measure 

/Partners

Output

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-te

(conditi

Raise Awareness -fund partnership with Ad Council to deliver the Goldfish Public Service Advertising Campaign, no attacks hotline and no attacks website; - support Asthma Awareness Month activities nationwide. Educate parents and caregivers of children with 

- New media campaign materials; Regional media trainings and outreach to urban communities; Quarterly newsletter to website viewers Cooperative partners educating thousands of children, parents and 

-Increased public awareness as measured by Ad Council tracking studies, web hits and hotline calls.  -Increased understanding of parents and caregivers about asthma health risks and prevention actions. 

- State, regional, and community coalitions will adopt campaign and provide local education and outreach. More parents and caregivers taking essential actions to manage trigger exposures, estimated 

Children wihave fewer attacks, animproved ahealth outcincluding revisits, reduhospitalizatincreased sfree days, aquality-of-liimproveme
Activities/ Resources/ Applicable Outcome Measure 

/Partners

Output

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-te

(conditi

asthma—including health care professionals-- (gather knowledge, develop and promote educational brochures, fund partnerships to deliver validated educational programs) Support comprehensive Community based asthma care (- Gather knowledge, Develop & promote tools & guidance materials; hold National Asthma Forum; run Awards and Recognition Program; host online Network; fund partnerships to provide health care provider training, and regional pacing events. 

caregivers about asthma management and triggers in homes, schools, child care centers; and training health care professionals about environmental controls. State-of –the art best practices housed online; web-based assessment tool; knowledge transfer through webinars and discussion forums led by peer faculty and mentors. - National Asthma Forum and Awards Program - Regional pacing events for community- based programs 

- Increased knowledge of health professionals about effective education and prevention approaches, as documented by National Environmental Leadership in Asthma Award applications and Exemplary Award applications; training program assessments. - Increased number of Community programs accessing best practices through online Network, as measured by number of programs registered on Network, number of representatives attending the National Asthma Forum and webinars. 

from national indicators of asthma morbidity. -Increased number of community programs implementing effective strategies into their asthma programs as measured by number of programs using the online assessment tools. 

measured tnational indasthma premorbidity amortality. 
1 

OAP Environmental Justice Action Plan 

Section 1: Performance Measures Matrix Highlights 

FY09 Robust-Results Oriented Activities 

Description: ENERGY STAR Residential Program Energy efficiency has been proven to be a very cost effective strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and comba

global climate change, in addition to improving our energy security and reducing our energy bills. Since 1992 the ENERhelped consumers and businesses find cost-effective, energy-efficient solutions. To address the fact that much of the U.emissions are generated by the residential sector, ENERGY STAR formed the ENERGY STAR Residential Program. Tpartnerships with groups like homebuilders and utilities to leverage resources and provide whole-house solutions for imp

of new and existing homes. ENERGY STAR offers energy-efficiency guidelines for builders who want to construct ENhomes. For existing homes there is Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, which is a systems-based, whole-house aimproving an existing home’s energy efficiency. A component of ENERGY STAR’s efforts in the residential sector is focused on improving access to energy-efficient hofamilies, whose household income is often disproportionately spent on paying for utilities compared to upper-income fam

Activities/ Resources/ Applicable Outcome Measure 

/Partners

Output

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-te

(conditi

Activities

- Promote ENERGY STAR residential new construction guidelines to affordable housing stakeholders - Promote Home Performance with ENERGY STAR - Promote energy efficiency financing - Promote ENERGY STAR construction guidelines for manufactured housing 

-Coordination with HUD and its implementation of its Energy Action Plan - Outreach to state housing finance agencies -Outreach to and partnership building with Habitat for Humanity and their affiliates - Technical assistance - Through the existing weatherization program 

- More state housing finance agencies will recognize energy efficiency as a desirable component of new

affordable housing. - More HUD grantees will be aware of ENERGY STAR for homes and add ENERGY STAR as a voluntary component to their HUD grant application requirements. - More affordable housing 

- More state housing finance authorities (HFA) will award points in the competitive process for allocating low income housing tax credits to housing projects that include an energy efficiency component. States that currently offer points for efficiency components will increase their level of commitment to efficiency in new, statefunded affordable housing 

- Greater comforand income savinresidents - Reduced energy consumption - Greater value ghomes that are enefficient - Reduced GHG 
2 

Activities/ Resources/ Applicable Outcome Measure 

/Partners

Output

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-te

(conditi

- Promote use of ENERGY STAR Bulk Purchasing Tool Resources

Incorporation of ENEGY STAR related measures as part of existing Federal, State, and Private Funding Programs (i.e. HUD grant programs, state low income housing tax credits, foundation funding) Partnerships: 

State housing finance agencies, HUD, Habitat for Humanity affiliates, housing authorities, community development corporations, affordable housing unit owners, foundations, lenders, energy efficiency program sponsors (such as utilities, states, municipalities, and non-profit organizations), and other affordable housing stakeholders 

infrastructure, bring the benefits of the whole house retrofit approach of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR - EPA, working with the Ford Foundation and others, is developing and piloting a new energy efficient mortgage that will monetize the value of energy savings so that low income families can own energy efficient homes or afford to make efficiency improvements to their current home, thereby reducing the cost of homeownership. - Outreach to energy efficiency program sponsors (such as utilities, states, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations). This includes providing sponsors with online access to an EPA-developed guidebook (http://www.energystar.gov/

index.cfm?c=home_improvement.hpwes_sponsors_develop_step2) which contains 

information on how program sponsors can develop and implement special financial programs targeted at low income families that are in need of efficiency improvements to 

stakeholders such as state housing authorities and community development corporations will recognize energy efficiency as a desirable and necessary component of existingaffordable housing. - More owners of affordable housing units will have access to energy efficiency services and products, especially those who aren’t poor enough to qualify for weatherization services and aren’t wealthy enough to purchase efficiency services and products on the open market. - Greater access to energy efficiency financing products for low-income homeowners and renters. - More lower-income homebuyers have greater access to energy efficient homes and products. 

projects. - More efficient affordable housing projects will be constructed - More low income homeowners and renters will be able to secure funding (loans, grants, rebates, etc.) for efficiency improvements. - Existing homes will be retrofitted to be more efficient. - Increased production and sale of ENERGY STAR qualified manufactured homes. 
3 

Activities/ Resources/ Applicable Outcome Measure 

/Partners

Output

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-te

(conditi

their homes. - Targeted EPA outreach to the manufactured homes industry 
4 

EJ ACTION PLAN PERFORMANCE MEASURES MATRIX

Office of Transportation and Air Quality Environmental Justice Action Plan 

Section 1: Performance Measures Matrix Highlights 

FY09 Robust-Results Oriented Activities 

Description: National Clean Diesel Campaign / SmartWay Transport Program Reducing emissions from diesel engines is one of the most important air quality challenges facing the country. Even witheavy-duty highway and nonroad engine standards set to take effect over the next decade, millions of diesel engines alreemit large amounts of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and air toxics, which contribute to serious public health problemlinked to thousands of premature deaths, hundreds of thousands of asthma attacks, millions of lost work days, and numeevery year. Diesel engines impact environmental justice areas because many such areas are located near major highwaystops, ports and construction sites where substantial diesel traffic and diesel idling occur. The National Clean Diesel Caemissions from existing diesel engines by retrofitting them with emission control devices and by reducing idling. AdditTransport Program works to reduce air pollution by specifically helping shippers and freight companies reduce fuel consemissions is a key component of the SmartWay program. OTAQ’s National Clean Diesel Campaign and SmartWay Transport Program outline a strategy for reaching the goal of areas where low-income and/or minority groups are exposed disproportionately to diesel emissions. These two programinvolving regulatory and voluntary efforts and partnerships with industry, agencies, and communities to help achieve EPincluding reducing the number asthma attacks, exposure to air toxics and collaborative problem-solving to address envir
5 

Activities/ Resources/ Applicable Outcome Measure 

/Partners

Output

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-te

(conditi

Activities

- Enhance outreach & education to existing stakeholder groups including state agencies, municipalities, MPOs, and construction, port, agriculture and trucking sectors to promote opportunities to reduce emissions in areas where low-income and minority populations are particularly impacted by diesel exhaust. - Develop additional materials including relevant success stories. - Fund clean diesel grant proposals Resources

- Potential FY09 DERA Funding $49.2 million - State and municipal bonds - Private sector financing Building Partnerships: 

OAQPS, NEJAC, American Lung Association, National Association of Clean Air Agencies, Environmental Defense, NRDC, Office of 

- Summary of EJrelated projects implemented from National Clean Diesel Database - Emissions reductions achieved calculated by the Diesel Emissions Quantifier - Enhancements made to NCDC Website with EJ focus - Participate in stakeholder meetings to discuss the benefits of clean diesel and reduced idling - Identify top priority areas to target diesel emissions reduction efforts 

- Increase awareness of all stakeholders regarding solutions available for reducing emissions from diesel engines through retrofit and idle reduction - Partners/stakeholders are more aware of opportunities to implement diesel emission reduction activities in areas where low-income and minority populations are particularly impacted by diesel exhaust. 

- Actions taken to reduce diesel emission include: Diesel equipment replacements, retrofits, repowers, idle reduction implementation, and early use of ULSD fuel 

Health of targetpopulations is ias measured breduction in nuseverity of asthincidents reportareas with low-and minority po
6 

Activities/ Resources/ Applicable Outcome Measure 

/Partners

Output

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-te

(conditi

Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee, State and City Governments, Community Groups, Academic Institutions, Clean Diesel Collaboratives, American Trucking Association. 
7 

OFFICE OF AIR QUALITY PLANNING AND STANDARDS 2009 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE 

Section 1: Performance Measures Matrix Highlights 

Robust-Results Oriented Activity 

Description: COLLISION RERPAIR CAMPAGIN AND AUTOBODY RULEMAKING EPA developed the Collision Repair Campaign to focus on meaningful risk reduction in the Collision Repair source sectongoing community air toxics work and attain reductions at a faster rate. The Campaign will also serve as an opportunitearly compliance with the auto body rule. These shops are widespread in nature and tend to be clustered in minority, imneighborhoods. Through implementing best practices, which include installing and maintaining control equipment and using safer paints exposures are expected to be reduced by 90%. It is estimated that utilizing best practices in 1,000 shops will reduce HA

million pounds annually. 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-t

(condit

Enhance capacity of overburdened communities to identify and address issues of exposure to air toxics by supporting the Collision Repair Campaign 

Improvements to Collision Repair Campaign website and outreach brochures translated to Spanish DVD on the Paint Stripping Rule for small repairs shop owners 

Raise awareness of all stakeholders, particularly autobody shop owners and staff about toxics exposure (measure persons briefed or trained) 

Autobody shop owners implement best practices 

Emission redufrom autobody (track emissioreductions whfeasible) 
8 

OFFICE OF RADIATION AND INDOOR AIR 

 FY 2009 Environmental Justice Action Plan 

Section 2: Performance Measures Matrix 

Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change Objective: Reduction in number of asthma attacks (e.g., reduce asthma triggers such as particulate matter)

Applicable Outcome Measure Activities Output

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate 

(behavior)

Long-term (condition

Support the Regional Tribal Effective Asthma Management Project (TEAM) which is a program designed to increase tribal capability in assessing, understanding, and reduce exposure to environmental triggers of asthma. Recent asthma prevalence studies have shown some tribes within EPA Regions have asthma rates up to 2.5 times higher than the national average 

The TEAM Project will respond to tribal needs with direct training, outreach, education that is culturally specific and designed to reduce the deleterious health impacts of asthma to Native American communities using a focused, systematic, multi-disciplinary asthma service, designed to coordinate and optimize the delivery of asthma care. 

Increase awareness 

of at-risk populations by updating the Asthma Register - the Register is used to identify the patient population for asthma clinic services. The Asthma Register system is a component of the Indian Health Service resource and patient management system. 

Increase the number of asthma action plans created; and the number of IAQ mitigations made in the home environment. Home visit referrals will be made to "survey" to determine if any asthma triggers are present and track clusters of occurrences. 

Through training and education, adults and childwith asthma, (particularly tribal/underserved communities) will experiefewer asthma attacks and improved quality of life anresult in a decrease in the number of missed school and in emergency room vi
9 

Applicable Outcome Measure Activities Output

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate 

(behavior)

Long-term (condition

Support partnership with Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) to work on reducing indoor asthma triggers for pediatric asthma patients by improving clinicians’ ability to integrate the assessment of environmental factors into a comprehensive asthma management plan and standards of care. The ACU will target underserved communities which demonstrate the need for access to affordable, quality, transdisciplinary health care, and culturally-competent health care professionals. ACU will work with other organizations including the National Environmental Education Foundation and the American College of Preventive Medicine to integrate health care provider training into their professional development programs. 

Train 600 health care professionals on environmental management of asthma triggers. Complete curriculum on asthma and indoor air quality. The curriculum is continuously reviewed and improved to meet the cultural and special population needs of the audiences receiving this information.

Increased awareness of 600 primary care clinicians and health care teams who serve low-income, uninsured, underinsured, and culturally diverse patients. 

An estimated increase of 25% of trained health care professionals will incorporate strategies for environmental management of indoor asthma triggers into clinical practice and standards of care for patients. The health care professionals will potentially impact an estimated 110,000 pediatric asthma patients in low-income, culturally-diverse communities. 

