WASHINGTON Today the U.S. Environmental…
WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) announced the release of Plan EJ 2014, a three-year,
comprehensive plan to advance environmental justice efforts in nine
areas, including rulemaking, permitting, enforcement, and science.
Plan EJ 2014 aims to protect people’s health in communities
overburdened by pollution, to empower communities to take action to
improve their health and environment, and to establish partnerships
with local, state, tribal and federal governments and organizations
to promote sustainable communities where a clean environment and
healthy economy can thrive.
“Far too often, and for far too long, low-income, minority
and tribal communities have lived in the shadows of some of the
worst pollution, holding back progress in the places where they
raise their families and grow their businesses,” said Lisa F.
Garcia, senior advisor to the EPA Administrator for Environmental
Justice. “Today’s release of Plan EJ 2014 underscores
Administrator Jackson's ongoing commitment to ensuring that all
communities have access to clean air, water and land, and that all
Americans have a voice in this environmental
conversation.”
Plan EJ 2014 is EPA’s strategy to meet the mandate of
Executive Order 12898, “Federal Actions to Address
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations,” which states that each federal agency, with the
law as its guide, should make environmental justice part of its
mission.
EPA released the draft plan for public comment in fall 2010 and
spring 2011 and held forums and listening sessions in communities
across the country.
EPA, along with its federal partners, will continue to conduct
outreach, education, stakeholder forums and listening sessions as
it moves forward to implement EO 12898 and Plan EJ 2014. EPA will
issue annual reports documenting the progress toward meeting the
commitments outlined in Plan EJ 2014. The annual reports will be
made available to the public through EPA’s website.
Plan EJ 2014:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentaljustice/plan-ej/index.html
More information on environmental justice: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice