EJAir - OAR's Environmental Justice Web Site
Basic Information
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Environmental Justice (EJ) is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. EPA has this goal for all communities and persons across this Nation. It will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I contact at EPA if I have an Environmental Justice question? EPA is a large organization that includes Headquarter Offices in the District of Columbia (DC) and Research Triangle Park (RTP) and 10 Regional Offices with multiple field offices. We've included EPA Environmental Justice Contacts on the Where You Live page.
How does EPA define Environmental Justice? Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
How did EPA get involved in Environmental Justice? On February 11, 1994, President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice (PDF) (6pp, 122k). This Executive Order required that all Federal Agencies, including EPA, make environmental justice a part of its mission to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law. To commemorate the 20th Anniversary of that Executive Order, EPA Administrator McCarthy's declared February 11, 2014 Environmental Justice Month.
What websites can I go to for more information on EPA's Environmental Justice program? The main EPA Environmental Justice Website is managed by the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA). It provides users with comprehensive information on EPA's overall EJ program including information on EJ grants and resources, interagency workgroups, and community outreach activities. EJ Listserve - users can also sign up for the EJ Listserve to be notified when important announcements related to environmental justice are released.
What are some resources for community and public involvement? The EPA Community and Public Involvement Website provides users with an overview of public involvement, definitions, tools available to help engage the public in EPA decision-making, case studies on effective use of public involvement, collaborative problem solving resources, alternative dispute resolution process to resolve conflicts, and documents related to public involvement policy.
Where can I search for environmental publications? Environmental publications are available from The National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP). The site provides users the ability to search for EPA print and digital publications. You may also access publications by calling 1-800-490-9198 or by email at nscep@bps-lmit.com.
What do I do if I need to report an environmental situation? Report spills and environmental violations online or through your EPA Regional Office.
What other topic areas include Environmental Justice information? EPA integrates environmental justice into programs and policies so information specific to EJ may be located within different topic areas (for example, you'll find topics related to EJ and air pollution on this website). You can search Topic Areas on EPA's A to Z Index. The index allows you to browse terms and key words for additional information.