Support EPA’s Goal 1: ClAir and Global Climate Change; Objective 1.2 Healthier Indoor Air; Sobjective 1.1.1 – More PeBreathing Cleaner Air By 2012, 6.5 million peopwith asthma will be taking essential actions to reduce exposures to their indoor asthma triggers (thereby preventing about 90,000 Evisits annually and producother positive health outco
10 

Applicable Outcome Measure Activities Output

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate 

(behavior)

Long-term (condition

Support partnership with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start (OHS) to provide Early Head Start and Head Start grantees and delegate agencies with information, education, training tools, and resources to help reduce children’s health effects from environmental asthma triggers and secondhand smoke. Head Start programs provide comprehensive child development services to nearly one million low-income families (including children from birth to five and pregnant women). 

The outputs will promote effective interventions for reduction of secondhand smoke exposure environmental asthma triggers on children and will: (1) create and promote education materials; (2) increase access to EPA’s websites, hotlines and other resources; (3) provide technical assistance; (4) track and share results Workshops at Head Start conferences Educational tools and resources and technical assistance to parents and staff Support of National Head Start Association to reach grantees and delegate agencies. ETS training to Head Start staff and parents. Smoke-free homes pledges and active asthma management plans for children 

By December 2009, an increase of at least 500 Head Start grantees will gain greater knowledge about ways to prevent health risks from exposure to secondhand smoke and asthma triggers in their centers and family home environments, as measured by post evaluations, pledges, and feedback. 

By December 2009, Head Start centers and families representing at least 3,000 to 5,000 children will actively participate to keep their homes and vehicles smokefree and/or will maintain a management plan to reduce asthma triggers in their home environments, as measured by preand post- activity evaluations and reports from participating Head Start grantees. 

Support EPA’s Goal 1: ClAir and Global Climate Change; Objective 1.2 Healthier Indoor Air; Sobjective 1.1.1 – More PeBreathing Cleaner Air By 2012, 6.5 million peopwith asthma will be taking essential actions to reduce exposures to their indoor asthma triggers (thereby preventing about 90,000 Evisits annually and producother positive health outcoBy 2012, reduce the percelow-income and minority children aged 6 and under regularly exposed to secondhand smoke in the to be equivalent with rates the general population (estimated to be 11% in 20
11 

Applicable Outcome Measure Activities Output

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate 

(behavior)

Long-term (condition

Childhood Asthma Public Service Campaign Implement “Goldfish” childhood asthma media campaign targeted to parents from underserved communities (i.e. low-income, underrepresented, and medicallyunderserved families) and inner-city pediatric asthma patients. The media campaign is designed to raise awareness about asthma and generate behavior change toward the management of childhood asthma. 

Conduct 2-3 regional media training events for community coalitions and community asthma programs. Distribute campaign materials to media markets serving urban populations and distribute campaign materials to media markets serving Hispanic and Tribal populations. 

Increase awareness in the number of parents of children with asthma and their capability to manage asthma triggers at home as measured by: a) Goldfish media campaign awareness at or above 20 %; b) additional 250,000 unique web hits (www.noattacks.org)

c) increase in donated media time for Goldfish campaign; d) two communities will localize the media campaign 

As a result of the Childhood Asthma Public Service Campaign, more parents caring for children with asthma are taking more action to manage their child’s triggers and reduce attacks. 

Children with asthma will experience fewer asthma attacks and have improved quality of life. 
12 

Applicable Outcome Measure Activities Output

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate 

(behavior)

Long-term (condition

Communities in Action for Asthma Friendly Environments Initiative Implement a two day Asthma Forum. Develop communication and outreach tools to promote the Forum, recruit participants (particularly from programs providing care to lowincome, under-represented, tribal and other medically underserved communities), manage logistics and conduct follow-up with attendees. Support on-line Network of Communities to foster real time learning and information exchange year round. Implement a national awards program highlighting outstanding programs providing quality care to underserved groups. 

1) Implement a Forum event in Washington, DC (May 1-2, 2008; 2009 dates TBD) 2) Support the Asthma Community on-line Network by hosting web site, marketing, training, and educational opportunities through the Network, and posting unique tools and resources. 3) Recognize quality care efforts through national awards program. 

Annually, representatives of 100 community based asthma programs will have increased knowledge and take action to reduce exposure to environmental asthma triggers in communities disproportionately impacted by asthma. Up to 4 community programs serving people with asthma, will deliver quality asthma care as benchmarked by Exemplary Award criteria. Two programs will be recognized with National Leadership Awards.

250 communitybased asthma programs participating in Communities in Action for Asthma Friendly EnvironmentsInitiative will deliver quality asthma care that includes environmental interventions, and improve asthma outcomes for those they serve., as measured by the number of participating communities

Adults and children with asthma, (particularly from income, under-representedother medically underservcommunities) will have decreased exposures and wexperience fewer asthma attacks and have improved quality of life. 
13 

Applicable Outcome Measure Activities Output

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate 

(behavior)

Long-term (condition

Support the partnership with the Aberdeen Area Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board to collaborate with multiple partners within and across regional boundaries in order to provide environmental asthma trigger management education and to promote the capability and development of tribal healthcare professionals to assist their patients identify and mitigate asthma triggers in the home. 

Aberdeen’s Board will implement a Tribal Asthma Prevention Campaign which provides education on the management and prevention of environmental asthma triggers to a population of almost 200,000 tribal members residing on seventeen reservations and in two urban Indian service areas in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa. 

The activity will increase awareness and education by merging evidencedbased practices with culturally-competent approaches. In addition, increased knowledge of in-home asthma triggers and methods of trigger mitigation among American Indian tribal members and health professionals. 

An increased number of healthcare 

programs will 

commit to 

conducting inhome asthma assessments, as evidenced by a 25% increase in the rate of in-home assessments conducted by healthcare programs. 

This project will contributEPA’s strategic goal: by 26.5 million people with aswill be taking all essential actions to reduce exposuretheir indoor asthma trigge(thereby preventing about 90,000 ER visits annually producing other positive houtcomes. 
14 

OFFICE OF RADIATION AND INDOOR AIR 

 FY 2009 Environmental Justice Action Plan 

Section 2: Performance Measures Matrix 

Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change Objective: Reduce exposure to air toxics (e.g., reduce releases of mercury)

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition

Support the partnership with tribes and Northern Arizona University Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) to increase the capability of Tribal Nations to address various environmental health and other concerns on federallyrecognized tribal lands (i.e. the capability to develop and implement air monitoring networks). This activity will be implemented in partnership with OAQPS and will continue providing technical training through the Tribal Air Monitoring (TAMS) Center. 

Deliver 10 air monitoring training courses to approximately 100 tribal air professionals. Course topics include: particulate matter (PM), quality assurance project plans, data management, ozone, meteorological stations, air toxics, PM related databases and radiation. Provide direct technical assistance via equipment loans and gravimetric laboratory services. 

