NCD980602163_19950401_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_USEPA - Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Environmental Justice - 1994 Annual Report-OCR

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office ofEnvironmental Justice (OEJ)
Administration and
Resources Management
(3103)
EP A/200-R-95-003
April 1995
&EPA Environmental Justice
1994 Annual Report
Focusing on Environmental
Protection for All People
1971 CEQ's annual report acknowledges racial discrimination adversely affects urban poor and the quality of their environment. MAJOR EVENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT 1982 Warren County, North Carolina demonstration against PCB landfill. 1987 United Church of Christ issues report entitled Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States. 1990 Michigan Coalition Conference releases Race and the Incidence of Environmental Hazards report. 4 1979 4 1983 4 1990 4 1990 q, T T T T Robert Bullard's study of an GAO report states that Bullard publishes EPA Administrator establishes aflluent African American 3 of 4 hazardous waste Dumping in Dixie-the Environmental Equity community's attempt to block facilities in EPA Region 4 used as the first textbook Workgroup. the siting of a sanitary landfill. are in African American on environmental justice. communities. 1991 First National People of Color Leadership Summit in D.C. adopts the Principles of Environmental Justice. A 1991 T 1992 EPA releases Environmental Equity: Reducing Risk for All Communities report.' A 1992 T 1992 EPA establishes Office of Environmental Justice. A 1993 T 1993 EPA establishes the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. A 1994 T National Law Journal Administrator Browner lnteragency Symposium on report, Unequal Environmental tnakes environmental Health Research and B First of four meetings with the Administrator on environmental justice issues. Protection, alleges EPA justice an Agency Needs to Ensure Environmental 1994 Clinton issues Executive Order 12898 designating that 11 agencies are accountable for environmental justice. A 1994 discrimination in enforcement. 1994 University of Massachusetts issues study challenging siting demographics. A 1994 T priority. 1995 First Interagency Public Meeting on Environmental Justice in Atlanta, Georgia A Justice in Arlington, Virginia. 1995 T T Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice established. UCC issues Toxic Waste and Race Revisited, strengthening association between race and waste facilities. Environmental Justice Strategies due to the President. q-
.EPA'S CONTINUING COMMITMENT
Two years ago when President Clinton and I came to Washington, we embarked on a
mission to develop a fundamentally new system of environmental protection: one that builds on
the strengths of the last 25 years but overcomes the deficiencies of the past; one that works
community by community to prevent pollution, rather than wait to clean it up after the fact. We
seized the opportunity to strengthen a system that promotes strong public health and
environmental protection -to find solutions that work for real people in real communities. And
we recognized the need to ensure that all those affected by environmental policies have every
opportunity to participate in making those policies.
This Environmental Justice Annual Report highlights EPA Headquarters and regional
successes in 1994, an unprecedented year for environmental justice action and awareness in the
federal government In February, President Clinton issued Executive Order 12898, entitled
"Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations," and established the nation's first Interagency Working-Group on environmental
justice. I established environmental justice as a guiding principle in EPA decision-making. To
improve EP A's efforts to protect all communities, I established the National Environmental Justice
Advisory Council, a stakeholder group that provides gui_dance to the Agency.
This report accompanies the new Environmental Justice Strategy: Executive Order
12898 that sets a course for Agency action on environmentaljustice.
All Americans deserve clean air, pure water, land that is safe to live on, and food that is
safe ·to eat. Although we have made significant progress, some communities continue to bear a
• disproportionate burden of pollution. · Much remains to be done to achieve environmental
protection for every American. Environmental justice will continue to require creativity and
innovation and the development of stronger partnerships with those affected by environmental
decisions.
We must all work together to ensure strong public health and environmental protection.
We at EPA remain committed to this mission.
TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL COPIES
. Additional copies are available free of charge by contacting:
National Center for Environmental Publications and Information
P. 0. Box 42419
Cincinnati, OH 45242-2419
Telephone:
FAX:
513-489-8190
513-489-8695
Cite the publication number: EPA-200-R-95-003
PREFACE
CHAPTER I:
CHAPTER II:
CHAPTERID:
CHAPTER IV:
CHAPTER V :
APPENDIX I:
APPENDIX II:
APPENDIX ID:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
.............................. 111
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Summary of Activities for the Office of Environmental Justice . . .8
Selected Environmental Justice Activities . . . . . . . . . 15
Program Highlights .......... : ................. 30
Regional Highlights ............................ 40
EPA National Environmental Justice Advisory Council
Charter Membership ............................ 52
List of Materials Available from the Office of Environmental Justice . . 55
Acronyms Used in this Report .............. . ..... 57
PREFACE
Since 1992, EPA's Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ), regions, and Headquarters
offices have initiated many effective and innovative programs to address the environmental
concerns among people of color, low-income, and American Indian and Alaska Native
communities. In 1993, OEJ released a summary of EP A's initial environmental justice activities,
entitled Environmental Justice Initiatives. This year we have completed OEJ's first Annual
Report, which highlights the Agency's policies, programs, and activities that have been developed
to address environmental justice issues.
As evidenced by this report, the Agency has undertaken significant efforts to improve its
effectiveness in providing environmental .protection to all communities, a commitment that was
further reinforced by Executive Order 12898 and the Agency's completion of the Environmental
Justice Strategy. This report accompanies the strategy to provide information about the Agency's
past accomplishments and future environmental justice activities at Headquarters and in the
regions.
Although the Agency can be proud of its significant achievements, we recognize that
environmental problems persist and will not be solved without the active participation of all
stakeholders. If you would like more information on EP A's environmental justice activities,
please refer to the contacts listed on the back cover ofthis report.
L~-~-Dr. Clarice Gaylord, Director
Office of Environmental Justice
111
CHAPTER I -INTRODUCTION
All communities and persons across this Nation should live in a safe
and healthful environment.
With these words, President Clinton issued Executive Order 12898 on February 11, 1994 to
establish environmental justice as a national priority. This was the first Presidential effort to direct
all federal agencies witl,i a public health or environmental mission to make.environmental justice
an integral part of their policies and activities. The Order, entitled "Federal Actions to Address
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations," focuses federal
attention on the environmental and human health conditions of minority1 populations and low-
income populations with the goal of achieving environmental protection for all communities.
The Order directs federal agencies to develop envi:ronmental justice strategies. These
strategies are designed to help federal agencies identify and address disproportionately high and
adverse human health or environmental effects of their programs, policies, and activities on
minority populations and low-income populations. The Order is also intended to promote
nondiscrimination in federal programs substantially affecting human health and the environment,
and to provide minority communities and low-income communities access to public information ·
on, and an opportunity for public participation in, matters relating to human health or the
environment. The Presidential memorandum accompanying the Order underscores certain
provisions of existing law that can help ensure that all communities and persons across this nation
live in a safe and healthful environment.
One provision of Executive Order 12898 established an Interagency Working Group (IWG)
on Environmental Justice chaired by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator
Carol M. Browner and comprised of the heads of eleven departments/agencies and several White
House offices. These include the Environmental Protection Agency, the Departments of Justice;
Defense, Energy, Labor, Interior, Transportation, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development,
Commerce, and Health and Human Services,·the Council on Environmental Quality, the Office of
Management and ·Budget, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Domestic Policy
Council, and the Council of Economic Advisors. In addition, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
and National Aeronautics and Space Administration have participated in the IWG.
The IWG established eight task forces to concentrate on areas that required the most
coordination. The task forces are: !}Research and Health; 2) Outreach; 3) Data; 4) Enforcement
and Compliance; 5) Implementation; 6) Native American; 7) Guidance; and 8) Interagency
· Projects. Each task force is chaired by two agencies with representation from each of the
participating agencies (see the organizational structure of the IWG on following page).
1The term "minority" will be used m reference to the Executive Order. In other sections of the report, the term
"people of color" will be used.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 1
The Executive Order also directs the IWG to develop interagency model projects, thereby
sharing resources and technical expertise to address possible disproportionately high and adverse
effects on human health or the environment. Themes of these interagency projects include clinical
studies to determine whether patterns of health effects can be linked to disparate environmental
exposures to toxins; local community remediation, clean up, and redevelopment efforts; and
collaborative efforts to enhance public participation and involvement in environmental decision-
making through public hearings, fo_rums, and citizens' advisory boards. While the products of the
Interagency Working Group are still preliminary, the cooperation of these agencies will go a long
way toward advancing a national environmental justice agenda.
I
Research&
Health
co-chairs:
HHS/DOL
Outreach .
co-chairs:
OOE/00D
Interagency Working Group on
Environmental Justice
Chair: Carol Browner, EPA Administrator
Cabinet Secretaries of DOC, DOD, DOE, DOI,
DOJ, DOL, DOT, HHS, HUD, and USDA
Heads of CEA, CEQ, DPC,
0MB, OSTP, NRC, NASA
Subcommittee on Policy and Coordination
Task Force Co-Chain from Agencies and
Representatives from White House Offices
and Independent Agencies
Enforcement
& Compliance
co-chairs
OOJ/DOT
Task Forces
Implementation
co-chairs:
CEQ/EPA
Native
Americans
co-chairs:
001/USDA
Guidance
co-chairs:
EPA/DOJ
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report
Interagency
Projects
co-chairs:
HUD/DOT
2
EPA ASSUMES THE FEDERAL LEAD
In 1993, Administrator Browner made environmental justice an EPA priority when she assum~d
office. In an Agency-wide meeting, she stated that "many people of color, low-income and Native
American communities have raised concerns that they suffer a disproportionate burden of health
consequences due to the siting of industrial plants and waste dumps, and from exposure to pesticides
or other toxic chemicals at home and on the job· and that environmental programs do not adequately
address these disproportionate exposures . . .EPA is committed to addressing these concerns and is
assuming a leadership role in environmental justice to enhance environmental quality for all residents
of the United States. Incorporating environmental justice into everyday Agency activities and
decisions will be a major undertaking. Fundamental reform will be needed in Agency operations."
To achieve this reform, Administrator Browner outlined a five point strategy for Agency action:
1) environmental justice must be integrated fully and consistently into the Agency's policies, programs,
and activities; 2) additional research is needed to address human health and environmental risks among
populations, including the identification of multiple and cumulative exposures or synergistic effects;
3) environmental data must be collected, analyzed, and disseminated routinely, particularly for data
comparing environmental and human· health risks to populations identified by national origin, income,
and race; 4) compliance monitoring, inspections, and enforcement actions must be strengthened and
have a multi-media focus; and 5) there must be early involvement in the Agency's activities by all
stakeholders ( community residents, state, tribal, and local governments, environmental groups, and
businesses) and information on human_ health and the environment should be clear and readily
accessible to all stakeholders.
ESTABLISHING AN INFRASTRUCTURE
In response to public concerns, EPA created the Office of Environmental Equity in November
1992 (later changed to the Office of Environmental Justice). The Office serves as the point of contact
for environmental justice outreach and educational activities, provides technical and financial
· assistance, and disseminates environmental justice information.
In 1994, the Agency implemented a new organizational infrastructure to integrate environmental
justice into EP A's policies, programs, and activities. This new Agency organization created an
Executive Steering Committee, an Environmental Justice Policy Working Group, and Environmental
Justice Coordinators in Headquarters offices and the regions. These new groups work in conjunction
with the Office of Environmental Justice.
The Executive Steering Committee is made up of senior managers representing each of the
Headquarters offices and representatives from the regions. The Steering Committee provides
leadership and direction on strategic planning to ensure that environmental justice is incorporated into
Agency operations.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 3
The Environmental Justice Policy Working Group, a group of high level policy staff, was created
to ensure that cross-media policy development and coordination occurs at all levels. The third group,
the Environmental Justice Coordinators, is the front-line staff specifically responsible to ensure policy
input, program development, and implementation in all Headquarters offices and regions.
This new structure has established a clear commitment from EP A's senior management to all EPA
personnel: environmental justice is a priority and must be integrated into all programs through a
multi-media, holistic approach to protecting under-served communities.
DEVISING ASTRA TEGIC PLAN
As directed by President Clinton's Executive Order, EPA and ten other federal
agencies/departments developed environmental justice strategies to identify and address
disproportionately high and adverse human health qr environmental effects of its programs, policies,
and activities on minority populations and low-income populations. In outlining its strategic direction,
EP A's leadership identified and endorsed environmental justice as a guiding principle for its activities.
El> A, as part of its strategy development effort, initiated a review of Agency programs, policies,
public participation processes, enforcement, and rulemakings. The infrastructure established by the ·
Agency in 1993 supported the development of the strategy and ensured incorporation of
environmental justice concerns into EPA programs through program and budget planning, long-term
resource planning, and tracking of Agency activities. The strategy also incorporates National ·
Performance Review recommendations, Executive Order provisions, Common Sense initiatives, and
interagency efforts.
OBTAINING STAKEHOLDER ADVICE
To ensure that the Agency would receive significant input from affected stakeholders,
Administrator Browner chartered a formal committee under the Federal Ac;lvisory Committee Act.
This committee, known as the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) was formed
in July 1993 (see Appendix I for Charter Membership). The NEJAC provides independent advice to
EPA on all matters relating to environmental justice. It consists of 23 members appointed from key
environmental justice constituencies, including community-based groups; business and industry;
academic and educational institutions; state, tribal, and local governmental agencies; non-
governmental organizations; and environmental groups.
The Council has four subcommittees organized to help develop strategic options for EPA. The
subcommittees are: 1) Waste and Facility Siting; 2) Enforcement; 3) Health and Research; and 4)
Public Participation and Accountability. The Council and each of its subcommittees has an EPA
employee as a member who serves as the Designated Federal Official (DFO). The DFO assures that
the group opera!es within the restrictions of the Council's charter (see chart on following page).
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 4
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC)
Subcommittee on
Public Participation and
Accountability
National Environmental
Justice Advisory
Council (NEJAC)
Subcommittee on
Health & Research Subcommittee on
Enforcement
Subcommittee on
Waste & Facility Siting
Since its inception, NEJAC has met four times and has produced a number of products and given
consensus advice to help the agency focus its environmental justice agenda. For example, NEJAC: I)
reviewed the EPA Environmental Justice Action Document (EPA's initial draft of its strategy) and
made substantive recommendations which helped in the writing ofEPA's final Environmental Justice · -
Strategy; 2) reviewed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Technical Location Standards, the
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response's (OSWER) Facility Siting Criteria, and the OSWER
Environmental Justice Strategic Plan; 3) developed an environmental justice public forum protocol; 4)
created a draft workplan on the Agency's environmental enforcement needs; and 5) developed
recommendations for health and research projects that may affect high risk communities.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
The Executive Order provides for the lnteragency Working Group (IWG) to hold public meetings
to receive comments, questions, and recommendations regarding environmental justice issues.
On January 20, 1995, aii Interagency Public Meeting on Environmental Justice was conducted at
Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. Ten agencies and over 350 people attended the day-long
meeting. In addition, an estimated I, 000 people watched the evening session, which was televised via
satellite to approximately 40 locations across the nation including Puerto Rico. The purpose of the
meeting was to provide an opportunity for the public to share concerns and recommend changes in the
federal agencies' environmental justice strategies. Extensive comments were provided by stakeholders
throughout the day. All coniments and responses were recorded in a transcript that is available to the
public.
In addition to the IWG public meeting, the Agency participated in an interagency symposium on
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 5
· "Health Research and Needs to Ensure Environmental Justice," which was convened on February 10-
12, 1994. The symposium was a collaborative project involving the. public in identifying research
programs needed to fill data gaps in critical areas of health, exposure, prevention, and intervention.
The co-sponsors of the conference included the Department of Health and Human Services' National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety,
the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the Department of Energy, the National
Center for Health, and EPA. Over 1,300 people, many from local communities around the country,
attended a series of sessions dealing with respiratory diseases, lead poisoning, hazardous waste
problems, pesticides exposure, workplace hazards, and Superfund related problems. Proceedings from
the meeting were published.
TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is charged with enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, which prohibits discrimination by recipients of federal financial assistance. In carrying out these
duties, OCR processes Title VI complaints filed with the Agency, including those with environmental
justice concerns. OCR is also responsible for implementing the non-discrimination provisions in the
Environmental Justice Executive Order regarding Title VI.
The Agency has received approximately 20 Title VI complaints since September 1993 (see chart
on following page). Of the 20 complaints, eleven are under consideration or have been accepted for
review and nine have been deemed not eligible. Most of the cases that were not eligible for review
were defined as such because they were outside of EPA's jurisdiction. In response to the increased
workload due to Title VI complaints (no such cases were filed previously), OCR has significantly
increased its staff by allocating four attorneys to its external compliance program.
In addition to processing complaints, OCR is developing a Title VI training module designed to
educate Agency managers and staff, recipients of federal financial assistance, and the general public.
OCR, in consultation with the Office of General Counsel, also advises EPA offices and regions on the
general requirem~nts of Title VI and the Agency's implementation regulations.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 6
TITLE VI CASES
Who Filed Complaints
Citm:n Groups
Individuals
The following chart depicts which complaints were or were riot eligible for review and the nature
or subject of each complaint.
SUBJECT OF THE CASES FILED
Accepted for Review/Under Consideration Not Eligible for Review
M-.
....,.__.
Notes for above chart:
I. Waste Permit-cases related to alleged discrimination in the pennitting of waste facilities, such as municipal waste
landfills.
2. Incinerator -case involved pennitting of a commercial toxic waste incinerator.
3. Industrial Permit -cases associated with alleged discrimination in some aspect of the pennitting process.
4. General Discrimination -cases involved alleged discrimination, such as conspiring to systematically site facilities in
communities of color.
5. Sewage/Sewer -cases related to the installation or operation of sewers.
6. H ea/th Effects -case involved allegation of a disproportionate number of cancer cases.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 7
CHAPTER II -SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES FOR
THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
In addition to managing the committees and activities described in the Introduction, the Office of
Environmental Justice (OEJ) has conducted a number of activities focused on: I) facilitating the
integration of environmental justice into Agency's programs; 2) providing technical assistance inside
~d outside of the Agency; 3) offering financial assistance to stakeholders engaged in environmental
justice activities; 4) training government and non-government personnel in environmental justice; 5)
sponsoring sustainable development pilot projects as national models; 6) conducting innovative
education and outreach programs as Agency models; and 7) supporting the Agency's cultural diversity
efforts.
INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
OEJ staff have served on numerous policy and rulemaking workgroups and committees to ensure
that the. principles of environmental justice are incorporated into policy documents and regulations.
These groups include the Farm Worker Protection Rule Workgroup; the Empowerment
Zones/Enterprise Communities Task Force; EPA's National Environmental Policy Act Workgroup; the
National Performance Review Team on Environmental Justice; the Clean Air Act Permit Regulation
Work Team; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Work Team; the Clean Water Act .
Reauthorization Team; the Superfund Reauthorization Team; the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act Tribal Authorization Regulation Development Team; and the Toxic Substances Control
Act Section 21 Petition (Imperial County/New River) Workgroup. ·
OEJ is working closely with the Agency's Indian Program and other federal agencies to ensure
communication and coordination. OEJ participated on the Administrator's Tribal Operations Team,
which reviewed the Agency's Indian Program and developed recommendations for strengthening
EPA's tribal operations. OEJ has also served on the National Indian Workgroup, the Interagency
Indian Discussion Group, the lnteragency Environmental Justice Native American Task Force, the
Community Enterprise Board Subcommittee on Indian Economic Development, and the American
Indian Advisory Council.
..
Intra-Agency partnerships have also been established to ensure environmental justice integration
into Agency programs. For example:
♦ The Office of Civil Rights and OEJ are co-sponsoring and co-funding efforts to encourage
partnerships with minority academic institutions and local high impact communities needing
technical assistance. The collaboration has produced a national announcement soliciting
community/university partnerships to compete for funds. Projects will be funded in 1995.
♦ In collaboration with the Office of Air and Radiation, OEJ co-funded the Open Airways for
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 8
Schools Program. This program focuses on developing asthma management skills for urban
minority children who have a higher than average asthma death rate, which may be related to
air pollutant exposures.
♦ With the Office of Water, OEJ sponsored a series of 14 pilot projects around the nation
addressing drinking water and wastewa~er needs of under-served rural, minority communities.
♦ OEJ and the Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances set up an Environmental
Justice Distinguished Lecture Series at Howard University and collaborated with Howard's
Department of Nursing to establish public outreach programs with the local community.
♦ OEJ and the American Indian Environmental Office have established a formal liaison and are
working together to address environmental justice issues, such as solid waste management,
pesticide regulation, water quality, the application of the National Environmental Policy Act in
Indian country, and the relationship between and joint responsibilities of EPA's Indian
Coordin_ators ancl Environmental Justice Coordinators. ·
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
In 1994, OEJ staff served as keynote speakers, panelists, and lecturers to a wide-ranging
audience, such as: trade associations (e.g., Chemical Manufacturer's Association, National
Association of Manufacturers); professional, scientific and educational groups (e.g., the National
Medical Association, American Association for the Advancement of Sciences); universities (e.g.,
Stanford, Howard, American); environmental organizations (e.g., National Wildlife Federation,
National Forum on Critical Issues, Clean Water Action Group); state, tribal, and local governments
(e.g., North Carolina General Assembly, New Jersey .Water Environmental Association); community
and grassroots organizations ( e.g., Saint Mary of Sorrow's Church, United Theological Council,
Indigenous Environmental Network); and other federal agencies (e.g., Departments oflnterior,
Energy, Agriculture, Health and Human Services).
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
OEJ established the "Environmental Justice Small Grants Program" to help community-based
organizations and tribal governments address local environmental justice concerns. OEJ allocated
$500,000 to the grants program; each of the IO regions received $50,000 for these grants, which were
not to exceed $10,000 per grantee. A number of regions added their own "discretionary" funds to
increase the number of grant awards. The Agency received over 250 applications and awarded 71
grants to a diverse group of organizations and tribes (see chart on following page).
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 9
GRANT RECIPIENTS IN" FY 94
Collep/Univemty
15% Lepl/Hcalth Ora-
10%
Ccmmwlity On,upa
39%
Nuiw.Ama. Oroup
Olber
6%
Although 74% of the grants proposed some kind of education and training, the purpose of these
grants varied widely. The following chart illustrates the types of projects that were funded and further .
defines the specific projects included under the category of education and training.
HOW GRANTS Wll..L BE USED
a--op3%
Tcdmical Allt. ~
Data Collect/Aul 16%
Notes for above chart:
Gm. Jlducaioo 29%
.Bducatim & TniniJI& 74%
Education & Training 74%
On lpeCifie ilsae 43%
J. Data Collect/Analysis -the grantee will collect and/or analyze data.
2. Technical Assistance -the grantee has specific technical skills that it will use to assist a specific group
or work on a specific environmental justice issue.
3. Clear,-up -the grantee will coordinate the clean-up of a local natural resource.
4. Education & Training: · ·
On Specific issue -grantee's project will focus on an individual problem (e.g., lead,
farm worker risks, asthma).
General Education -grantee will conduct outreach on general environmental issues.
Workshops -grantee will organize workshops for education and training.
Student Training -grantee's training efforts will target students.
Partnerships -grantee will create partnerships among st.akeholders to address
environmental justice issues. .
Redevelopment -grantee will develop a model for removing barriers to community
redevelopment.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 10
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TRAINING
OEJ has developed an Environmental Justice Awareness Course that is conducted on a quarterly
basis through the EPA Training Institute. OEJ offers customized training upon request and in 1994
the Office trained over 500 participants. In order to ensure consistency, OEJ has provided each
regional Environmental Justice Coordinator with a module outlining effective environmental justice
training materials. The module includes general information, slides, and a video tape. A similar
module is being developed forinterested community groups and other stakeholders.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PILOT PROJECTS
In collaboration with the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), OEJ
continues to sponsor the District of Columbia's Resident's Lead Training Initiative. Five classes, ·
totalling over 60 residents, have been held to train residents in lead and asbestos inspection,
abatement, and remediation. Over fifty percent of the participants are currently employed and one
resident has established a lead abatement small business and is negotiating with the District
gove~ent for work in local demolition efforts.
In another project, OEJ supported the Mercado Project in Oakland, California, which is
developing a public education center and small business incubator for retail outlets and related
manufacturing/assembly facilities. These facilities are producing and selling commercial products
using recycled materials as the feedstock. California State University at Hayward administers a
business management and training program, which has prepared a business plan for the Asian
American community in the San Francisco Area. The Mercado Project is training and employing
people from this community to convert recyclable wood and plastic into furniture.
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROJECTS
Through the United Negro College Fund, OEJ.supports a consortium of 12 Historically Black
Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to provide opportunities for faculty and students to participate in
environmental programs and to work with communities that are addressing critical environmental
issues. The program is also designed to encourage culturally diverse students to consider career
opportunities in environmental fields: The project, called "Program for Environmental Justice
Education and Research, 11 provides funds to initiate source reduction research programs, to implement
environmental studies courses and curricula, and to help local African American communities create
economic development strategies that will reduce local sources of pollution. All 12 of the colleges and
universities are located in metropolitan areas where African American neighborhoods experience high
levels of exposure to environmental pollutants. Six of the HBCUs are located near hazardous waste
facilities or uncontrolled disposal sites, which pose risks to the public health and community growth
and development.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 11
OEJ has provided assistance to the Tribal College Initiative (TCI), a pilot program involving three
two-year tribal colleges located in New Mexico and Arizona: Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute,
Navajo Community College, and Crownpoint Institute of Technology. This program will build
infrastructure and increase personnel in the science and technology fields, develop and test curricula,
and create the 2+2+2 educational pipeline (a program that allows students to focus their studies as
they progress from the last two years of high school, to two years at a community college, and to two
final years at a four year institution -at the end of which they receive their bachelor's degree). The
TCI is supported by the Partnership for Environmental Technology Education (PETE), a national non-
profit organization that links community colleges to the technical resources of federal, tribal, and state
agencies, private industry, and professional societies. Following the TCI pilot, PETE plans to
duplicate the program throughout its Northwest and North Central regions, which together encompass
most of the nation's tribally-controlled colleges.
In support of the Agency's Academic Relations Program, OEJ has formal agreements with
Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland and Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City,
North Carolina .. Both universities provide students with environmental justice summer internships in
the ten regions and both have planning grants to conduct outreach programs to surrounding
communities. Elizabeth City University, through its international program, sponsors oµtreach
activities to African and Caribbean countries dealing with environmental problems.
In 1994, OEJ initiated an innovative education and training project by sponsoring an
environmental justice play in collaboration with Tuft's University Drama Department and Bos.ton's
Underground Railway Theater group. The play, "Intoxicating," was presented at the Arena Stage in
Washington, DC to an audience of 400, including staff from EPA and other federal agencies, local
churches, schools, community-based organizations, environmental groups, and the general public. The
two hour play was developed to educate and entertain the general public on basic environmental
justice issues. The play is currently on national tour for the year.
In an effort to inform a broad audience on environmental justice issues, the Office established a
formal partnership with the Smithsonian Institute's Museum of American History to start an
environmental justice distinguished lecture series. Since 1994, four lectures have been presented to
overflowing audiences. The first lecture was presented by Dr. Clarice Gaylord, Director of the Office
of Environmental Justice, who gave an overview of environmental justice and EPA's program. Dr.
