Working for Environmental Justice: 

An Agency Priority

Lisa Garcia, Senior Advisor to 

Administrator for Environmental Justice

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2

Administrator’s Commitment to 

Environmental Justice

“Environmental justice is 

not 

an issue we an afford to

relegate to the margins; we

need to factor it into every 

decision.” 

Lisa P. Jackson 
3

Administrator’s Priorities

 Taking Action on Climate Change

 Improving Air Quality

 Cleaning up our Communities

 Assuring the Safety of Chemicals

 Protecting America’s Waters

 Expanding the Conversation on 

Environmentalism and Working for 

Environmental Justice

 Building Strong State and Tribal 

Partnerships
4

Office of Environmental Justice

VISION and MISSION

Vision

All people, regardless of race, color, 

national origin or income, are 

protected from environmental 

hazards, and participate 

meaningfully in achieving a 

healthy environment in which to 

live, work, and play.

Mission

Facilitate Agency efforts to protect 

environment and public health in 

minority, low-income, tribal and 

other vulnerable communities by 

integrating environmental justice 

in all programs, policies, and 

activities.
5

Statutory Authorities and 

Policy Directive

• Statutory Authorities: 

The Office of General 

Counsel has analyzed “a 

significant number of 

statutory and regulatory 

authorities under the 

Resource Conservation 

and Recovery Act, the 

Clean Water Act, the Safe 

Drinking Water Act, the 

Marine Protection, 

Research, and Sanctuaries 

Act, and the Clean Air Act 

that [it] believes are 

available to address 

environmental justice 

issues during permitting.” 

• Executive Order 12898: 

“To the greatest extent 

practicable and permitted 

by law,...each Federal 

agency shall make 

achieving environmental 

justice part of its mission 

by identifying and 

addressing, as appropriate, 

disproportionately high and 

adverse human health or 

environmental effects of its 

programs, policies, and 

activities on minority 

populations and lowincome populations”

Gary Guzy, “EPA Statutory and Regulatory

Authorities Under Which Environmental Justice 

Issues May Be Addressed in Permitting” 

(December 1, 2000)

Executive Order 12898 (February 11, 1994)

Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in 

Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations
6

Key Program Strategies

 Engage impacted communities in EPA decisionmaking; Enlist our partners to meet community 

needs 

 Apply regulatory tools to protect vulnerable 

communities

 Empower vulnerable communities to build 

healthy, sustainable and green neighborhoods

 Build internal mechanisms to integrate to 

ensure integration and accountability
7

Expand the Conversation on 

Environmentalism

Faces of the Grassroots: 

Environmental Justice Video 

Contest

EPA - Congressional Black Caucus 

Environmental Justice Tour

OSWER Community Engagement 

Initiative
8

Apply Regulatory Tools

Incorporate EJ in Rules: Guidance 

Development

Strengthening Science Foundation 

for Disproportionate Impact

Opportunities to Use Environmental 

Law

Transparency: Regulatory Gateway
9

Build Healthy, Sustainable and Green 

Communities: Region 2 EJ Showcase 

Community, Staten Island, NY
10

DOT/HUD/EPA Partnership for 

Sustainable Communities

For too long, federal policy has actually 

encouraged sprawl and congestion and pollution, 

rather than quality public transportation and 

smart, sustainable development... And that's why 

we've created a new interagency partnership on 

sustainable communities, led by Shaun Donovan, 

Ray LaHood and Lisa Jackson.

And by working together, their agencies can make 

sure that when it comes to development -- housing, 

transportation, energy efficiency -- these things 

aren't mutually exclusive; they go hand in hand. 

And that means making sure that affordable 

housing exists in close proximity to jobs and 

transportation. That means encouraging shorter 

travel times and lower travel costs. It means safer, 

greener, more livable communities.

President Barack Obama 

July 13, 2009
11

Build Internal Accountability 

Mechanisms

Strategic Planning

Measures

Program Evaluations
12

Administrator’s Priorities:

EJ Highlights

Taking Charge on Climate: 

GHG Endangerment Finding

CEQ Climate Change Adaptation Task 

Force

Improving Air Quality: 

Refinery Startup, Shutdown, and 

Malfunction (Flaring) Rules

Assuring Chemical Safety: 

Toxic Substance Control Act Reform
13

Administrator Priorities: 

EJ Highlights

Cleaning Up Communities

Area Wide Planning

Protecting Water: 

Urban Waters Initiative

Mountaintop Mining
14

Conclusion

EPA is once again guided by a 

broad vision of public health 

protection and environmental 

preservation. Environmental 

justice is central to that vision. I 

look forward to making real 

progress in the months and years 

ahead... 

Lisa P. Jackson