Increase awareness in: (a) designing and implementing appropriate air monitoring networks, (b) improving data quality and, (c) improving ability to include air data in EPA national databases. Also, assure that air professionals are properly trained in network planning, data handling, quality assurance, and technical implementation. 

Assist tribal representatives in implementing air monitoring networks that provide high quality data. Assist in building the capability to provide this data to EPA’s air quality databases such that tribal air data that is used to implement tribal implementation plans for improving air quality. 

By 2011, improve quality in an addittribal communitieassisting the tribestraining, to implemmonitoring netwohave this data inclEPA’s air quality databases 
15 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition

(1) Continue indoor radon testing support to residents of economicallydisadvantaged communities. (2) Continue support to the Erie County (NY) Tribal CommunityToxics Air Pollutants Project. (Project and budget periods continue until 09/30/08) 

Provide no-cost home radon test kits and analysis from the EPA R&IE Laboratory to partner groups and organizations (i.e., Tribes, nonprofit organizations, and national coalitions) that work directly with residents from lowincome and/or tribal communities. 

Increase awareness of indoor radon exposure risk by providing radon test kits and analysis from EPA to low income and/or tribal populations. Radon test kit distributed within one week of initial request; and analysis upon receipt of exposed test kits to the R&IE Laboratory. 

Increase the number of residents actively taking appropriate action to reduce elevated radon levels by providing test results to partner groups and organizations that ultimately meet and provide follow-up education directly to the target audience. 

By 2009, continue reduce lung canceassociated with exto elevated radon through increased awareness and actthe number of lowand/or tribal homeIncrease the numbhomes to be tested partner groups and organizations worwithin economicadisadvantaged andcommunities (as mby number and sotest kit requests) Baseline: 1714 ho
16 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition

Support the implementation of EPA led activities in 5 year federal agency plan submitted to Congress designed to assist the Navajo Nation to address protection from exposures to uranium mine wastes and uranium/radium contaminated drinking water on Navajo lands. A separate effort will be led to provide training on radiation protection for occupational workers at Navajo drinking water plants which process source water containing radionuclides above the MCLs. Uranium and radium wastes result in direct exposures to radiation and radon (including indoor environment exposure) throughout the reservation. 

This activity will a)identify ways in which EPA could assist in a) lessening impacts of abandoned uranium mines and uranium/radium contaminated drinking water wells; b) plan for implementing additional culturally-appropriate educational materials for adults and children on uranium mine wastes, uranium/radium contaminated drinking water, and radiation protection basics in Navajo and English languages. 

As a result of the efforts: 1) a more comprehensive plan will be developed on how the Navajo agencies and EPA will work together to alleviate problems associated with uranium mine wastes and houses constructed with uranium mine waste; 2) assistance will have been provided to the Navajo Nation on developing methods to alleviate health impacts associated with unregulated uranium/radium contaminated drinking water sources; and 3) planning for health and safety training of occupational workers at Navajo drinking water treatment plants which process radionuclide contaminated drinking water will have been undertaken. 

By the end of 2009, the Navajo Nation will 1) identify responsible parties for locating funding sources and procedures to mitigate financial and other issues associated with uranium contaminated houses; 2) a measurable outreach effort will have been established to advise the Navajo public on the dangers of drinking from unregulated water sources contaminated with uranium/radium; 3) training materials will have been developed for health and safety of occupational workers which process source water containing radionuclides above the MCLs. 

By end of 2010, thNavajo Nation anwill help reduce henvironmental imabandoned uraniuand uranium/radiucontaminated drinwater on Tribal mas measured by thTribe’s remediatiocontaminated houcompletion of eduand other outreach materials for childadult members of on uranium and raprotection basics iavoiding contaminsources of drinkinThe success of thiwill be measured number of follow-activities for succremediating housereduced numbers members of the Npublic using unregdrinking water souand training of occupational workNavajo drinking wtreatment plants in radiation health anpractices. 
17 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition

Prepare the public access portion of RadNet data in bilingual Spanish/English language format. This activity will target audiences with limited English proficiency. 

This activity will provide public access of information to residents with limited English proficiency about ambient and incident levels of airborne radioactive material. Bilingual information will be available to both Spanish and English speaking citizens.

A higher percentage of the general public will be informed about potential radiation risks and educated on background radiation levels. 

N/A The health risks a

with ambient and levels of airborne radioactive materibe reduced to both and English speakcitizens, as measuinformation reque
18 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition

Support partnership with Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSM) and the East Coast Migrant Head Start Program (ECMHSP) to train health educators to work with families of migrant farm workers to increase their knowledge and change behaviors that will reduce the impact of secondhand smoke related disease among children in the ECMHSP Head Start centers. The ECMHSP Head Start centers are located in eleven states along the east coast and services approximately 8,500 infants, toddlers and preschoolers. (Budget and Project Periods continue until 9/30/09) 

Complete six Focus Groups with a total of ninety participants. Develop educational materials for ECMHSP core staff, teachers, and parents. Implement training program. Provide Train-the-Trainer module to ECMHSP staff at 50 Centers. In turn, staff will train teachers and parents and all will incorporate an educational, outreach, and training program aimed at reducing the risk of exposure to residential indoor air pollution among Head Start children. . 

Increased awareness among ECMHSP core staff, teachers and parents. The program would become part of ECMHSP’s standard staff training and standard health disability services coordinator health programs. Baseline: Estimates of baseline from data provided by ECMHSP for 2005 - 0% of core staff, teachers, and parents trained in residential ETS. Because it is possible that some core staff and teachers will have obtained training in environmental health prior to program start, updated data will be obtained. 

An estimated increase of 30% of parents will more knowledge on the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure to children; (2) more knowledge on ways to prevent secondhand smoke exposure to children and; (3) actively commit to creating a smoke-free environment for their children. 

By 2012, reduce tpercent of low-incminority children and under regularexposed to secondsmoke in the homequivalent with rageneral population (estimated to be 12003) 
19 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition

Center for Ecological Technologies (CET) will collaborate with health care professionals and social service providers to educate parents (especially new mothers from lowincome or economicallydisadvantaged backgrounds) to protect their children from environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and potentially reduce the incidence of asthma through prevention, education, training, and outreach. CET will provide environmental health assessment training to health care professionals on how to assess homes and lifestyles for ETS risks. The health care professionals will counsel parents about practical approaches to reduce their children's risks to ETS exposure. Budget and budget periods continue until 9/30/09. 

CET will develop an environmental health assessment tool, educational materials, and resource books. CET will train nurses, other health care professionals and social service providers on how to use the environmental health assessment tool to access and counsel parents and caregivers on behaviors and lifestyles that can reduce their children’s incidence of exposure to ETS and asthma episodes. 

Increase awareness of health care professionals and social service providers on how to assess homes and lifestyles for ETS risks and how to counsel parents on practical approaches to reduce their children’s risks from ETS exposure. 

Nurses, health care professionals and social service providers will provide ETS management education, training, and outreach to over 600 families utilizing the environmental health assessment and other resources provided. 

Reduce the percenlow-income and/ominority children and under) who arregularly exposed risks associated wsecondhand smokhomes. Increase (by 30%) knowledge on (a) children’s health rETS; (b) ways to pexposure to childr(c) creating a smoenvironment for thchildren. 
20 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition

Support partnership with the InterTribal Council of Michigan (ITCM) to develop and implement environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) training materials, program curriculum and assessment tools in accordance with current EPA materials. (Project and budget periods continue until 09/30/09) 

The project will make accessible outreach materials and tools that are designed to train parents and caregivers of children enrolled inTribal Head Start programs (including Head Start staff) on the dangers of ETS by providing specific and culturallycompetent ETS-related information 

By the end of year two, increase (by 75%) the number of parents and caregivers of children enrolled in the Tribal Head Start programs with knowledge of the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke in each of the eight tribal communities, as measured by training agendas and pre/post assessments. 

By the end of year three, 

increase (by 25%) the percentage of Head Start parents who implement new smoke-free homes policies, within the eight tribal communities, as measured by post follow up Head Start parent assessments. 

By the end of the period in Septembthe project will retotal number of chregularly exposed environmental tobsmoke, within the American homes tribal communitie
21 

OFFICE OF RADIATION AND INDOOR AIR 

 FY 2009 Environmental Justice Action Plan 

Section 2: Performance Measures Matrix 

Cross Cutting Strategies: Objective: Collaborative problem-solving to address environmental justice issues 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term (awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition)

Build knowledge and capability of tribal representatives on indoor air health risk reduction through providing hands-on indoor air training to tribal environmental professionals and by working cooperatively with nonprofit partners including the American Lung Association of Minnesota and Northern Arizona University’s Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP). 

Deliver 11 courses to increase capability in targeting ASHRAE climatic zones. Courses focus on 1) investigating indoor air problems in homes and building science; 2) remediation and; 3) establishing an IAQ program. Training will be for approximately 220 environmental professionals. 

Build tribal knowledge and awareness of IAQ health related issues through hands-on training. Provide two Tech I/II courses in Hot and Hot/Humid climates in FY07. 

Provide environmental professionals with the resources and training to develop, implement, and maintain an IAQ program within tribal communities, thereby enabling them to determine the level of contamination and remediation which may be required. 

By 2009, reduce indooair quality (IAQ) healtrisks in tribal communities by increasing the number of individuals trained and educated on assessing and remediating IAQ problems in homes, anincreasing the number of IAQ community programs. (No baselinidentified) 
22 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality FY09 Environmental Justice Action Plan 

Section 2: Performance Measures Matrix 

Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change Objective: Reduction in number of asthma attacks (e.g., reduce asthma triggers such as particulate matter)

Reduce exposure to air toxics 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition)
23 

Activities

-Enhance outreach & education to existing stakeholder groups: state agencies, municipalities, MPOs, and construction, port, agriculture, freight and trucking sectors to promote opportunities to reduce emissions in areas where low-income and minority populations are particularly impacted by diesel exhaust. - Develop additional materials including relevant success stories. - Fund clean diesel grant proposals -- Promote anti-idling education, policies, strategies and projects -Promote innovative financing tools and strategies to help owners retrofit their trucks with emission and idling reduction devices. 

- Summary of EJ projects implemented from National Clean Diesel Database - Enhancements made to NCDC Website with EJ focus -Case studies of benefits of anti-idling strategies 

- Increase awareness of all stakeholders regarding solutions available for reducing emissions from diesel engines through retrofit and idle reduction. - Partners and stakeholders are more aware of opportunities to implement diesel emissions reduction activities in areas where low-income and minority populations are particularly impacted by diesel exhaust. 

- Actions taken to reduce diesel emission include: Diesel equipment replacements, retrofits, repowers, idle reduction implementation, and early ULSD fuel use 

Health of targeted populations is improved measured by reduction number and severity of asthma incidents reportin areas with low-incomand minority population-Emissions reductions achieved calculated by Diesel Emissions Quan
24 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality FY09 Environmental Justice Action Plan 

Performance Measures Matrix 

Cross Cutting Strategies:Objective: Collaborative problem-solving to address environmental justice issues 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-ter

(conditio

Coordinate among stakeholders including: OAQPS, NEJAC, American Lung Association, National Association of Clean Air Agencies, Environmental Defense, NRDC, Office of Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee, State and City Governments, Community Groups, Academic Institutions, Clean Diesel Collaborative, American Trucking Association and other organizations of freight and shipping companies 

- Participate in stakeholder meetings to identify opportunities for coordinated effort to reduce diesel emissions including idling emissions in low-income and/or minority areas. -Identify top priority areas to target diesel emissions reduction efforts 

Increased awareness of opportunities to coordinate environmental justice and diesel emissions reductions efforts. 

An increase occurs in number of coordinated efforts undertaken to reduce diesel emissions including idling emissions that disproportionately impact low income and minority populations. 

The health olow-income aminority populations impacted by diesel emissis improved ademonstratereduction in number and severity of asthma incidin areas whecoordinated efforts have implemented
25 

OFFICE OF AIR QUALITY PLANNING AND STANDARDS 

FY 2009 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACTION PLAN 

Section 2: Performance Measure Matrix 

Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change Objective: Reduction in number of asthma attacks (e.g., reduce asthma triggers such as particulate matter)

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition)

Provide regulatory mechanism and implement permit programs for minor stationary sources located in Indian country and for major sources located in areas of Indian country not attaining the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) OAQPS will complete an EJ review of the proposed Tribal/New Source Review (NSR) rule using the Agency’s Standard Setting and Rulemaking/Regulatory Development protocol 

final Tribal/New Source Review (NSR) permit rules training for permit writers and Regions on final rule and evaluation of training Tribal training on NSR rules Model delegation package for Tribes to facilitate delegation of the federal program 

Tribes, Regional Offices and stakeholders increase their knowledge of NSR permitting process (measure number of persons briefed or trained) Regulated entities learn who is responsible for issuing permits 

Regional offices and Tribes issue permits in a timely manner consistent with regulations (measure permits issued, measure number of Tribes that issue permits) Industry complies with permits 

Emissions are reduced level playing field is credue to regulatory gap bfilled by this program 
26 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition)

Incorporate distributional analysis into the rulemaking process for selected regulations Identify and determine the additional capabilities required to enhance and refine BenMap or other resources to more accurately perform impact analysis 

Analysis of projected air quality impacts and associated distributions for selected OAQPS regulations Enhanced BenMAP software which incorporates additional socioeconomic and demographic variables (e.g. mortality rates by race, and other GIS enhancements to facilitate analysis and display of exposure distributions) (PENDING RECEIPT of ADDITIONAL FUNDING) 

Rule development teams and decision makers have better information about impacts of rules and rules options on related population distributions . 