Robert Bullard, Professor from Clark Atlanta University and author of numerous books on
environmental justice and racism, was the second lecturer. Mr. Norris McDonald, Executive Director
of the Center for Environment, Commerce, and Energy presented his findings on major polluting
sources and the highest impacted communities in Washington, DC as the third program. Ms. Gail
Small, the Executive Director for Native Action, gave the fourth lecture on environme!ital justice in
Indian Country. Because of its popularity and value as a training vehicle, the series will continue
through 1995.
OEJ has funded the broadcast of 24 environmental justice related public service announcements
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 12
on the Hispanic Network Radio. These programs provided information in Spanish on issues such as
the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, the Farm Worker-Protection Rule, and the
lnteragency Public Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Black College Satellite Network has an interactive television capability that can downlink to
all EPA regions,.many communities, and most of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities in
the country. This system has been very valuable as a training mechanism to broadcast timely
-environmental justice topics to at-risk and other interested communities. Three such broadcasts have
occurred in the past year: 1) a two-hour program that provided an overview ofenvironmentaljustice
issues, hosted by John Francis; 2) OEJ's two-hour response to recommendations received from the
"Symposium on Health Research and Needs to Ensure Environmental Justice," held in Arlington,
Virginia in February of 1994; and 3) ~ interactive broadcast of the first Interagency Public Meeting
held in January 1995, in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 1994, a total of3,700 hotline calls were received by OEJ from community groups and
individuals requesting information and assis~ance on a variety of issues, including how to address local
facility siting issues, water quality problems, licensing of waste facilities, and the lack of enforcement
of buffer zones around polluting facilities.· The hotline number is 1-800-962-6215. Once hotline calls
are received, OEJ records the phone call in the computer system, which the Office developed for
tracking and cataloging purposes, refers the cases to the appropriate Headquarters offices and/or
region, and tracks the cases to ensure that complaints are adequately addressed.
OEJ responds to approximately 6,000 requests per year for information and materials. The Office
receives these requests through written correspondence, the Office's regular and hotline phone
numbers, and through participation in conferences, workshops, and symposia. In addition, OEJ has
developed new brochures, reports, fact sheets, and other information in both English and Spanish (see
· Appendix II for list of materia_Is).
To make the latest information on environmental justice more accessible, OEJ created an
Environmental Justice Bulletin Board on the Internet. Announcements about the Environmental
Justice Intern Program; the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, and EP A's Environmental
Justice Strategic Plan are examples of items that have appeared on the bulletin board.
In addition to the bulletin board, the Office has an Environmental Justice e-mail box ·(EPA30914).
The Internet address for the box is [e-mail].
CAREER DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
In recent years, EPA has initiated efforts to diversify its workforce. Through innovative and
effective internships, OEJ has contributed significantly to these endeavors. One of the barriers to
increasing the cultural diversity of environmental decision and policy makers is the limited number of
students of color who choose to pursue environmental degrees and/or careers. In an effort to address
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 13
this concern, OEJ developed an easy, user-friendly vehicle to bring graduate and undergraduate
students of color into the Agency through_paid internships. 1994 was the program's most impressive
year: the Agency placed over 250 interns through a grant to the Environmental Careers Organization
(ECO). Students were placed in all ten regions, Headquarters offices, Research and Development
labs, and EPA testing facilities. Since the program's inception in 1992, over 400 students have gained
environmental training, and approximately five percent of these students have been hired by the
Agency. Perhaps more importantly, the program has spurred about 25 percent of the participants to
change their original career paths and choose environmental occupations. ECO is currently surveying
present and former interns to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
OEJ has been instrumental in continuing the Agency's Adopt-a-School Program. Since June
1992, OEJ has assumed the lead for interaction with Bertie Backus Middle School, a predominantly
· African American school located in northeast Washington, DC. 1994 activities included: 1) paid
summer internships for ten students at EPA; 2) a mentoring program; 3) a computer lab for students
and faculty; 4) field trips; and 5) river clean ups and recycling projects.
In addition to creating and managing programs to help diversify the Agency's workforce, the
Office of Environmental Justice is an active sponsor of minority interns and detailees. These
individuals come from programs such as Goalsetters Reaching for Opportunities (GRO), the Greater
Leadership Opportunities Program (GLO), and the Women's Executive Leadership Program (WEL).
Interns have come from numerous student training programs, including Stanford University, the
University of Syracuse, the University of Vermont, and the Truman Scholars Program. In 1994, OEJ
placed twelve interns and thirteen detailees in its immediate office. Five participants of these programs
have become permanent hires in the Office.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 14
CHAPTER III
SELECTED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACTIVITIES
Environmental Justice is an Agency-wide initiative that has been implemented through various
activities over the past year. This chapter highlights selected environmental justice activities in a
variety of areas, such as cultural diversity and employee training, communication, technical and
community assistance, partnerships and community-based initiatives, data collection and analysis,
enforcement and compliance assurance, and cooperative projects with American Indian and Alaska
Native tribes and indigenous communities. This section is not meant to be inclusive of every Agency
initiative but rather to report a few selected activities from 1994 that characterize the type of work the
Agency is doing to achieve environmental justice. The two following chapters focus on other
significant environmental justice activities that were undertaken by Headquarters offices and the .
regions.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND EMPLOYEE TRAINING
EPA remains committed to on-going efforts to expand its workforce diversity, particularly in
management and leadership positions and to improve sensitivity training for managers to ensure that
they recognize and utilize the talents within the workforce to better communicate with communities
and other key stakeholders.
A number of Headquarters offices and regions have sponsored students of color as interns
through the Environmental Careers Organization. In addition, the Office of Water hired students of
color through a summer intern program with the Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Consortium, and Region V sponsored interns from the Minority Academic Institutions to work in a
number of the regions.
Many offices and regions have conducted cultural awareness and environmental justice training
for their employees. The Federal Facilities Enforcement Office presented environmental justice
awareness sessions to all of its staff. The National Enforcement Training Institute (NETI) began
developing a Train-the-Trainers manual for use by the Office of Environmental Justice and the
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. NETI will format the manual to allow trainers
with limited environmental justice experience to present a successful training course. Region II
developed an Environmental Justice Training Plan and Education Program for regional managers and
staff Region VII conducted all-employee education sessions on environmental justice. Region VIII
provided several introductory courses on. environmental justice to encourage employees to consider
environmental justice concerns in their daily work. Region X is expanding environmental justice and
diversity training to all regional employees, state and local agencies, community organizations, and
other interested agencies or organizations. ·
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 15
COMMUNICATION, OUTREACH AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
EPA has made a wide variety of information available through electronic devices. For example,
through the Internet, the public can now access information regarding current major announcements
and databases including the Toxics Release Inventory, scientific reports, and geographic information
systems (GIS). The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics is developing a set of computerized
spatial analysis tools to disseminate EPA facility information and population data to the public.
The Agency has held a number of public forums to discuss environmental justice -and other local
environmental concerns. EPA convened a stakeholders forum to discuss environmental problems and
potential opportunities for addressing environmental and resource challenges facing small communities
and local governments. For example, the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response conducted a
series of outreach meetings to gain input from a spectrum of affected groups addressing environmental
justice issues. Comments were solicited from a variety of stakeholders, including community
organizations, nonprofit organizations, environmental groups, business, industry, labor, academia, and
federal, state, tribal, and local governments. The Office of Water also provided funding to the ·
Coalition to Restore Urban Waters (CRUW) to support its first and second national conferences.
CRUW advocates urban restoration and provides low-income communities with job opportunities
through environmental restoration projects.
In addition to holding public forums, some offices and regions have developed outreach pilot
projects and guidance and identified environmental justice stakeholders. The Office of Enforcement
and Compliance Assurance's RCRA Enforcement Division, in conjunction with the regions and
states, has designed a pilot for community involvement in municipal incinerator combustion cases.
OSWER has also improved its outreach efforts and has drafted guidance for community advisory
. groups and established environmental justice community advisory group pilots at Superfund sites.
The Agency has published many environmental documents in multiple languages. The Office of
Radiation and Indoor Air published meeting and hearing notices in Spanish newspapers and has
provided Spanish .materials and a translator at all public meetings and hearings. The National Estuary
Program has produced multi-lingual signs and brochures alerting non-English speaking groups, such as
Chinese, Vietnamese, and Laotian populations, of the dangers of eating contaminated fish.
Region III is facilitating improved public outreach on environmental justice through the
establishment of an "Environmental Justice" display in the new regional Public Environmental
Education Center (PEEC). Tours have been given to community leaders for input on improvements to
the display. Public access to GIS demographic profiles of communities throughout the region will also
be provided within the PEEC.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 16
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
EPA has conducted a number of public presentations and workshops on environmental justice.
For example, the Office ofEnforcemeI)t and Compliance Assurance's Federal Facilities Enforcement
Office (FFEO) presented an environmental justice sessi_on at the Federal Facilities Leadership ,Council
meeting held on October 26, 1994, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. FFEO continues to promote
environmental justice at federal facilities conferences and national enforcement meetings. The FFEO
Office Director presented an environmental justice overview course on federal facilities sponsored by
the American Law Institute-American Bar Association.
The Agency is also working with academic institutions to educate the public about environmental
justice. The Office of Pollution Prevention has established a Memorandum of Understanding with
Howard University, a historically black institution, which encourages the promotion of environmental
science programs and the development of curricula designed to address environmental justice issues
(including the review and evaluation of urban, household, industrial, and agricultural chemicals);
projects related to wellness and the community; and the role of nursing in worker protection. Region
IV awarded a grant to Clark Atlanta University, a historically black college, to develop an
environmental lecture module to enhance community awareness of environmental issues and to inform
citizens about how they can become involved by working with universities; government agencies, and
industries within their communities.
The Office of Air's Indoor Air and Radon Divisions, Region V, and Region VII have worked with
the American Lung Association (ALA) to raise awareness about the health dangers from exposure to
second-hand smoke, radon, and other indoor air pollutants. The Indoor Air Division and ALA have
helped educate high-risk segments of Hispanic, African-American, and low-income populations. The
Radon Division worked with ALA, the National Medical Association, the National Association of
Counties, and the State Indoor Radon Grant Program to promote reduction of radon health risks
among people of color and low-income populations. The Region V Air and Radiation Division
awarded a grant to ALA to coordinate a grassroots educational outreach initiative to people of color
and low-income communities in Detroit and Southern Michigan and to develop a class curriculum for
a vocational high school. Region V also sponsored a public service announcement on the hazards of
second-hand smoke, which was filmed at a multicultural, inner-city high school. Region VII worked
with ALA of Eastern Missouri to identify people of color groups and develop an education program
on second-hand smoke.
In addition to working with the ALA, the Radon Division is working with states, Radon Training
Centers, non-profit organizations, and other federal agencies to develop radon educational materials
that are sensitive to the needs of people of color and low-income communities. The materials include
Spanish versions of EPA's "Citizen's Guide to Radon" and Radon public service announcements; a
··document targeted at the American Indian community in Wisconsin entitled "Learning About Radon -
A Part of Nature;" a brochure developed for public housing tenants entitled "Your Building is Being
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 17
Tested for Radon;" and radon materials developed by the National Medical Association targeted to the
African-American community. ·
TECHNICAL AND COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE
A number of offices and regions have supplied direct assistance and training to communities of
color and low-income communities. The Office ofWater (through EPA's National Enforcement
Training Center for Small Communities), the Water Quality Standards Training Academy, and the
Small Community Outreach and Education Program, are providing training and technical assistance to
small communities on the management of wastewater and drinking water programs. Region I has
worked with the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency, the Department of Employment and
Training, and other state and City of Boston agencies to provide lead abatement job training to adults
from inner-city neighborhoods. Region X is conducting community-based environmental justice and
pollution prevention grant application training in cooperation with other state and local organizations.
The Agency has also provided technical assistance to farm worker communities. The Office of
Pesticide Programs (OPP) is providing direct assistance to farm workers by helping to design training
on farm worker safety issues. OPP is also working with the California Rural Legal Assistance
Program on pesticide safety and community right-to-know issues. The Region VI Pesticides Section
and Management Division is working with Sin Fronteras Organizing Project in El Paso to provide
funding for training activities related to Worker Protection Standards for migrant farm workers in
Texas and New Mexico.
EPA is working with several state and local officials to identify and address disproportionate
impacts to communities of color and low-income communities. The Office of Policy, Planning, and
Evaluation is providing assistance to several cities that are conducting comparative risk projects (i.e., a
process ofranking environmental problems by priorities). The objective is to identify the relative risks
posed by environmental problems in a given area and to develop credible and realistic action plans for
mitigation.
A number of regions are working with organizations and universities to assist communities.
Region I has supported the Boston Bar Association, several community-based groups, civil rights
organizat.ions, public health professionals, and environmental lawyers in the formation of the
Massachusetts Environmental Justice Network, which will provide pro-bono services to low-income
communities and communities of color on environmental issues. Region III has effectively addressed
environmental justice issues through its work with the Campus Executive Program of Hampton
University in Virgini~. With assistance from the region, Hampton University has established an
Environmental Equity Research and Community Assistance Center. Its capabilities include GIS data
analyses, environmental engineering consultation, and scientific and sociological investigation. Region
IX is providing assistance to the East Bay Conservation Corp's Neighborhood Improvement Project as
part of the National Service Initiative. The hands-on project provides lead based paint
-worker/inspector training for AmeriCorps participants who conduct lead hazard risk assessments in
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 18
East and West Oakland, California. Region IX is· also working with the Department of Labor on a
pilot project to design an environmental curricula for the Job Corps Program. Initial plans are to pilot
this program at a new Job Corps Center in the region.
PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY-BASED INITIATIVES
Partnerships with stakeholders is vital in order to achieve environmental protection for all
communities. The Agency has implemented an Academic Relations Program to mobilize students,
faculty, and the community-at-large around environmental issues. Over 30 predominantly people of
color colleges and universities are forming partnerships with various Headquarters offices and regions.
Exchanging personnel, equipment,· expertise, data, and materials are key components of this program.
EPA has established community-based partnerships with other federal agencies and cities, such as
Boston and Washington, D.C., to develop lead abatement projects which involve training, inspections,
and remediation oflead-coritaminated housing. The projects train local underemployed residents in
environmental remediation and, at the same time, empower communities to become involved in the
restoration of their community environment.
The Agency has provided assistance to its state regulatory partners. Since 1990, EPA has
worked with the Texas Water Development Board and the Rural Development Administration of the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement programs that provide basic indoor
plumbing, safe drinking water, and an acceptable method of wastewater disposal for people living in
the colonias. Colonias are developments in unincorporated areas along the U.S.-Mexico border that
are often plagued by substandard living conditions and severe health problems Sixteen Texas water
and wastewater construction projects are underway with a total commitment of $123 million. About
40 plans have been initiated for projects that will spend-$160 million to build wastewater facilities in
colonia communities that lack such facilities. The Offi~e of Federal Activities provided a $200,000
Clean Water Act grant to the Texas Attorney General to fund a Strike Force, which is innovatively
enforcing state and local laws against colonia developers. The Region VI Waste Management
Division also awarded a grant to the Texas Attorney General to combat illegal colonias along the
Texas border through in-depth investigations of developers' activities and, where warranted, file
enforcement lawsuits to discourage growth of new illegal colonias.
Other regions have also provided assistance to state partners. The Region V Waste Management
Division awarded a grant to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to complete a
field survey and status summary for all of the state's municipal landfills and to provide certification
training to municipal landfill owners and operators. Region IX is funding the Arizona Department of
Environmental Quality, which has begun an environmental justice project in. southwest Phoenix to
qualitatively assess potential environmental hazards in a predominantly Latino community and
recommend options for addressing the hazards once identified.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 19
The Office of Water (OW) and the Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances are
working with Region IV on two pilot projects in Mississippi using the Toxic Release Inventory
(TRI) database and demographic maps. The projects will identify people of color and low-income
communities that may be affected by groundwater discharges listed in the TRI and help institute
local wellhead protection plans. In another project, OW has awarded a grant to the State of Georgia
for 20pilot.projects in low-income communities and communities of color that have.drinking water
sources at risk to contamination. The grant is focused on implementation of wellhead protection
programs, including a delineation of the wellhead area, identification of contamination sources, and
implementation of management controls.
OW is also overlaying data from the TRI onto demographic maps from the State of Mississippi to
identify low-income communities and communities ~f color that may be adversely affected by ground
water discharges. The National Estuary Program has effectively served to provide improvements in
low-income neighborhoods, such as the storm drain retrofitting project in Greenwich Bay, Rhode
Island, which protects local rivers and streams from the impacts of polluted runoff The Great Lakes
National Program Office (GLNPO) awarded two grants to the Nature Conservacy: one to promote
education and outreach in people of color communities in Southeast Chicago and the other to work
for the restoration and management of the greater Calumet ecological mega-site in Southeast Chicago.
GLNPO also funded the Mighty Acorns Project to provide hands-on education and habitat restoration .
activities to an elementary school located in Southeast Chicago.
Region I has developed a partnership with other federal agencies, state agencies, and community
organizations to reduce the risk oflead exposure in people of color, low-income, and American Indian
communities. Region I has also launched an Urban Ecosystems Initiative to maximize resources and
adopt a holistic, multimedia approach to solve problems in the urban environment. The centerpiece of
the initiative is a pilot project called "Green Spaces, Healthy Places," which emphasizes pollution
prevention practices and the education and empowerment of urban communities. The Region III
Environmental Justice Program has developed a draft inter-federal agency regional Memorandum of
Understanding on Environmental Justice, which defines significant environmental justice issues in the
region and delineates federal roles and responsibilities in efforts to resolve these issues.
Region V and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have a demonstration
project underway in the City of Chicago in which several government agencies and community
organizations are working together to convert abandoned buildings into safe low-income housing.
The Region V Environmental Services Division and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry are conducting an air monitoring study in Southeast Chicago to obtain data on actual
exposure to residents of that community. Region VIII is providing support to the Denver Federal
Executive Board, which has established a regional Task Force on Environmental Justice with
representation from seventeen federal agencies·. The focus of the Task Force is to develop agency
__ plans,__partnerships, outreach to targeted communities, and staff training. Region VIII has also entered
into a partnership with the Colorado Department of Publi9 Health and Environment to start a state
wide environmental justice program. As part of the program, the region provides a staff person three
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 20
days a week, grant funds, and training materials to the state. Region IX has awarded several grants
focused on lead education and reduction ac;iivities to community groups including the African
American Development Association in Oakland, California, the Ethnic Coalition of Southern
California, Lead Safe California, and Golden Gate University in San Francisco, California. Region IX,
in partnership with the Contra Costa County Health Services Department and California EPA, has also
conducted a series of inspections among companies that generate hazardous waste in Richmond,
California. Additionally, Region IX has financed and trained local community members to participate
in split sampling at the Tucson, Arizona Airport Superfund site, which contains a ground water
treatment facility.
The Agency has also established some international partnerships to address environmental justice
concerns that cross national borders. For example, Region IX, the State of California, and Mexico,
have combined to develop joint environmental and economic development projects under NAFT A, as
well as laws to address environmental problems in the San Diegoffijuana (Mexico) area and along the
Imperial County, California border. This joint effort includes an international sewage treatment facility
to address water contamination and sewage treatment needs for communities on both sides of the
border. In addition, the Office of Federal Activities worked with the Office of International
Activities to develop proposals for a Western Hemisphere Partnership for Environmental
Protection, which was announced at the Summit of the Americas in Miami, Florida. The
partnership will focus initial efforts on addressing problems of lead and pesticide contamination,
particularly in developing countries throughout the Western Hemisphere; the partnership will also
work to develop sound environmental regulatory frameworks and effective enforcement. This will
be enhanced through a Hemisphere-wide network of enforcement cooperation.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND POLLUTION PREVENTION
The Agency has undertaken a number of activities aimed at the sustainable redevelopment of
contaminated industrial areas. For example, EPA has developed a Sustainable Industries Initiative to
support environmentally benign and economically sustainable industry and a review ofBrownfields
models in both EP A's administrative policy development on Superfund streamlining and in the
development of a Superfund legislative reauthorization proposal. The Office of Site Remediation
Enforcement is in the process of identifying options and developing tools to remove Superfund
liability barriers and encourage the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties. The
Waste and Chemical Policy Division in the Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation (OPPE) is also
examining the scope and magnitude of barriers to redevelopment presented by Brownfields and
developing policy alternatives to address clean-up uncertainty, high-costs, liability issues, and how to
incorporate environmental justice concerns into the economic development potential of specific sites.
Region IV has begun to assess people of color and low-income communities for sustainable
redevelopment under the Brownfields project.
EPA established an Empowerment Zone SWAT Team, which provided the environmental review
of the top 50 Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Communities applications selected by the Department of
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 21
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The
Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities Program empowered people and communities
across the nation by providing them the opportunity to develop and implement strategic plans for the
creation of job opportunities and sustainable community development. In addition, OPPE is currently
working with HUD and USDA to include sustainability criteria in the Empowerment Zone and
Enterprise Community applications. OPPE has provided general guidance on the development of an
"environmental improvement" strategic plan for the applications.
The Office of Water is considering environmental justice in its review of wetland permit
applications in order to reconcile the needs for wetland protection, economic growth, and
development in disadvantaged communities.
HEAL TH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH ·
EPA is working with the National Center for Health Statistics, which sponsors the National
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). NHANES provides health data on statistically
representative samples of the U.S. population, including baseline information on the health status of
various· people of color and low-income groups. These data are needed as a basis of comparison for
studies that are conducted in "at risk" communities. For example, baseline health data collected in
low-income and predominantly Hispanic communities could be tJsed to determine the significance of
human health problems along the United States-Mexico border.
EPA has begun to recognize the relationship between health risks, environmental pollutants, and
diet as an environmental justice issue and priority research area. Initial research indicates that people
of different racial and ethnic backgrounds and income levels do not eat the same kinds and amounts of
food. To address these differences, the Office of Water (OW) is revising its methodology for
developing water quality criteria to better protect the health of subsistence and recreational anglers
and their families. The revised methodology will be based on estimates that more accurately reflect
actual consumption rates.
As a means for improving the scientific basis of environmental justice decision-making, EPA is
developing new approaches for evaluating exposure, including multiple exposures, cumulative risks,
and pollution prevention research activities. This research reflects a strategy to identify and assess
environmental health risks, as well as provide tools for reducing risk. EPA will focus on exposure-
driven approaches that can be used as a means to identify and prioritize actual exposures. The
pollution prevention research will then be targeted to identify sources (e.g., emissions) or modify
business, community, and/or individual practices.
OW has initiated a joint effort with the Centers for Disease Control to identify research and
response needs related to Crypotosporidium, a parasite that, when found in drinking water, can result
in serious and even fatal illness for individuals with a compromised immune system.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 22
Region III is conducting an environmental justice research project that is intended to provide a
descriptive analysis of the correlations between potentially hazardous facilities and the demographic
attributes of adjacent communities.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
The Agency is using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze population demographics
around facilities. GIS serves as an effective tool to assess populations at risk and potential
disproportionate impacts to communities around federal installations. EPA is piloting a number of
GIS analyses to test their methods for identifying areas of potential concern based on factors such as
facility location, TRI emission-source data, population density, income, ethnicity, and ·other census
block data. The Federal Facilities Enforcement Office has completed an extensive GIS analysis based
on environmental justice parameters at 25 federal facilities across the country. The Office of Solid
Waste and Emergency Response began using GIS, through the Landview system, to identify potential
areas of environmental justice concerns. Region I has initiated an in-depth study of the distribution of
potential sources of environmental risk to residents throughout New England. Region II has
effectively used GIS to delineate and target communities with environmental justice concerns,
particularly those in high-risk radon and tobacco smoke areas. Region VII has used GIS to analyze
the ethnicity, income, family size, and locational data for Superfund and RCRA facilities ..
In addition to GIS, a number of regions are conducting other pollutant distribution and
demographic analyses. The Radon Division, in partnership with the Conference of Radiation Control
Program Directors, completed the "Radon Risk Communication and Results Study." This study
characterizes radQ.D. awareness, testing, and mitigation by race and income. The Office of Policy,
Planning, and Evaluation's Waste and Chemical Policy Division is providing funding to Duke
__ University to collect comprehensive demographic data on costs, risks, and census data at Superfund
sites, which will allow the Agency to develop effective community outreach to affected communities
around these sites. Region I is developing a Distributional Risk Initiative relevant to the "National Air
Quality and Emissions Trends Report."
The Agency has also developed new tracking systems and databases to monitor environmental
justice activities. The Office of General Counsel established a computerized system to track the status
of EPA administrative and judicial environmental justice cases. Region IV created a database for its -
multi-media initiative. The Region V Office of Regional Counsel maintains a tracking report to
document the Region's environmental justice enforcement efforts, and Region X is continuing work to
standardize databases relevant to the analysis of environmental justice.
REGULATORY AND POLICY REFORM
The Agency has established a new regulatory tiering process for major regulations.
Environmental Justice has been incorporated as a key factor in this new regulatory development
process for workgroup rulemaking actions. In addition, the Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 23
(OPPE) is revising its Regulatory Impact Analyses Guidelines consistent with Executive Order 12866
on Regulatory Review and the Environmental Justice Executive Order. OPPE is developing an
analytical framework to assist the Agency in integrating environmental justice considerations into
regulatory analyses and decision-making. This effort requires a systematic approach to att~buting
costs to risk and environmental damages that occur in highly impacted communities. Once finished,
the new guidelines will provide specific guidance to Agency offices and regions on how to effectively .
analyze policies that impact people of color and low-income populations.
A number of offices have developed guidance that incorporates environmental justice issues. The
Office of Civil Rights and the Office of Grants and Debarment are developing a pre-award compliance
review and data-gathering process that would promote the Agency's environmental justice objectives.
The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) has issued preliminary draft guidance
to aid reviewers in fulfilling the Presidential memorandum requirements for EP A's Clean Air Act
Section 309 review program. The guidance will be developed in three phases: preliminary draft
guidance, draft guidance, and final guidance. OECA is considering sponsoring workshops for Section
309 reviewers and NEPA coordinators to further explore environmental justice impact analysis
methods and approaches. The guidance for the NEPA Compliance Program will be consistent with
the Section 309 guidance, incorporating many of the same concerns and considerations. OECA is also
developing environmental justice guidance to be used by environmental review coordinators for
Environmental Impact Statement preparation. Additionally, OECA is conducting a pilot study to ·
evaluate the thoroughness of environmental justice and social impact analyses currently addressed
under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE ASSURANCE
The Agency has developed a number of enforcement and compliance policy and guidance
documents, such as the policies designed to address problems in small, disadvantaged rural areas that
lack adequate water systems and basic clean water infrastructure. The Agency established the
Internal Workgroup for Supplemental Environmental Projects· (SEP) to consider changes to the
SEP Policy. SEPs are environmentally beneficial projects that a violator agrees to undertake in
settlement of an enforcement action. As a consequence, SEP' s may create opportunities in
communities that have been disproportionately disadvantaged by environmental pollution.
The Office of Regulatory Enforcement (ORE) is revising its penalty policies to assure
environmental justice considerations are appropriately incorporated. ORE, in coordination with the
regions, is also developing enforcement guidance documents concerning identification of
environmental justice cases and. is emphasizing the need for discussion of environmental justice
concerns in litigation packages and consent decrees. Additionally, ORE's Air Enforcement
Division is developing the initial draft of its Mobile Sources Reformulated Fuel Gasoline Penalty
Policy, which includes consideration of environmental justice issues. The Office of Site
Remediation Enforcement's environmental justice efforts have been concentrated in the Superfund
program; these efforts include identifying data collection and quality needs, community
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 24
involvement, evaluating innovative ways to assist the regions in resolution of enforcement
settlement negotiations, and the review and evaluation of current enforcement-policies and
guidance. Region I reviewed its enforcement policies and procedures to develop new targeting
strategies for its inspection and enforcement efforts in people of color and low-income communities.
