In addition to providing local citizens, stakeholders and students research access to computer, environmental database, and GIS resources, the Center offers periodic environmental justice training workshops and seminars. The Center also publishes a newsletter for distribution to the local community. The newsletter serves as a source of information and communication concerning environmental justice issues from a local to an international perspective. The Center will be offering a series of workshops designed to introduce the general public and members of stakeholder communities to the concept of environmental justice and the resources available through the Center to pursue environmental justice issues. Each workshop will be in two parts, held over successive Saturdays.
Workshops are free and open to the public, but space is limited.
In 1991, the Holnam Cement plant located in Ada, Oklahoma, made the announcement that they were pursuing a permit from the United States Environmental Protection Agency to burn hazardous waste mixed with either natural gas or coal or both as a fuel for their kilns. Permit specifications in the permit being sought dictated that no more than 50 percent of their fuel load could be made up of material described by regulation as hazardous waste. The City of Ada was faced with circumstances that required some action on their part to ensure that there was a local presence associated with the preservation of the health and well being of the citizens of the community. At approximately the same time, because the issue of the Holnam permit might involve an economic as well as an environmental impact, an ad hoc committee was formed in the City by one of Ada's bankers to study the issue. This committee was made up of business leaders, scientists, ACE, a member of the city council, clergy, and local businessmen.