Decision makers consider distributional implications during option selection. Distributional analysis results considered as a part of the rule development process.

. 

. 
27 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition)

Continue to support states/locals/tribes in their efforts to minimize exposure to wood smoke, through education/outreach and wood stove changeouts, including low income and tribal communities 

educational outreach materials (e.g., Burn Clean fact sheet, posters), program support, trainings/workshops for states/local/tribes trying to address wood smoke indoors and out doors 

EJ community professionals/leaders (e.g., Tribal officials) increase awareness on health effects of wood smoke and options for addressing the problem (measure the number of EJ community professionals/leaders that receive information about the program) 

low income or disproportionately effected communities engage in education and outreach and/or implement wood stove changeouts, (measure number of communities involved) 

households learn to bursmarter and cleaner anchangeout their old, dirtwood stove to a cleanemore energy efficient wstove. (Measure numbehouseholds and numbeestimated tons of emissreductions from changeouts) 

Develop white paper on how States can use SIPs and related programs to encourage emission reductions in overburdened communities Regulated community increases awareness of emissions standards and requirements 

white paper that focuses on how States can use SIPs and related programs to encourage emission reductions in overburdened communities 

Increase awareness of regulatory partners and stakeholders of best practices 

States explore/adopt targeted strategies for reducing emissions in overburdened communities (measure number of states exploring/adopting these strategies) 

Risk or emissions reductions in overburdecommunities (measure reductions to the extent feasible) 
28 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition)

Identify areas violating the new 2006 24-hr PM2.5 NAAQS and the new 2008 ozone NAAQS 

finalized designations for Pm2.5 NAAQS by Dec 2009 proposed designations for ozone NAAQS by December 2009 assistance to Regions in providing nonattainment status information to affected communities and Tribes 

 Increased awareness of Tribal areas and overburdened communities of their attainment status and State plans for improving air quality 

Residents in Tribal areas and overburdened communities participate in State rule making process with respect to ozone and PM2.5 

Increased effectiveness participation by residenTribal areas and overburdened communin state planning proces

Work with Regions to support tribal governments in effectively participating in development of SIPs 

one or more Tribal trainings to improve technical capacity to assess off-reservation sources and participate in SIP implementation 

Tribes are more aware of how they can participate in SIP process and assess impacts of off-reservation sources (track number of people trained) 

Tribes identify opportunities to work with State partners in planning process (track number of Tribes engaging in State planning process) 

Increased effectiveness Tribal participation in stplanning process 
29 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition)

Improve internal capacity to respond appropriately to EJ issues 

EJ fundamentals course tailored to OAQPS needs Presentations from EJ community members and EJ advocates initial screening tool that identifies rules that need a more detailed EJ review staff training on use of screening tool 

Increased awareness of OAQPS staff regarding EJ policy and perspectives of EJ communities (measure number of participants) Increase understanding of rule development teams regarding when an action requires a more detailed EJ review (measure number of employees briefed or trained on use of screening tool) 

Integration of OAQPS EJ policy and affected community perspectives into analysis of new and existing projects Staff applies screening to all actions and identifies rules that require a more detailed analysis (measure number of rules that go through screening process) 
30 

OAQPS FY09 Environmental Justice Action Plan 

Performance Measures Matrix 

Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change Objective: Reduce exposure to air toxics (e.g., reduce releases of mercury) 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-t

(condit

Enhance capacity of overburdened communities to identify and address issues of exposure to air toxics by supporting the Collision Repair Campaign 

Improvements to Collision Repair Campaign website and outreach brochures translated to Spanish DVD on the Paint Stripping Rule for small repairs shop owners 

Raise awareness of all stakeholders, particularly autobody shop owners and staff about toxics exposure (measure persons briefed or trained) 

Autobody shop owners implement best practices 

Emission redufrom autobody (track emissioreductions whfeasible) 
31 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-t

(condit

Enhance capacity of overburdened communities to identify and address issues of exposure to air toxics by improving communication with communities on air issues, developing a community air monitoring portal, encouraging Sustainable Skylines projects to address overburdened communities, co-sponsoring a conference/workshop for communities, providing permit training, improvements to EJAIR website 

Community-friendly Agency websites on air toxics and community air monitoring Periodic Communitydriven conference calls on air toxics and other air pollution issues EJ Criteria for Sustainable Skylines project selection Community workshop on multi-media impacts for overburdened communities (pending available funding) Training for communities on how to participate effectively in the permitting process (pending available funding) 5-10 new information pages on EJAir website for use by EPA staff, community members, and air quality planners increased marketing and visibility of EJAir website which will result in increased use of site 

Communities are more aware of resources for toxics assessments and strategies for addressing toxics that have worked on the ground Sustainable Skylines stakeholders are more aware of options for targeting emissions reductions in overburdened communities (measure persons briefed or trained) Communities have better understanding of best practices for addressing multimedia environmental issues and how to participate in air permitting process (measure customer satisfaction and number of participants) Community members and others have better access to web resources on EJ via EJAir website (measure hits on website) 

Communities implement improved strategies for addressing toxics and multi-media impacts Sustainable Skylines cities target emission reduction strategies in overburdened communities (measure number of cities that adopt targeted strategies) Communities use workshop and training information to implement best practices and to improve comments and participation in permit programs 
32 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-t

(condit

Continue to implement a riskbased air toxics program for stationary sources by promulgating area source rules 

Complete development of all area sources rules (except 2 rules that are under litigation) 

Emission redu

areas affected area source ru

Continue to implement a riskbased air toxics program for stationary sources by promulgating residual risk rules 

Continued development of residual risk (RR) rules 

Regulated community increases awareness of RR emission standards and requirements. 