. The Agency has also incorporated environmental justice into enforcement criteria for targeting
activities. The Federal Facilities Enforcement Office has worked closely with the Federal
Facilities Environmental Restoration Dialogue Committee to revise the February 1993 interim
report on methods to incorporate local government and environmental justice community concerns
into the restoration decision-making and priority-setting processes for cleanups at federal facilities.
Region IV is conducting multi-media inspections at targeted facilities.
The Agency has revised waste management programs and analyze siting decisions. The Office of
Radiation and Indoor Air is developing waste management standards for low-level radiation waste,
including language for environmental justice considerations to be factored into management decisions.
The Region V Air and Radiation Division is working with state and local agencies to investigate the
factors taken into account when siting certain industries in residential areas and has included
environmental justice as a factor in its reviews of proposed state construction permits.
The Office of Federal Activities (OFA) worked with the Office of Regulatory Enforcement's
· RCRA Enforcement Division (ORE-RED) and the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response to
develop the Administration's principles for legislation to implement the Basel Convention on
Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes. These principles help ensure that U.S.
implementation of the Convention includes strong enforcement provisions to impose responsibility and
require remediation of illegal hazardous waste shipments, particularly to developing countries. OF A
and ORE-RED developed an enforcement action against a U.S. waste generator that had illegally
shipped hazardous wastes to a South African province, placing local workers at risk.
The Office of Regulatory Enforcement's Toxics and Pesticides Enforcement Division (ORE-
TPED) coordinated with the EPA Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances and the
Department of Justice in the issuance of95 subpoenas under the Toxic Substance and Control Act
(TSCA) Section 21 to U.S. parentcompanies ofMaquiladora subsidiaries located in Mexicali,
Mexico. The subpoenas requested chemical information regarding use, manufacture, and disposal of
toxic chemicals in the New River, located along the California-Mexico border. Region IX is also
involved in the New River case and has worked with Headquarters in response to a TSCA petition
filed by three environmental justice groups: the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic
Justice, Environmental Health Coalition, and the Comite Ciudadano. These groups have requested
environmental relief under various sections of TSCA and environmental remediation under NAFT A.
A number of offices and regions are monitoring and collecting compliance data in communities of
color and low-income communities that may be disproportionately impacted by environmental
pollutants. In conjunction with the Office of Emergency and Remedial Response, the Office of Site
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 25
Remediation Enforcement is conducting a comparative analysis of Superfund enforcement process
data for all NPL-listed sites. The Office of Water is monitoring along the United States/Mexico
border to enable the Agency to better characterize ambient conditions, identify pollution sour~_es, and
implement clean up efforts. The Region VI Water Division is completing a Migrant Farm Worker
Camp Inventory to facilitate monitoring and reporting on the camps' public water supply systems for
regulated water contaminants. Regions VI and IX have five cooperative monitoring sites in El Paso,
Texas and Juarez, New Mexico to collect pollutant and meteorological information. Region IX
conducted an analysis of hazardous waste enforcement actions to determine whether regional
enforcement actions varied with population demographics. Region IX used Public Water Supply
(PWS) identification numbers provided by state agencies to locate all PWSs in migrant worker
facilities. With this information, the Region will develop a PWS migrant worker camp inventory
to facilitate the targeting of these PWS 's when monitoring and reporting is not done for regulated
drinking water contaminants.
In the pesticides arena, the ORE-TPED is currently coordinating national compliance activities
to ensure that pesticide product labeling requirements of the Agricultural Worker Protection
Standard (WPS) are being adhered to by the pesticide registrants. In October 1994, the first civil
administrative cases under WPS were filed against two of the country's largest pesticide
manufacturers for misbranding or incorrectly labeling pesticides that may pose a risk to workers'
health. EPA is seeking a total of $2.125 million in penalties.
Region VI has reviewed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Information System to identify
hazardous waste facility locations in which the average people of color and low-income populations
are greater.than the state average. The Region VI Solid Waste Section is mapping and performing
demographic analyses on the populations that surround solid waste landfills in all five regional states.
WORKING WITH AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE TRIBES
AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
In March· 1994, Administrator Browner established a Senior Leadership Team for Tribal
Operations to work in consultation with the tribal members of the Agency's Tribal Operations
Committee (TOC). As a re~ult of this process, the Administrator signed a memorandum requiring nine
action items to be implemented by the Assistant and Regional Administrators for strengthening tribal
operations, the Agency established the new American Indian Environmental Office (AIEO), and the
TOC participated in the Agency's annual planning and budget meeting. In addition to the new Office
and the TOC, the Agency's Indian program structure also includes the National Indian Attorney's
Work Group and an Agency-wide National Indian Work Group, designed to coordinate activities,
offer program recommendations, and act as a task-oriented, problem-solving forum for tribal
environmental issues.
In addition to consultation with the TOC, EPA has supported the government-to-government
relationship through regional meetings with tribal leaders and staff and EPA participation in national
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 26
tribal meetings, including the National Listening Conference, National Congress of American Indians
Annu~l Conference, and the Annual National. Tribal Environmental Conference. ·
In order to increase tribal environmental capacity, EPA is implementing the Indian Environmental
General Assistance Program (GAP) which is used to award grants to tribal governments and consortia
for the development of tribal environmental programs. Currently, the·Agen~y is reviewing and
developing new funding criteria for GAP and program-specific resources that will be based on regional
tribal resource needs for the development of environmental programs, to ensure that funds are
allocated equitably throughout Indian Country.
The Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) is working to improve the ·
Agency's solid and hazardous waste programs in Indian Country. Under the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act, a work team has developed draft regulations for tribal authorization and funding
for the hazardous and solid waste programs.
One of the top priorities for the American Indian Environmental Office (AIEO) is the
development of tribal environmental capacity. Many offices and regions have undertaken activities to
further this effort. The Office of Pesticide Programs oversees grants under the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to fund special projects that support tribal efforts to assess their
environme!}tal priorities and problems and that build tribal capacity to eventually accept program
authorization. OSWER and the regions have begun to identify ways to increase technical assistance to
tribes for solid waste management programs and have conducted several seminars and workshops with
tribal participation. For example, Region IV awarded solid waste disposal funds to every federally-
recognized tribe in the region and worked with the Eastern Band of Cherokee to develop the tribe's
recycling program. Region V has awarded grants to tribes for solid waste education, closure of open
dumps, and development of recycling programs. The region has also entered into a cooperative
agreement with the Menominee Indian Tribe for the development of its hazardous waste program and
the preparation of a partial program authorization application.
The Office of Water (OW) is working with the National Environmental Training Association and
the Native American Water Association to assist tribes in the development and implementation of
wastewater and drinking water programs that comply with federal standards. OW is also providing
on-site technical assistance, funding, a simplified grant application process, and training ancl
workshops on managing water programs. Region V is conducting tribal-EPA Program
Implementation Planning with every tribe in the region. Region VI has awarded three grants, under
the Statewide Wetlands Development Grant Program, to tribes for the inventory, assessment,
evaluation, and development of a long-term plan for the protection and restoration of wetlands within
tribal boundaries.
Jhe Agency has also been working with various tribes to collect and analyze environmental data.
OPPE is working with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal F~sh Commission on a fish consumption survey
to determine American Indian fish consumption rates in the river basin. OSWER, in conjunction with
. Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 27
the regions, is conducting a hazardous waste study by re-evaluating sites originally listed in the --·
Comprehensive Emergency Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System in the mid-
1980's and adding new sites, as i9entified by the tribes, to the list. In addition to identifying potential
clean-up sites, OSWER is also reviewing the Resource Conservation and Recovery Information
System to identify generators located in Indian Country and incorporate newly identified generators
into the notifier list. EPA Region IV, the Centers for Disease Control, the Environmental Services
_ Division in Athens, Georgia, and the Miccosukee Tribe initiated a study to investigate potential
mercury exposure pathways to tribal members and their related health effects. The Great Lakes
National Program Office (GLNPO) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry are
conducting a Human Health Effects Study to collect data on fish consumption risks to populations,
including people of color and American Indians, in the Great Lakes basin. GLNPO is also collecting
information to measure and identify potential risk from persistent toxic substances in the Great Lakes
basin which may have a more substantiv~ impact on American Indian populations.
In addition to general data collection, a number of the regions are working with the tribes to
identify, assess, and monitor potential environmental problems. The Region IV Waste Management
Division is working to identify leaking underground storage tanks and prevent· future releases of
pollutants on tribal lands. Region V is identifying and screening potential Superfund sites on tribal
lands and has entered into a cooperative agreement with the Oneida Tribe for a remedial investigation
on the reservation. The Region V Air and Radiation Division is monitoring radionuclide emissions on
Prairie Island, Minnesota, where the American Indian population is concerned about the potential
exposure to radionuclides as a result of dry cask nuclear waste storage. GLNPO awarded two grants
to the Fond du Lac Tribe, one to conduct and ass.essment of contaminated sediments in the St. Louis
River and the other to protect and restore wild rice habitats.
The Agency is also working with a number of tribes and universities to provide training and
education on EP A's programs. The Office of Air and Radiation entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding with Northern Arizona University designed to strengthen research, training, and public
service programs for American Indians. The Office of Air is modifying the "Orientation to Indoor Air
Quality" training course to meet tribal needs. Region V is conducting radon outreach, measurement
and abatement activities through the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council and radon mitigation training
was provided to tribal housing authority employees. Region V also provided First Responder
Awareness Level tribal training courses. Region VI conducted a training session at New Mexico State
University to introduce American Indian students to the field of water resources development and
management. Region VIII provided Underground Storage Tank/Leaking Underground Storage Tank
training for tribal environmental staff, outreach to owners/operators, and technical assistance.
In addition to specific training, a number of offices and regions conducted various tribal outreach,
public participation, and communications initiatives. The OPPE Regional and State Planning Branch is
working with AIEO and the TOC to involve tribal representatives in the Agency's strategic planning
activities. . OSWER is conducting a special solicitation of American Indian comments on its
-Environmental Justice Action Agenda and initiated IndianNet, a bulletin board on the Internet.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 28
GLNPO awarded a grant to the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission·to produce a video
for American Indian schools on mercury contamination and fish consumption. Region X has
established a regional Tribal Advisory Committee to develop a stronger working relationship and
increase cultural awareness.
In order to enhance the skills and understanding necessary to effectively implement environmental
programs with EP A's tribal partners, the Agency has undertaken a number of workforce training
initiatives. The Office of General Counsel presented a training course to Region X staff to orient and
sensitize employees who work on tribal activities. OPPE, with consultation from AIEO and members
of the National Indian Workgroup, is currently working with an American Indian owned company to
develop a Train-the-Trainer cultural sensitivity course for EPA managers and staff Region I, in
collaboration with the New England tribes, provides training for regional and state employees on
tribal histories, legal and jurisdictional issues, and tribal environmental traditions and values.
Region X is supporting training to increase cross-cultural communication and understanding
between EPA and tribes._
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 29
CHAPTER lV -PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
In addition to the selected Agency activities, each Headquarters office has also undertaken
significant environmental justice activities over the past year. This chapter highlights these
·accomplishments. While most of the activities are unique to individual offices, a few common
initiatives should be noted. For example, each program has an Environmental Justice Coordinator,
who manages environmental justice activities. Many offices have also developed an organizational
system or designated additional staff to work on environmental justice issues.
OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR
The Office of Communications, Education, and Public Affairs (OCEP A) greatly expanded its
outreach, communication, and education efforts to reach environmental justice stakeholders and to
encourage more public participation in Agency activities. Specifically, OCEPA has been working with
the Agency's Common Sense Initiative to address potential effects on communities of color and low-
income communities. The goal of this initiative is to bring together various stakeholders, such as
industry, academia, community groups, and environmental organizations, to develop innovative
. approaches to environmental management. OCEPA has also been working with the Office of Water's
Non-Point Source Program to examine the extent to which program funds are not adequately reaching
communities of color, low-income communities, and American Indian tribes, and to develop a strategy
to address these issues, including alternative means of providing funds to tribal environmental .
programs.
OCEP A's Environmental Education Division has developed an Environmental Education Grants
Program that awarded grants ranging from $5,000 to $250,000 to non-profit groups, educational
institutions, and community organizations for environmental justice-related projects. In 1994, a
significant number of the awards went to organizations establishing educational programs that provide
problem-solving and decision-making skills to culturally diverse and low-income populations. Many
of these projects address the disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental
risks in these communities.
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has increased its staff to manage Title VI complaints filed with
the Agency, including those with environmental justice concerns. A senior Title VI attorney from the
Department of Justice is currently on detail in OCR.
The Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs tracked a number of environmental justice-
related bills through the 103rd Congress. Of note, five bills were specifically related to environmental
justice issues and 13 were tangentially related, meaning that they contained one or more provision on
an environmental justice-related topic.
The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization provided funding for a special
environmental justice study conducted by Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana. The study
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 30
examines the effects of clean air legislation and requirements on small and minority businesses in small
communities. The study targeted special a.reas along the Mississippi River, commonly known as the
Louisiana Industrial Corridor.
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION AND RESOURCES MANAGEMENT .
The Agency, with assistance from the Office oflnformation Resources Management (OIRM)
developed a strategic plan to effectively manage the Agency's information resources, provide key
information on resource management principles (including data integration and improved public access .
to information), and identify measures for assessing success in achieving the OIRM's mission.
OIRM's National Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Program performs an integral role in the
Agency's environmental justice activities through the acquisition and preparation of data and the
development of generic analytical tools to estimate and characterize populations. For data acquisition,
OIRM created the Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Reference System (TIGER).
