# Working **for Environmental Justice:** 

**An Agency Priority**

**Lisa Garcia, Senior Ad**  **visor to**  **Ad ministrator**  **for Env ironmental**  **Justice U.S. Env**  **ironmental Protection**  **Ag ency** 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 o**  **f 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 Al**  **l people, regardless of race, color,**  **national origin or income, are protected from env**  **ironmental hazards, and participate**  **meaningfully in achiev ing a**  **healthy env ironment**  **in w hich**  **to liv** **e, w ork,**  **and play. Mission**  **Facilitate A gency**  **efforts to protect env**  **ironment and public health in**  **minority, low -**  **income, tribal and**  **other v ulnerable**  **communities by integrating env**  **ironmental justice**  **in all programs, policies, and**

**activ ities.** 5



# Statutory Authorities and **Policy Directive**

• **Statutory Au**  **thorities :**  **The Office of General Counsel has analyzed “a**  **significant number of statutory and regulatory**  **authorities under the Resource Conserv** **ation and Recov** **ery A ct,**  **the Clean W**  **ater Ac** **t, the Safe**  **Drinking W**

**ater Ac** **t, the**  **Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries**  **Ac t,**  **and the Clean Ai**  **r A ct**  **that [it] believ es**  **are av** **ailable to address**  **env ironmental**  **justice issues during permitting.”**  • **Executiv e**  **Order 12898 :**  **“T o the greatest extent**  **practicable and permitted by law**  **,...each Federal agency shall make**  **achiev ing env**  **ironmental justice part of its mission**  **by identifying and addressing, as appropriate,**  **disproportionately high and adv** **erse human health or**  **env ironmental**  **effects of its programs, policies, and**  **activ ities**  **on minority populations and low**  **** **income populations”**

Gary Guzy, “ EPA Statutory

a nd Regulatory Authorities Under W hich Environm ental Justice Issues May

B e Addressed in Permitting” (December 1, 2000) Executive Order 12898 (February 1 1, 1994) Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority P opulations and Low

- Income Populations6



# Key Program Strategies

 **Engage** impacted communities in EPA decision

making; Enlist our partners to meet community needs  **Apply** regulatory tools to protect vulnerable communities  **Empow er**  vulnerable communities to build healthy, sustainable and green neighborhoods  **Build** internal mechanisms to integrate to ensure integration and accountability7



# 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 cr eated a new interagency partnership on sustainable communities, led by Shaun Donovan, Ray LaHood and Lisa Jackson. And by working together

, their agencies can make
sur e that when it comes to development

-- housing, transportation, ener

gy efficiency

-- these things
ar en't mutually exclusive; they go hand in hand. And that means making sur e that affor

dable housing exists in close pr oximity to jobs and transportation. That means encouraging shorter travel times and lower travel costs. It means safer , gr eener , mor e livable communities. President Barack Obama July 13, 200911



# 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 Reform13



# Administrator Priorities: **EJ Highlights**  **Cleaning Up Communities**  Area Wide Planning 

#  **Protecting Water:**   Urban Waters Initiative  Mountaintop Mining14



# 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**