Regulated community complies with air toxics RR emission standards 

Emissions are from applicabcategories to ample margin to protect pub
33 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-t

(condit

Develop and refine analytical tools for performing EJ analysis 

Aggregate air quality trends (Ozone and PM2.5) in EJ Communities (using air monitoring data and/or the CDC-PHASE project's fused modelmonitor ambient concentration surfaces at the 12 km scale in the Eastern US, along with Census data) EJ analysis of the results of the Detroit MultiPollutant Study 

OAQPS staff develops expertise in developing new approaches for presenting and analyzing information relevant to EJ communities 

OAQPS adds to and refines its available analytical approaches 
34 

OAQPS FY09 Environmental Justice Action Plan

Performance Measures Matrix 

Cross Cutting Strategies:Objective: Collaborative problem-solving to address environmental justice issues

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition)

Encourage Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) pilot areas to develop strategies for addressing EJ concerns 

Framework for developing AQMP plans provided to AQMP pilots, which includes identification of EJ concerns Workshop for pilot areas on potential EJ initiatives 

increase knowledge of AQMP pilot teams and stakeholders on options for improving public involvement and addressing EJ issues (measure number of persons briefed or trained) 

OAQPS AQMP pilot project leads consider and promote initiatives to address EJ issues, including meaningful public involvement (measure number of pilots that consider and/or pursue EJ initiatives) 

By end of FY 09, EJ strategies are integrated into conceptual models for AQMP pilot projects 
35 

Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure 

Short-term 

(awareness)

Intermediate

(behavior)

Long-term 

(condition)

Implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T SU) 

Provide students with information about careers at EPA Provide support to the university staff Provide learning opportunities to students through the annual intern program 

EPA will visit NC A&T SU twice per year to provide information to students about careers at EPA EPA will offer 2 to 3 lectures per year to NC A&T SU classes on various environmental issues, including environmental justice specifically EPA will teach one class per year on environmental issues EPA will provide internship opportunities to 10-15 NC A&T SU students per year 

Increase awareness of environmental careers to NC A&T SU students Increase awareness of environmental issues, including environmental justice, to students at NC A&T SU Increase awareness of EPA, its mission, and the mission of the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) to students at NC A&T SU 

Increase the number of students from NC A&T SU who can articulate various environmentally related career opportunities Increase the number of students at NC A&T SU who can comprehensively articulate various environmental issues. Increase the number of students at NC A&T SU who can comprehensively articulate the EPA mission and the mission of OAQPS 

Increase the numbeof NC A&T SU students who seek, get offered, and accept employment with EPA (measure number of students who seek, get offereand accept employment) 
36 

Office of Atmospheric Programs

 Fiscal Year 2009 

Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change Objective 1.1 Healthier Outdoor Air, Ozone and PM2.5 (e.g., reduce asthma triggers such as particulate matter)

Outcome 

Activities Output 

Short-term Intermediate Long-term 

Development of Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) Environmental Justice Assessment Questions 

Building on existing staff analysis of the environmental justice impacts of the Acid Rain Program, EPA will develop the format and analytical questions to periodically assess the impact of CAIR (implementation starting in 2009) on EJ communities. 

One or more assessment concepts to present and evaluate available data on emissions, air quality, and/or health effects of SO2, NOx, and or PM2.5

emissions from power plants on EJ communities. 

NA These analyses will be periodicall

included in EPA program progresreports and will enable us to deterhow our programs are affecting aiquality in the East. 

Continue to implement the Acid Rain Program (ARP) SO2 program 

By 2011, reduce national annual emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) 

from utility electrical power generation sources by approximately 8.45 million tons from the 1980 level of 17.4 million tons, achieving and maintaining the Acid Rain statutory SO2 emissions 

cap of 8.95 million tons. 

NA NA Analysis has shown that all people

regardless of race, color, national origin or income receive health benefits from the Acid Rain ProgrContinuing to implement the ARP 

Program will reduce emissions of pollutants that form fine particles cause human health problems for many communities, including environmental justice communitie
37 

Outcome 

Activities Output 

Short-term Intermediate Long-term 

Continue to implement the NOx

Budget Trading Program (NBP) and NOx SIP Call 

By 2011, reduce total annual average nitrogen deposition and mean total ambient nitrate concentration by 15 percent from 1990 monitored levels of up to 11 kilograms per hectare for total nitrogen deposition and 4.0 micrograms per cubic meter for mean total ambient nitrate concentration. 

NA NA Continuing to implement the NBP 

NOx SIP Call will reduce emission

pollutants that form fine particles ozone which cause human health problems for many communities, including environmental justice communities. 

Provide Spanish language information on the CAMD website 

Translate portions of the CAMD website, including the the Acid Rain website and the section on cap and trade, into Spanish. 

NA NA Translating informational portions 

the updated website into Spanish wbroaden access to the data and background on acid rain, air qualihealth and ecological benefits, as as information on cap and trade programs and current and future regulations. 

Data and Maps website and databases 

The Clean Air Markets Division’s Data and Maps website is a publicly accessible portal to a variety of data including national power plant information, acid deposition and air quality data, and emissions and allowance data to query and download by a particular source, state and time period. Maintain Data and Maps website and the several databases housed within. 

NA NA Access to the data in the Data and 

Maps portal is free and allows all people to better understand the air quality and emissions data in their communities. 
38 

Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change Objective 1.3 Protect the Ozone Layer 

Outcome 

Activities Output 

Short-term Intermediate Long-term 

Re-translation of the SunWise Program Tool Kit into Spanish 

The SunWise Tool Kit is an educational curriculum aligned with national education standards that has been adopted by more than 18,000 schools and provides sun protection information to protect school children from excessive UV exposure and cancer risk. The Spanish version was last printed in 2002. Since that time, the English version of the Kit has been updated. Through this activity and if resources allow, the Kit would be re-translated into Spanish so it includes the updated material found in the English Kit. 

More activities will be provided in Spanish, and facts will be updated from 2002, increasing awareness of the importance of sun protection among Spanish speakers. 

NA Reduced UV exposure and cance

risk among Spanish speakers. 

Development of a sun safety fact sheet for individuals with darker skin 

A fact sheet providing sun safety information for individuals with darker skin types will be developed if resources allow. 

Individuals with darker skin, who may mistakenly think they are not at risk, will have access to an easy-to-understand fact sheet that describes pertinent information on skin cancer, cataracts and the other health effects from UV radiation. 

NA Reduced UV exposure and cance

risk among individuals with darkskin. 
39 

Outcome 

Activities Output 

Short-term Intermediate Long-term 

Proposed rule on N-Propyl Bromide 

The proposed rule will protect users of spray adhesives containing N-propyl bromide, a substitute for ozone-depleting substances. EPA is currently seeking comment on two proposed approaches to addressing exposure 

to n-propyl bromide by either 1) banning use of n-propyl bromide and requiring an alternative adhesive or 2) requiring users to reduce exposure to acceptable levels of n-propyl bromide and to monitor exposure of workers. Spray adhesives containing Npropyl bromide are used by several industries. Most workers in these industries are low-wage hourly workers, many of whom are Hispanic and female. 

NA NA The proposed N-Propyl Bromide 

rule will affect approximately 12,000 people, reducing their exposure to this harmful solventMany of the affected industry workers are Hispanic and female
40 

Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change Objective 1.5 Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions 

Outcome 

Activities Output 

Short-term Intermediat

e 

Long-term 
41 

Outcome 

Activities Output 

Short-term Intermediat

e 

Long-term 

Promote ENERGY STAR residential new construction guidelines to affordable housing stakeholders 

More state housing finance authorities (HFA) will award points in the competitive process for allocating low income housing tax credits to housing projects that include an energy efficiency component. States that currently offer points for efficiency components will increase their level of commitment to efficiency in new, state-funded affordable housing projects. As of the end of 2007 ENERGY STAR had contacted 30 state HFAs. Nine state HFAs have awarded extra points to projects that meet ENERGY STAR’s guidelines for new construction, and five state HFAs have made ENERGY STAR guidelines a threshold requirement to qualify for low income housing tax credit funding. There were about 7,700 ENERGY STAR qualified homes built in FY07 using some form of public funding either from HUD, other Federal agencies, state/local agencies, or tax-exempt bond proceeds. In addition, to date, 75 Habitat for Humanity Affiliates are partners in the ENERGY STAR program. EPA will continue to maintain these partnerships and will work to expand the program. 

More state housing authorities will recognize energy efficiency as a desirable component of new affordable housing. More HUD grantees will be aware of ENERGY STAR for new homes and add ENERGY STAR as a voluntary component to their HUD grant application requirements. 

NA In the long term, more efficient 

affordable housing projects will bconstructed, resulting in greater comfort and income savings for residents and reduced energy consumption. 
42 

Outcome 

Activities Output 

Short-term Intermediat

e 

Long-term 

Home Performance with ENERGY STAR 

More owners of affordable housing units will have access to energy efficiency services and products, especially those who aren’t poor enough to qualify for weatherization services and aren’t wealthy enough to purchase efficiency services and products on the open market. EPA is exploring how to bring the benefits of the whole house retrofit approach of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR through existing weatherization program infrastructure 

More affordable housing stakeholders such as state housing authorities and community development corporations will recognize energy efficiency as a desirable and necessary component of existing affordable housing. 

NA In the long term, more owners of 

existing affordable housing units use energy efficiency services, resulting in greater comfort and income savings for residents and reduced energy consumption. 
43 

Outcome 

Activities Output 

Short-term Intermediat

e 

Long-term 

Promote energy efficiency financing 

More low income homeowners and renters will be able to secure funding (loans, grants, rebates, etc.) for efficiency improvements. EPA, working with the Ford Foundation and others, is developing and piloting a new energy efficient mortgage that will monetize the value of energy savings so that low income families can own energy efficient homes or afford to make efficiency improvements to their current home, thereby reducing the cost of homeownership. Provide access online to an EPAdeveloped guidebook (http://www.energystar.gov/index.

cfm?c=home_improvement.hpwes_sponsors_develop_step2) for 

energy efficiency program sponsors which contains information on how program sponsors can develop and implement special financial programs targeted at low income families that are in need of efficiency improvements to their homes. 

Greater access to energy efficiency financing products for low-income homeowners and renters, leading to greater energy efficiency and increased housing affordability. 

NA In long term, existing homes will 

retrofitted to be more efficient, resulting in greater comfort and income savings for residents and reduced energy consumption. 
44 

Outcome 

Activities Output 

Short-term Intermediat

e 

Long-term 

ENERGY STAR construction guidelines for manufactured housing 

The production and sale of more ENERGY STAR qualified manufactured homes. In 2007, as a result of more targeted EPA outreach to the manufactured homes industry, there was a 17% increase from 2006 and a 66% increase from 2005 in the number of ENERGY STAR qualified manufactured homes produced and completed in the U.S. In total there are over 26,000 ENERGY STAR qualified manufactured homes. EPA will continue to conduct targeted outreach out to the manufactured homes industry to increase the number and sale of ENERGY STAR qualified manufactured homes. 

NA NA More energy efficient manufactur

homes means lower-income homebuyers have greater access tefficient homes 

Provide ENERGY STAR Resources in Spanish 

Continue to support the recently launched Recoursos en Espagnolportion of the ENERGY STAR website which provides Spanish language tools and resources for homeowners, renters, small businesses and congregations. Continue to highlight the “Tell Us How You Saved” profiles of Latino families around the country who have used ENERGY STAR tools to save energy and money. 

More Spanish-speaking families a

businesses around the country wilable to save energy, lower their energy costs, and reduce greenhougas emissions by utilizing ENERGSTAR resources 
45 

Outcome 

Activities Output 

Short-term Intermediat

e 

Long-term 

Translation of documents related to international capacity building 

Translation of several documents into Chinese. 

NA NA Providing documents in Chinese w

broaden access to climate change information and ensure that more people understand the issue of clichange. 

Climate Change Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit 

A revision of the kit will include several case studies that highlight how native cultures in the U.S. will be affected by climate change and what measures are being taken to help them adapt. 

NA NA Providing information on how na

cultures will be affected by climachange will help those cultures prepare for the effects of climate change and help educate others abthis increasingly important EJ issu

Cooperative agreement on tribal impacts and outreach 

The cooperative agreement entitled "Climate Change Tribal Impacts, Communication & Outreach" has been awarded to the Arizona Board 

of Regents for and on behalf of Northern Arizona University, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP). 

The goal of the cooperative agreement is to communicate climate change impacts on and adaptive responses in Indian Country and develop a communications plan for transmitting the information to tribes, policy makers and the public. 

NA Information will be useful to tribe

they develop strategies to address climate change impacts in their communities. 

Participation in various tribal conferences 

Presentations at the National Tribal Conference on Tribal Environmental 

Management and the EPA Region 5 Climate Change Symposium for Great Lakes Tribes. 

Raise awareness among native tribes and organizations that serve their needs about the issues they face due to climate change. 

NA Information will be useful to tribe

they develop strategies to address climate change impacts in their communities. 

Sea Level Rise Current activities include 

contributions to a report on sea level rise along the mid-Atlantic coast. 

NA NA Information will be useful to and 

potentially vulnerable coastal communities. 
46 

Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change Objective 1.6 Enhance Science and Research 

Outcome 

Activities Output 

Short-term Intermediat

e 

Long-term 

The Atmospheric Mercury Initiative 

EPA is collaborating with the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) membership of federal agencies, states, tribes, and other organizations, and the broader mercury research community to establish a new atmospheric mercury monitoring network. 

As part of this effort, EPA and NADP are collaborating with the Cherokee Nation to establish a new mercury monitoring site on tribal lands. Atmospheric deposition is a major contributor of mercury to inland water bodies. Tribes are particularly interested in mercury monitoring because the primary method of mercury exposure is through fish consumption. 

When fully implemented, the NAAtmospheric Mercury Initiative woffer high quality, high resolution monitoring data from different locations around the country. 

Establishing an atmospheric mercmonitoring site on tribal lands alsenhances a tribes’ ability to develand run their own environmental programs that help to protect theicommunities and environment 

Tribal Air Monitoring Service (TAMS) 

Participation in the climate change subcommittee of TAMS. 

Raise awareness within the TAMS community of the interaction of climate change and air quality issues. 

NA NA