The TIGER system is a national data set, which the Agency's regional GIS teams have used with 1990
Census block coverage data to analyze environmental justice issues nationwide. The Population
Estimation and Characterization Tool (PECT) is a GIS program instrument that can be used to
identify and characterize populations potentially affected by environmental hazards. The PECT, which
was initially developed for use by the Office of Research and Development, the Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics, the Office of Solid Waste, and the Office of Emergency and Remedial
Response, provides a generic method for characterizing a population within a specific area, ~sually in
proximity to a hazardous waste or release site.
OFFICE OF AIR AND RADIATION ·
In a recently proposed rulemaking, the Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) identified
environmental justice as an issue for inclusion in the alternative site analysis required for issuing major
source permits in non-attainment areas. In the same rulemaking, the Agency is taking comments on
requirements in the Prevention of Significant Deterioration permit-review process in attainment areas.
This action will allow the permit authority to consider any environmental justice issues raised either by
the public or the permit authority during the public participation process.
OAR recently released for comment a proposed rule for tribal authorization under the Clean Air
Act. The proposed rule would allow tribes to be treated in the same manner as states for the purpose
of.establishing and implementing federally-authorized tribal air quality programs.
The Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS), located within OAR, is funding a
project entitled "Regulatory Flexibility Analysis and Environmental Justice Support for Non-
Attainment Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)." This project when completed will result in a detailed
universally applicable data base that will enable demographic analysis to occur on a variety of current"
and future actions (e.g., a reassessment of current ozone, PM-10 and SO2 NAAQS as well as the
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 31
refonn of the existing new source review and air toxics rule). Additionally, this data base will provide
the Agency with a tool by which various policy questions concerning the application of standards can
be answered.
OAQPS is sponsoring a project that will examine methodologies for improving risk
communication with urban communities of color that experience air pollution problems. A student
researcher is working with national organizations, local churches, and the media to determine the most
· effective mechanism for informing minority populations about air pollution decisions being made by
state and local governments and for encouraging these groups to participate in the decision-making
process.
OAQPS entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with North Carolina A&T State
University to pursue environmental justice through research, curriculum development, student and
faculty development, training and internships, and outreach .. The National Air and Radiation
Environmental Laboratory in Montgomery, Alabama is working with Tuskeegee University to develop
alternative approaches for reducing radon levels in low-income housing.
Nonattainment areas are being computer mapped for all pollutants in approximately 20 cities.
The racial, ethnic, and socio-economic status will be compared across pollutants in order to determine
whether people of color populations are more likely to be affected by point source problems ( e.g.,
particulate, lead). Additionally, nonattainment area boundaries (oi-all serious, severe, and extreme
ozone nonattainment areas have been digitized so that GIS techniques can be used to link with census
data. Populations in these ozone nonattainment areas will be characterized by race, ethnicity, and
socio-economic status.
The Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) is proposing the development of national
standards that protect public health and the environment during the cleanup of sites contaminated with
radionuclides. This approach is in contrast to the current policy of establishing radiation standards on
a site-by-site basis. Therefore, the proposed national standards should promote the environmentally
equitable cleanup of contaminated sites, since the, same cleanup level will be applicable to all sites
regardless ofthe make-up of the population of the surrounding community. In addition, ORIA is
developing waste management standards for Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW). The Agency
intends to address environmental justice issues in the regulatory development process, specifically by
encouraging or requiring that environmental justice considerations be factored into LLRW
management decisions.
The Radon Division is working with states, radon training centers, non-profit organizations, and -
other federal agencies to develop radon education materials that are sensitive to the needs of
communities of color and low-income communities. It has also formed cooperative partnerships with
key national organizations to promote a reduction of radon health risk among people of color and low-
income populations.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 32
. The Criteria and Standards Division has made significant efforts to involve Hispanic and
American Indian communities in the Agency's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) activities. For
example, the Division has published most WIPP documents in Spanish and established a toll-fy~---
WIPP Information Line (1-800-331-\YIPP).
OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE ASSURANCE
The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) has made a priority commitment
in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) guidance to use new targeting approaches to ensure
compliance with environmental regulations. Included as a major factor in this new way of targeting
enforcement and compliance activities is the incorporation of environmental justice concerns.
Accordingly, OECA requested the regions to describe in their MOA submission any innovative
approaches to targeting environmental justice that they are or will be using in 1995. The resulting
submissions will be the first compilation of the various approaches to environmental justice from an
enforcement and compliance standpoint.
OECA established an Environmental Justice Coordinating Council to assure that environmental
justice becomes an integral part of all its operations. The Council has produced three major draft
documents: (1) an OECA Draft Strategy that describes the Office's goals and objectives; (2) a
Potential Projects List that provides a matrix of current and future activities; and (3) Draft OECA
Workplans that include project descriptions, relationships to goals set forth in the strategy outline,
anticipated timeframes for the projects, and key efforts for completing the projects. In addition to the
Council, OECA has formed a group of network representatives to help assure that environmental
justice priorities are understood.within each ofOECA's operating divisions. The network
representatives meet regularly for information-sharing and other activities necessary to build cross-
program cooperation in environmental justice planning and implementation.
OECA's Office of Federal Activities (OFA) provides the primary staff support for the United
States/Mexico Cooperative Enforcement Strategy Workgroup, which implements efforts to improve
enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border. In 1994, OFA developed a training course for U.S. and
Mexican customs and environmental officials iri detecting and inspecting hazardous waste shipments.·
Th_e course will be delivered at key border crossings throughout 1995. OFA also performed the
following activities: 1) trained and provided technical assistance to Mexican environmental inspectors
and enforcement personnel; 2) promoted interagency cooperation among agencies on both sides of the
border through grants to border enforcement programs implemented by state environmental agencies;
3) initiated efforts to promote voluntary compliance with applicable environmental laws among U.S.
operations in Mexico through environmental auditing and pollution prevention; and 4) assisted in
preparing subpoenas issued under TSCA to U.S. parent companies of maquiladoras operating in
Mexicali, Mexico.
OECA has also been involved at the Agriculture Street Landfill Superfund Site (Agri-Street),
which was listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) in December 1994. This site, which
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 33
encompasses 190 acres and is located in Louisiana, was used as a municipal landfill from 1910 until
1960. No records are available to document the type of waste disposed of at the site during that time.
In 1965, the site was reopened to receive debris from Hurricane Betsy. An African American
community with three subdivisions, an elementary school, housing for the elderly, and a small business ·
complex now exists at the site.
Agri-Street site is a pilot project of the Superfund Accelerated Cleanup Model, through which
EPA has implemented an expedited remedial/removal investigation. A combined Remedial Removal
and Integrated Investigation Feasibility Study (RRIIFS) is expected to be completed within 90 to 120
days at the site. The RRIIFS combines risk assessment and evaluation of the extent and types of
contamination with ongoing removal of contaminants. Due to the expedited schedule at this site,
Agri-Street had the shortest timeframe from proposal on the NPL to actual NPL ranking of any
Superfund site in Region VI. More importantly, the Technical Assistance Grant for this site was
provided approximately three weeks after Agri-Street was formally proposed for NPL listing.
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Denver, Colorado was due for final decision on remedy selection
this year. To facilitate completion of the Record of Decision, the parties, including EPA Region VIII,
the Colorado Department of Health, the Army, and Shell Oil Company, engaged local community
members in informal remedy selection discussions. Representatives from four community groups
participated in the discussions. These citizens represented diverse constituencies, including Commerce
City, a predominantly Hispanic and low-income community, and Montbello, a community with a large
African American population. ·
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
The Office of International Activities (OIA) is conducting a number of environmental justice
activities, including funding a maternal-child study in China and incorporating environmental justice
issues into the United Nations Women's Conference to be held in Beijing, China in September 1995.
In addition, OIA held a Lead Conference for Western Hemisphere countries to develop action plans
for the phaseout Qf leaded gasoline.
OIA has also been involved in U.S.-Mexico border activities. Abandoned and illegal hazardous
waste sites are a serious problem on both sides of the United States-Mexico border. These, sites can
affect human health and the environment as contaminants migrate through the soil and into the ground
water. By their very nature, these sites are often secret; their number is unknown and locating them is
difficult. One way to combat this problem is to collect information on the waste generation rates of
Mexican and United States facilities in the border area and to collect information regarding amounts of·
raw materials being sent to maquiladora facilities from the United States. Since 1992, EPA has
developed and instituted a computerized Hazardous Waste Tracking System that will eventually
enable both governments to oversee the appropriate disposal of hazardous waste generated by the
maquiladora industries.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 34
OFFICE OF POLICY, PLANNING, AND EVALUATION
A joint United States and Mexico border characterization project has been funded as part of an
EPA initiative to improve Agency decision-making through the use of environmental statistics in
strategic planning, budgeting, and evaluation of environmental programs and regulations. The project
has three phases: I) analysis of existing federal data in developing environmental statistics and
indicators for the U.S. side of the border area; '2) coordination with SEDESOL (the Mexican
Environmental Agency) as it develops environmental statistics and indicators; and 3) development of a
report with a common or bilateral set of statistics and indicators for the environment, natural and living
resources, and economic activity within the border area.
OPPE initiated a project to improve the Agency's capabilities for evaluating multiple and chemical
exposures. Entitled "Who Bears the Burden," this project has two overarching goals: I) to provide a
basis for managing environmental protection in a more comprehensive and equitable manner; and 2) to
devise potential policy responses to better direct resources and redress the issues and concerns.
In an academic partnership, OPPE is working with the faculty, administration, and students at
Jackson State University to develop a cross-disciplinary environmental policy curriculum. The
curriculum will support both students interested in environmental careers and community outreach
programs. In 1994, OPPE entered into another cooperative agreement with Tougaloo College to
provide direct education and training to students, as well as opportunities to expand current research
into environmental areas.
OFFICE OF PREVENTION, PESTICIDES, AND TOXIC SUBSTANCES
.
EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substance (OPPTS) has invested much effort in
the development of a farm worker protection standard and in preparation of state implementation
plans, educational materials, and training. The Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) published the
revised "Worker Protection Standards (WPS) for Agricultural Pesticides," a regulation designed to
protect agricultural workers and pesticide handlers from hazardous exposures to pesticides on farms .·
and in forests, nurseries, and greenhouses. OPP and the Office of Compliance Monitoring have
developed a program to train pesticide enforcement officials to carry out agricultural inspections to
ensure that employers are in compliance with the standards. OPP has also developed a "How to
Comply" manual, informational videos, slide presentations, fact sheets, and brochures, and sponsored
informational meetings and forums to assist employers in understanding their responsibilities under the
new WPS requirements. ·
The OPPTS Lead Abatement Program has created partnerships with communities impacted by
lead poisoning and provided grants to non-profit, community~based organizations to offer lead
abatement training opportunities for communities of color and low-income residents. The Office of
Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) also gave additional outreach funds to low cost lead
abatement programs and education and training initiatives in affected communities. OPPT provides
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 35
grants to states, tribes, and local governments to build capacity to assess the extent of lead poisoning
problems, abate lead paint hazards, and ensure that lead hazards are removed safely.
In response to two citizen petitiqns received in 1994, OPPT became involved in a number of
activities focusing on the New River along the United States/Mexico border. For example, OPPT
provided a community empowerment grant to the Environmental Health Coalition to analyze and
improve conditions in the New River area. Also, OPPT is in the process of analyzing information on
chemical discharges in the New River and will issue a report in 1995.
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
A primary goal of the Office of Research and Development (ORD) is to improve the scientific
basis for informed decision-making through environmental justice research. ORD conducts research
and related activities that identify and prioritize environmental health risks in potentially impacted
communities. ORD also aims to develop risk reduction and pollution prevention options that federal,
state, tribal, and local governments, communities, and individuals can use to address their priorities.
ORD's environmental justice priorities are to: 1) significantly address and incorporate environmental
justice principles into research and related activities; 2) conduct intramural research in areas where
ORD can make the greatest contribution to environmental justice, including human exposure,
cumulative risk, and pollution prevention research; and 3) support and promote extramural
environmental justice research. ORD has formed an Environmental Justice Team to provide input · -
from all ORD offices, laboratories, and centers on the implementation of its environmental justice
strategy
ORD is currently working on.several environmental justice projects as part of its strategic plan.
ORD scientists are developing technical recommendations for procedures and equipment needed to
conduct a comprehensive study of environmental pollution in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Responding to concerns about potential environmental hazards of residents in predominantly Hispanic
communities, ORD completed a pilot monitoring project in the Brownsville, Texas area and is
currently evaluating the data gathered there to plan subsequent phases of the study.
. . ORD is also studying the effects of American Indian cooking practices on mercury concentrations
in various fish species prepared for consumption. Mercury concentrations in fish from Lake Superior
are being determined before and after preparation. Results of the study will be used to calculate a
"cooking factor" that will make data on mercury concentrations in raw fish more useful for dietary
exposure assessments.
ORD is currently conducting research on measurement methods and mo<:lels for estimating human
exposure to lead, as well as data collection and analysis to determine total exposure and health risks to
human populations from lead. This research will primarily benefit populations living in low-income
urban areas. Example projects include a model for measuring lead in children, an urban soil lead
abatement demonstration project, a project to map areas of multiple sources oflead, lead-based paint
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 36
abatement research, a childhood lead exposure assessment and reduction study, and methods for
determining bone-lead in adolescents.
ORD provided $5 .5 million for research centers at minority colleges and institutions and related
educational opportunities for people of color, including fellowships in the physical and biological
sciences, internships, curriculum, and education~l materials and programs to promote participation of
students of color in science-oriented pr9jects.
