Document ID: EPA-HQ-OEJECR-2023-0099-0012
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Notification of Virtual Public Meeting
Posted Date: 2023-09-12T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62566-62567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19608]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OEJECR-2023-0099; FRL-11361-01-OEJECR]

White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Notification 
of Virtual Public Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notification of a public meeting.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hereby provides notice that 
the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC) will 
meet on the date and time described below. Due to unforeseen 
administrative circumstances, EPA is announcing this meeting with less 
than 15 calendar days public notice. The meeting is open to the public. 
The meeting is open to the public. For additional information about 
registering to attend the meeting or to provide a public comment, 
please see REGISTRATION under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Pre-
registration is required.

DATES: The WHEJAC will convene a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, 
September 26, 2023, from approximately 3 to 8 p.m. EDT. Meeting 
discussions will focus on several topics including, but not limited to, 
workgroup activities, proposed recommendations for the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the White House Environmental Justice 
Interagency Council (IAC), CEQ briefings, and a new formal charge for 
the WHEJAC. A public comment period relevant to current WHEJAC charges 
will be considered by the WHEJAC at the meeting on Tuesday, September 
26, 2023, (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION). Members of the public who 
wish to participate during the public comment period must register by 
11:59 p.m., EDT, Thursday, September 21, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Audrie Washington, WHEJAC Designated 
Federal Officer, U.S. EPA; email: [email protected]; telephone: (202) 441-
7295. Additional information about the WHEJAC is available at https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/white-house-environmental-justice-advisory-council.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Charter of the WHEJAC (available at 
https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-03/2023%20White%20House%20Environmental%20Justice%20Advisory%20Council%20Charter.pdf) states that the advisory committee will provide independent 
advice and recommendations to the Chair of CEQ and to the IAC. The 
WHEJAC provides advice and recommendations about broad cross-cutting 
issues related, but not limited, to issues of environmental justice and 
pollution reduction, energy, climate change mitigation and resiliency, 
environmental health, and racial inequity. The WHEJAC's efforts include 
a broad range of strategic, scientific, technological, regulatory, 
community engagement, and economic issues related to environmental 
justice.

[[Page 62567]]

I. Registration

    Individual registration is required for the public meeting. 
Information on how to register is located at https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/white-house-environmental-justice-advisory-council. Registration for the meeting is available until the scheduled 
end time of the meeting. Registration to speak during the public 
comment period will close at 11:59 p.m., EDT, on Thursday, September 
21, 2023. When registering, please provide your name, organization, 
city and state, and email address for follow up. Please also indicate 
whether you would like to provide public comment during the meeting, or 
if you are submitting written comments.

A. Public Comment

    The WHEJAC is interested in receiving public comments relevant to 
the following charges, topics, and questions currently under 
consideration: (1) the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool; (2) 
the Environmental Justice Scorecard; (3) carbon management; (4) ways 
that the WHEJAC could recommend advancing environmental justice through 
a whole-of-government approach; and (5) environmental justice issues 
affecting Indigenous Peoples and Tribal Nations. With respect to 
environmental justice issues affecting indigenous peoples and tribal 
nations, the WHEJAC Indigenous Peoples and Tribal Nations Workgroup is 
particularly interested in receiving comments on: Examples of 
environmental hazards of particular concern for indigenous peoples and 
tribal nations (for example, environmental hazards related to Federal 
activities that may affect sacred sites and areas of cultural 
significance, cultural or other traditions or practices, subsistence, 
and ways of life); ways in which the Federal Government can address 
community impacts on, and concerns of, indigenous peoples and tribal 
nations; and ways in which the incorporation of indigenous knowledge 
into Federal decision-making could help address environmental hazards 
and environmental justice concerns. More information on WHEJAC 
workgroup charges is located online at: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/white-house-environmental-justice-advisory-council, under WHEJAC Membership and Workgroups.
    Priority to speak during the meeting will be given to public 
commenters with comments relevant to the topics and questions listed 
above. Every effort will be made to hear from as many registered public 
commenters during the time specified on the agenda. Individuals or 
groups making remarks during the public comment period will be limited 
to three (3) minutes. Please be prepared to briefly describe your issue 
and your recommendation relevant to the current charges, topics, and 
questions under consideration by the WHEJAC. Submitting written 
comments for the record is strongly encouraged. You can submit your 
written comments in three different ways: (1) by creating comments in 
the Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OEJECR-2023-0099 at https://www.regulations.gov, (2) by using the webform at https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/forms/white-house-environmental-justice-advisory-council-whejac-public-comment, and (3) by sending comments via email to 
[email protected]. Written comments can be submitted through October 10, 
2023.

B. Information About Services for Individuals With Disabilities or 
Requiring English Language Translation Assistance

    To request special accommodations for a disability or other 
assistance, please submit your request at least five (5) working days 
prior to the meeting to give EPA sufficient time to process your 
request. All requests should be sent to the email listed in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

Matthew Tejada,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Environmental Justice, Office of 
Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights.
[FR Doc. 2023-19608 Filed 9-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P