Plan EJ 2014
Background
Under Plan EJ 2014, EPA laid a foundation for integrating EJ in EPA programs, policies and activities by developing a comprehensive suite of guidance, policies and tools. It advanced Administrator McCarthy’s priority on Making a Visible Difference in Communities.
Plan EJ 2014 was named in recognition of the 20th anniversary of President Clinton’s issuance of Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations. Executive Order 12898 called upon “each federal agency to identify and address as appropriate the disproportionately high and adverse effects of its programs, policies and activities on minority populations and low-income populations.”
- Plan EJ 2014: At‐A‐Glance (pdf) (2 pp, 220 K)
- Plan EJ 2014 Full Report (pdf) (189 pp, 2.3 MB)
Outcomes
Plan EJ 2014 has nine cross-agency elements. Through them, EPA built a foundation for integrating EJ in its programs and across the federal government by:
- clarifying its legal authorities to address EJ concerns in a comprehensive manner
- developing a nationally consistent EJ screening and mapping tool
- developing approaches for advancing EJ in regulatory decision-making on environmental and public health, including EPA core functions such as rulemaking, permitting and environmental reviews, and compliance and enforcement
- expanding EPA’s capacity to support communities by strengthening its internal community based practices and building partnerships through the reinvigoration of the Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice (IWG) established under EO 12898
- Strengthening EPA’s science capacity to address EJ
Under Plan EJ 2014, EPA developed and instituted many of these basic tools for the first time. Given its foundational nature, EPA’s work under Plan EJ 2014 primarily focused on building internal capacity. Plan EJ 2014 involved all parts of EPA, with a program office and region taking leadership for each of Plan EJ 2014’s elements.
Key Accomplishments
Cross-Agency Focus Areas
- EJ in Rulemaking
- EJ in Permitting
- Compliance & Enforcement
- Community-Based Action
- Administration-Wide Action
Tools Development
Supplements
- Advancing Environmental Justice Through Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
- Environmental Justice for Tribes and Indigenous Peoples
- Training
Other Accomplishments
- EPA Policy on Environmental Justice for Working with Federally Recognized Tribes and Indigenous Peoples
- Mandatory EJ Training - In 2014, EPA for the first time required its staff to complete web-based training that provides a basic and informative overview of environmental justice. Over 17,000 EPA staff completed the training.
Progress Reports
EPA issued annual reports documenting the progress toward meeting the commitments outlined in Plan EJ 2014. This report provides an update on the EPA's accomplishments in completing its commitments under Plan EJ 2014.
Public Comment and Tribal Consultation
EPA is continuing its consultation and coordination with federally recognized tribes on EPA's Plan EJ 2014. EPA invited all tribes to participate in this process. Agency responses to comments received have been posted below.
The Agency also provided public comment periods and conducted outreach from July 2010 to November 2011. Here are the Agency responses to public comments received through April 2011.