OFFICE OF SOLID WASTE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
The Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) has addressed economic
redevelopment through Brownfields and job training pilots. The Brownfields Economic
Redevelopment pilot encourages the safe and appropriate cleanup and revitalization of abandoned or
under-utilized commercial facilities where redevelopment is inhibited by real or perceived
environmental contamination. OSWER is also exploring several administrative changes which can
facilitate cleanup and redevelopment of the nation's industrial hubs without lowering cleanup
standards. OSWER is also co-sponsoring with the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council
(NEJAC) a series of public forums on Brownfields.
OSWER has developed an Environmental Justice Action Agenda, which features labor
development and training programs to supplement these economic redevelopment efforts. OSWER is
working with the Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio to develop a curriculum to train
students on environmental issues and prepare them for employment in the field of hazardous materials
cleanup activities.
As a result of many studies and concerns regarding populations exposed to multiple sources of
contaminants, OSWER is fully supporting and actively participating in Agency-wide efforts to develop
scientifically valid standards to measure cumulative risk and to involve the communities in identifying .
potential exposures and sensitive populations. In addition, OSWER has initiated several pilot projects
to address public health needs in affected communities. For example, OSWER requested assistance
from the Public Health· Service to respond to health concerns of people living near hazardous waste
sites. This project will improve the delivery of existing medical services to communities with potential
exposure to hazardous substances and build environmental health expertise in communities through
physician training and placement. In response to this request, the Superfund Medical Assistance
Workgroup was established and a Medical Assistance Plan was developed, which consists of six
elements to be implemented in three phases.
OSWER has established a system of Environmental Justice Coordinators in Headquarters
offices and the regions, as well as an environmental justice staff office. OSWER has also created a
Siting Workgroup to work with NEJAC to address the many.concerns expressed in recent years that
the siting of hazardous waste facilities has a disproportionate impact on communities of color and low-
income communities. The Workgroup is undertaking the following activities; 1) analyzing the siting
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 37
process used by states, other federal agencies, and other EPA programs, including technical and social
criteria (e.g., facility impact analysis) to determine suitability in waste siting decisions; 2) conducting
outreach to gather input on public concerns, work with community groups that have shown an interest
in siting decisions, and gain input from industry and state implementors; and 3) developing
comprehensive recommendations concerning siting issues for senior OSWER management that
address technical, community, and environment~l justice concerns. OSWER is also evaluating ways to
expand public involvement on siting and permitting issues 'and is receiving additional input from the
·public through evaluation of the comments received on its hazardous waste proposed rule to expand
public participation in the permitting process. Additional input on public participation was gained
through a series of public forums held by the Agency's Permit Improvement Team, established to
implement the relevant recommendations of the Agency's National Performance Review.
Finally, OSWER has dedicated staff to Agency-wide efforts to develop methodologies for
identifying and addressing cumulative risks from multiple pollution sources. In this effort, OSWER is
working with the Office of Research and Development, the Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation,
the Science Advisory Board, and other Headquarters offices.
OFFICE OF WATER
The Office of Water (OW) is teaming up with AmeriCorp participants from the University of
Texas at El Paso and volunteers from the Retired Senior Volunteer Program to help identify and
implement methods for managing existing and potential sources of contamination to drinking water
wells in low-income communities and communities of color along the United States/Mexican border in
the area of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad and Juarez, Mexico. This bilingual, inter-generational team will
identify potential contamination sources, educate residents about how they can best .protect their
drinking water supplies and their health, and assist communities in implementing source water
protection programs and best management practices to protect drinking water sources.
OW, working through the Rural Community Assistance Program and the Office of Environmental
Justice,· is targeting 14 pilot projects to help rural, low-income communities, and communities of color
improve their wastewater and drinking water services. These pilot projects are designed to build the
communities' capacity to deliver safe drinking water supplies and provide adequate sewage treatment
for their residents. Rural and low-income communities often have greater challenges in providing
basic public health services because they have fewer resources for building and operating wastewater
and drinking water facilities. Results from this two-year effort will be documented for potential
application in other communities with similar challenging conditions.
OW is taking action to provide greater public health protection for those populations, who,
because of cultural or economic reasons, may consume greater quantities of contaminated fish. The
-Office has established national databases to help water quality officials and the public identify where
fish contamination is an issue of concern. For the first time, a national database of state fish
consumption advisories is available to provide easy access to information on the location and types of
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 38
current advisories in waterbodies across the country. In addition, a national database will house
information on contaminated sediment sites. Sediments often store harmful pollutants and, when
ingested by fish, these pollutants can accumulate to levels that may be toxic when the fish are eaten by
humans. Sediment contamination is a widespread problem but it is of particular concern in urban .
industrialized areas that may have higher numbers of subsistence anglers or in other geographic areas
where certain populations rely on fishing for subsistence or cultural reasons. Identification of these
areas is the first step towards cleanup. Finally, a national database has been established to house state
data on fish tissue quality. This repository will provide the information needed to better assess and
address risks from eating fish contaminated with mercury, dioxin, and other harmful pollutants.
Studies are being conducted to provide better data for potential revisions to water quality criteria,
the means by which states set standards for protecting public health and the environment. Fish
consumption rates are factored in during criteria development. To ensure that these criteria are
sufficiently protective of populations that may consume greater quantities of fish than the general
population (e.g., recreational and substance anglers, Asian Pacific Americans, American
Indians/Alaska Natives, low-income populations), OW is collecting data on actual consumption rates.
This information could greatly improve the development of more relevant and protective water quality
criteria.. A fish consumption study is underway of Northwest Indian tribes and similar studies have·
been ongoing in American Indian populations for several years. A study of the Umatilla, Nez Perce, .
Yakama, and Warm Springs Tribes of the Colombia River Basin, an area with known dioxin
contamination, is being conducted in cooperation with the Coiumbia River Inter-Tribal Fish
Commission. This study will assess fish consumption rates; the species of fish consumed, fish
preparation methods, and the extent of contamination.
OW is directing states to include waterbodies used for fishing purposes and known to contain
contaminated fish on its list of priority waters. These lists, required under the Clean Water Act,
identify areas in greatest need of attention and serve as the basis for decision-making regarding future
assessments, pollution prevention, and clean up actions.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 39
CHAPTER V -REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
This chapter documents the regional accomplishments in the area of environmental justice. These
activities are not inclusive of all that the regions are doing to ensure environmental justice; they are a
collection of significant regional initiatives. Many of the activities in the regions are unique, however,
there are some similar programs underway. For example, as in the Headquarters offices, each of the
regions has a regional Environmental Justice Coordinator and most have also established an
environmental justice coordinating structure and/or designated staff to focus on environmental justice
issues. Additionally, many ofthe regions have developed guidance documents on environmental
justice.
REGION ONE
Region I has established an Environmental Justice Councii made up of fifteen representatives
from various regional division offices. The Council is responsible for assisting the leadership team and
the regional Environmental Justice Coordinator on the integration of environmental justice into daily
regional operations. The Office of Regional Counsel has also created an Environmental Justice
Workgroup. Additionally, the region developed an Environmental Justice Policy and a regional Action
Agenda to address environmental risks to low-income communities and communities of color and to
foster innovative partnerships with community groups and other stakeholders
Region I has launched an Urban Ecosystems Initiative to maximize resources and adopt a holistic,
multimedia approach to the urban environment. The centerpiece of the initiative is a pilot project
called "Green Spaces, Healthy Places," which emphasizes pollution prevention practices and the
education and empowerment of urban communities. ·
Region I has conducted a number of science teachers' workshops on environmental issues for
inner-city school teachers, developed in conjunction with the Freedom House, a community-based
organization. Region I has also created ten teaching modules for youth on urban environmental issues,
developed a training program on environmental health risks (e.g. lead poisoning, second-hand smoke,
and radon) for day care providers in people of color and low-income communities, and sponsored a
conference on indoor air for managers of public housing developments and elderly housing units in
Massachusetts.
Additionally, the region is participating as a government liaison in the Massachusetts
Environmental Justice Network, along with representatives from the Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection. The Network consists of environmental consultants and professionals who
offer technical assistance to low-income communities and communities of color that are confronted
with environmental hazards. The Network offers a comprehensive approach to environmental
assistance and economic development in traditionally und-errepresented communities and is among the
first of its kind in the United States.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 40
REGION TWO
In addition to the regional Environmental Justice Coordinator, Region II created an
Environmental Justice Workgroup comprised of representatives from each regional Divison Office.
The region has also developed an Environmental Justice Order, which establishes the mission, scope of
activities, and framework of operations for the regional Environmental Justice Workgroup. This
Order has been followed by a regional Environmental Justice Plan.
Region II is working with the Office of Regulatory Enforcement's Multimedia Enforcement
Division (ORE-MED) on a case involving a major utility company and electric power plants, four of
which are in the Catano, Puerto Rico area. Catano is a Hispanic community in which the majority of
its residents live below the poverty level. Residents of the Catano area have been concerned with
emissions from oil-burning power plants, an oil refining facility, and other industrial sources of
environmental contamination. Specifically, higher incidence of respiratory conditions, cancer, and
poor academic performance among school-age children are believed to be related to environmental
factors. The major thrust of the case is to improve the regional water and air quality. This case
documents violations of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Oil Pollution Act, Underground
Storage Tank regulations, Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, and Superfund
reporting requirements. ORE-MED is currently evaluating supplemental environmental projects
proposed by the defendant utility company. The proposed projects will improve both water and air
quality to the benefit of local impoverished communities of color.
Region II completed an intensive compliance monitoring and enforcement program, which
included 346 unannounced inspections at 300 facilities in the Catano area. As a result of these
inspections, over 40 enforcement actions were taken. A number-of major enforcement actions are still
_ underway. In addition, five site assessments under the Superfund Program have been completed.
In June of 1994, Region II initiated two air monitoring projects. One used a mobile monitor to
conduct intensive sampling of air pollutants that are most closely connected with respiratory diseases.
These pollutants ipclude ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulates, and acid aerosols. The .
second project used Passive Sampling Devices (PSD) to collect sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and
ozone samples. Because these monitors are small and simple to use, EPA was able to collect data in
many areas not accessible by more sophisticated equipment. EPA also provided a number of PSD's to
community residents to collect samples in their neighborhoods. In addition, EPA also distributed a
number of canisters to local residents for the measurement of volatile organic compounds during times
when strong odors are detected. The tests were conducted during the summer of 1994.
The region has also initiated a study of the prevalence and severity of asthma in school age
children. This report will provide improved understanding of the relationship between air pollution
and asthma. The investigation is being conducted by the Puerto Rico Department of Health, under
contract with the Centers forDisease Control (CDC), and is being funded by an interagency
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 41
agreement with the region. The Puerto Rico study is part of the CDC's international study of Asthma
and Allergies in Children.
In partnership with the Puerto Rico Department of Health and Partners for Pure Water (PPW), a
public-private partnership, the region continues to make progress in providing safer drinking water to
communities that do not belong to the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA).
Through the PPW, increasing numbers of major pharmaceutical companies have adopted non-PRASA
communities in their areas. These companies provide expertise and other resources to upgrade or
build new facilities to bring the communities into compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. ·
These actions have helped reduce the public health risk in these communities due to unsafe drinking
water.
The PPW has also purchased and installed fourteen chlorinators in non-PRASA communities to
disinfect drinking water. In addition, PPW supplied seven chlorinators to non-PRASA communities,
which installed the chlorinators on their own. PPW has established contact with fourteen new non-
PRASA communities that it will work with to solve drinking water problems. This public-private
partnership, established by Region II, continues to be very successful in helping the non-PRASA
communities of Puerto Rico.
Region II has completed a statistically-based study to explore environmental justice issues
associated with the location and cleanup of regional inactive_ hazardous waste sites that are on the
NPL. The study was conducted by a professor at New York University's Graduate School of Public
Administration. The purpose of the study was to determine: 1) if particular sectors of the population
are living in proximity to Superfund NPL sites; and 2) if certain sectors of the population have been
disproportionately served by any of the processes and procedures for identifying and remediating
· hazardous waste sites under the Superfund Program. The study found that areas around Superfund
sites have.house values and rental fees that are lower than state averages but that the percentage of
minority populations in these areas are lower than or equal to the state average. In addition, the
researchers found no apparent correlation between the socioeconomic status of the communities
adjacent to the sites and the expediency of the site clean up process. Region II distributed information
from this report during the meeting ·of Environmental Justice Coordinators in Washington DC.
Region II has initiated efforts to improve people of color and low-income communities' access to
public notices and other media that announce RCRA permitting and corrective actions. The region
has provided improved communication tools, including the translation of public notices into the
appropriate language of local residents and the placement of public notices in foreign language
newspapers and other media. The region is also preparing training materials on environmental justice
issues for new employees in these areas. Additionally, the region is conducting an environmental
justice evaluation of ten RCRA sites for prioritization of permit and corrective action activities. These
efforts are focused in four areas with environmental justice concerns: Buffalo and the Bronx, New
York; Ponce, Puerto Rico; and N~wark, New Jersey.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 42
In low-income areas, recyc1ing and source reduction is reportedly lower than in other areas.
Therefore, Region II has initiated.a project to use the Solid Waste Grant Program to support pilot
studies on solid waste recycling and/or source reduction in specific communities of color, lo~-irigome
communities, and non-profit organiza~ions.
REGION THREE
Region III has created an Environmental Justice Office to better address the environmental justice
concerns in the region. The regional Environmental Justice Coordinator works with the Office on
regionat activities.
The Baltimore Urban Environmental Initiative (URI) is an interagency activity being conducted
by Region III in cooperation with the City of Baltimore and the Maryland Department of the
Environment (MDE). The URI will identify and rank areas of disproportionate risk in Baltimore City
for purposes of implementing risk reduction, pollution prevention, public awareness, and other
appropriate environmental activities to minimize or eliminate these risks.
The URI consists of several components, including the Project Development and Problem
Identification Report. The Report will describe the data gathering and risk identification and
characterization exercises in support of the URI. Data have been gathered from a number of existing
environmental and demographics-based databases to identify and evaluate human health and ecological -
threats. This information will be used to target risk reduction/prevention activities. Quantitative and
qualitative risk assessment methods have been applied and displayed through the use of a geographic
information system (GIS).
The URI will also develop short and long-term plans to address issues of concern and methods
for data collection, analysis, and project planning. A preliminary short-term risk analyses has been
completed using the knowledge and best professional judgement of an interagency team, including the
City of Baltimore, MDE, and EPA. The team identified six areas of environmental concern that could
benefit from immediate action: 1) lead; 2) hazardous materials incidents; 3) fish consumption/toxins in
the harbor; 4) air toxins; 5) ground-level ozone; and 6) indoor air and radon. Individual interagency
action teams have been formed to address each issue through the development of action agendas,
which will address the overall goals of risk reduction, pollution prevention, and outreach and
education in each risk area.
The City of Chester, Pennsylvania has one of the highest concentrations of industrial facilities in
the state. The city hosts a number of waste processing plants and two oil refineries. All solid waste
from Delaware County is incinerated in Chester and at least 85% of raw sewage and associated sludge
is treated there. A large infectious medical waste facility was also recently sited in Chester. Many of
these plants are located in close proximity to residential neighborhoods. In fact, a clustering of waste
treatment facilities have been permitted within I 00 feet of approximately 200 Chester residences.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 43
These factors led the Regional Administrator to declare Chester a regional priority. In 1994, two
workgroups were created: the Chester 30-day Task Force and the Chester 180-day Task Force. The
mission of the 30-Day Task Force was to develop an action plan that used tools available to EPA to
address the concerns of Chester residents. An integral part of the plan was to use enforcement to
address environmental and compliance concerns in Chester. The Chester 180-Day Task Force
centered its activity on conducting a long-term cumulative risk assessment.
Under a cooperative agreement, EPA awarded $250,000 to the District of Columbia to conduct .
toxicological human health and ecological risk assessments for the purpose of implementing more
effective risk reduction and pollution prevention efforts as well as public education and outreach. A
feature of the cooperative agreement is to provide direct support to community groups, civic
associations, and other non-profit organizations for education, interpretation of risk assessment data,
and identification of community risk perceptions, risk reduction, and pollution prevention activities.
Region Ill's Environmental Justice GIS Demographics Analysisff argeting System focuses on
communities of color and/or low-income communities and addresses the central underlying theme of
environmental justice concerns. The Region's capability to access and analyze demographic data for·
any area in the region allows for more accurate and consistent interpretation and resolution of
environmental justice issues .
. REGION FOUR
Region IV has established an Environmental Justice Office to coordinate regional activities related
to environmental .h!_stice. The regional Environmental Justice Coordinator works in conjunction with
this Office.
Region IV is currently working on geographic initiatives to gather data and reduce risk in low-
income communities and communities of color. These activities include a pilot study in Mobile,
Alabama to collect data on ambient air levels in an industrial area; development of methodologies for
measuring and as~essing atmosphere -deposition of mercury in South Florida; the Atlanta -
Environmental Priorities Project, which will develop a comprehensive plan for addressing
environmental risks; and a data collection and model exposure project with the Commonwealth of
Kentucky to monitor toxic releases from numerous industries affecting the Tri-State area of Kentucky,
Ohio, and West Virginia._ The region has also selected the Tennessee Products Superfund site, located
in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as a pilot site for a Community Advisory Group. Additionally, the region
provided assistance to Keysville, Georgia, a small rural, low-income community of color, to develop a
wellhead protection plan for the city's only drinking water source.
The region has also developed and is in the process of implementing the Tift County Georgia
Environmental Justice Geographic Initiative. This pilot project will study waste sites located in Tifton,
Georgia and the surrounding Tift County. A total of 19 potential hazardous waste sites are located in
Tifton, which has about 15,000 residents. These include one NPL site, one site currently under
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 44
evaluation for inclusion on the NPL, and six sites that have undergone a waste removal or are
currently undergoing a waste removal. EPA is working with CLOUT (a citizen's group in Tifton), the
Georgia Environmental Protection Division, and the Tift County Board of Commissioners to address
the environmental harm from these sites in Tift County. The Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry has also been active through existing agreements with EPA, which provide public
health assessments in communities surrounding NPL sites. In an effort to highlight the activities in Tift
County, Region IV's senior management officials attended several community/public meetings to
maintain open communication with local community leaders. and residents.
The Region IV Air, Pesticides, and Toxic Management Division (APTMD) distributes
information, translates materials, and holds workshops to inform local agricultural workers about
pesticides risks and provisions for worker safety. APTMD is also conducting enforcement initiatives
within the Tri-State area and Mobile, Alabama to investigate and secure source compliance with
applicable air and toxic regulations and standards. Finally, APTMD conducted outreach activities on
radon and lead-based paint exposures and mitigation for tribes and worked with the Corporation for
National and Community Service to develop radon and lead-based paint outreach programs.
REGION FIVE
In addition to the regional Environmental Justice Coordinator, Region V has designated two.
Environmental Justice Coordinators in its Waste Management Division. The region has also created
the Environmental Justice Steering Committee, comprised of Division and Office Directors, to provide
overall guidance on regional environmental justice activities. Additionally, Region V has formed an
Environmental Justice Workgroup, with representatives from each Division and Office, to develop a
regional environmental justice strategy: Finally, Region V has developed an Environmental Justice
Policy Statement and a tracking report to assess the implementation of regional environmental justice
goals. ·
Region V has developed five geographic initiatives located in Southeast Chicago; Illinois;
Northwest Indiana; Cleveland, Ohio; Southeast Michigan; and East St. Louis, Missouri. These
initiatives will build partnerships with state and local governments and enhance public outreach and
community involvement. The region prepared a draft report assessing the reduction of TRI emissions
among people of color and low-income populations in Northwest Indiana and Southeast Chicago.
The Region's Air and Radiation Division and the Illinois and Cook County pollution control agencies
developed a monitoring strategy for Chicago's Northwest Incinerator. The Region's Environmental
Services Division and ATSDR conducted an air monitoring study in Southeast Chicago to obtain data
on actual exposure to residents in that community.
Region V has made environmental justice a factor in prioritizing multi-media enforcement efforts
·and has a number of enforcement and compliance geographic initiatives, mostly focused in urban areas
with significant people of color and/or low-income populations. The regional Air and Radiation
Division is actively pursuing pollution sources in urban areas through industry specific enforcement
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 45
initiatives targeted at facilities such as refineries, steel mills, and foundries. The Division has also -· ·
developed an asbestos non-notifier initiative targeted at low-income communities and communities of
color. The initiative is designed to stop the practice of demolishing buildings without notifying EPA
to ensure that any existing asbestos is properly handled. ·
The Great Lakes National Program Office is collecting information to measure and identify
potential risk from persistent toxic substances in the Great Lakes basin, which may disproportionately
affect people of color and American Indian populations. The Office has also awarded two grants to
the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission: 1) to assist the tribes in evaluating their role
and promoting their involvement in the management of the Great Lakes environment, and 2) to
produce a video for American Indian schools on mercury contamination and fish consumption.
REGION SIX
Region VI has established an Environmental Justice Committee, comprised of representatives
from each Division and the Offices of Regional Counsel and External Affairs. Additionally, the
Regional Administrator has committed over one-third of her discretionary funds for environmental
justice projects, including support for state environmental justice offices and programs, the Tulane
Medical Research's Health Surveillance Pilot Program, and the Peace and Justice Organization's youth
play.
The region conducted an initial activity survey for the Louisiana Industrial Corridor between New
Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Based on the survey, a correlation analysis will be performed in
an attempt to define the relationship between accidental chemical releases and racial and economic
population characteristics. The study will contrast this area with the "top twenty accidental release
frequency counties" and the region as a whole.
Region VI conducted a Case Development Sampling Inspection at the Alamodome in San
Antonio, Texas. Of 15 samples collected, only two had concentrations of lead above the detection
limit. The facility is of concern to the East Environmental Leadership Committee, whose membership
includes citizens living near the site. Region VI also conducted various community involvement
activities (including public meetings, a training session, and community interviews) at the AT&SF
Superfund site, located in a low-income, predominately Hispanic community.
The Region VI Solid Waste Section is mapping and performing demographic analyses on the
populations that surround solid waste landfills in all five regional states. Region VI integrated census
data on population characteristics, environmental factors, and household linguistics in the regional GIS
so that users can obtain integrated maps and reports on any neighborhood in the region. Using GIS,
Region VI also developed a multi-media inspection targeting process that uses environmental justice
as a ranking factor. The Region VI Waste Management Division continues to utilize the integrated
GIS coupled with demographic information to prioritize the issuance of major National Pollutant
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 46
Discharge Elimination System municipal and industrial permits. The Division has also conducted
environmental justice analyses to determine demographics around I 07 hazardous waste injection wells.
REGION SEVEN
Region VII has established Environmental Justice Workgroups in its divisions and offices and has
formed a regional Environmental Justice Council to report on, plan, and review regional environmental
justice activities.
In 1994, Region VII awarded six Environmental Justice Grants to assist grantees in the
development or continuation of environmental justi~e activities. The region is addressing
environmental issues on tribal lands by ensuring that its programs provide assistance and identify ways
to assist tribes and increase cultural awareness of Region VII staff. General assistance agreements
which include solid waste and underground storage tank activities have been established for each tribe.
The regional Superfund Division completed a screening process to identify areas within the region
that could have potential environmental justice related problems. The two areas to be targeted as part
of a focused environmental strategy are St. Louis, Missouri, an urban area, and JaspeF County,
Missouri, a rural area. The pilot projects will allow the region to test its targeting methodology and
work collaboratively with federal, state, and local government officials. This will include the following
activities: I) development of an economic Brownsfields redevelopment initiative with St. Louis
officials; and 2) collaboration with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the Public
Health Service, and the Department of Health and Human Services in the exploration of opportunities.
for public involvement and education of Jasper County residents concerning health issues related to
the Superfund site.
The regional Waters, Wetlands, and Pesticides Division formed an Environmental Justice
Workgroup that, in addition to other activities, is working with the Office oflntegrated Analysis to
develop a user-friendly GIS-compatible graphical data base system that contains an assessment oflow-
income and minority communities in the region. ·
The regional Office of External Programs provided Haskell Indian Nations University an
Environmental Education grant to promote awareness and education on environmental justice through
a summer environmental program for American Indian high school students. The Office also worked
collaboratively with regional programs in the participation of the first national downlink, which aired
the Interagency Public Meeting at Clark Atlanta University, located in Atlanta, Georgia.
REGION EIGHT
. -
Region VIII has a regional Environmental Justice Workgroup with representatives from each
media program. The region also has a RCRA Workgroup to incorporate environmental justice into its
siting standards and regulations.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 47
Through the American Lung Association, Region VIII is helping to educate people of color and
low-income audiences on the health dangers from exposure to secondhand smoke. As part of this
effort, the region has proposed a cooperative agreement with the City and County of Denver,
Colorado to conduct secondhand smoke outreach in shelters housing children, battered women, and
homeless people. This program will also sponsor a Future Workers Indoor Air Quality training course
for instructors in cosmetology schools. This audience, which primarily consists of people of color and
low-income individuals, is exposed to high levels of indoor air pollutants and are not usually
recognized in most community-based training. ·
The region presented over twenty-five training sessions on the Worker Protection Rule to the
regulated community in Colorado and Wyoming and twelve Train-the-Trainer sessions. Additionally,
the region revised the applicator certification home study course for Colorado to provide information
on the worker protection rule training requirements. Information displays have been placed in most
pesticide dealerships, Cooperative Extension Offices,· and Soil Conservation Service Offices to alert
farmers to the new rule. The region also conducted over a dozen training sessions on the
Environmental Justice Small Grants and the Environmental Justice through Pollution Prevention
Grants Programs for targeted communities.
A regional environmental justice/pollution prevention project was initiated to target the ten
poorest areas in each of the Region's states. The intent of the project is to work with the local
populations to increase awareness, provide environmental justice and pollution prevention training,
and encourage business participation. The project is based on voluntary actions to illustrate how
industry can achieve savings while involved in pollution prevention activities.
REGION NINE
Region IX has developed an Environmental Justice Steering Committee, comprised of senior
management repres.entatives. The region has also established an Environmental Justice Workgroup,
involving staff and management representatives from each Division and Office.
Region IX initiated a multimedia Environmental Justice Assessment Project that will utilize GIS
and 1990 census data to identify low-income communities and communities of color. The project will ---
overlay all emission and release sources, which include Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) permitted facilities, RCRA corrective action facilities, Superfund sites, and air toxic hot
spots. The results will be used to prioritize the Region's efforts in the most impacted communities and
to work with these communities to assess environmental concerns and problems. Outreach to groups
and states will occur at many stages to collect information on data gathering methodology, data
analysis communication, and recommendations for future activities.
The Regional Administrator visited several communities in 1994 to discuss environmental
problems and environmental justice concerns. These visits included communities located near the
South Tucson Airport Superfund site in Arizona; community residents, Native Hawaiian Rights
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 48
groups, and environmental groups in Puna, Hawaii; and members of the Torres Martinez Tribe in
southern California concerned with a local sludge.operation. The Regional Administrator also toured
communities in southern California that are concerned with pesticide exposure issues. Follow-up
activities with all of these communities continue on an ongoing basis.
In 1994, Region IX awarded seven grants under the Environmental Justice Small Grants
Program. The awardees were: the University of Hawaii, to work with Native Hawaiians on the
development of an informational handbook on state and federal environmental law-making procedures
and to encourage native Hawaiian involvement in environmental issues; Concerned Citizens of South
Central Los Angeles, to produce public service announcements in Spanish and Engiish to increase
public awareness of lead poisoning in low-income and communities of color; the California Rural
Legal Assistance Foundation, to support continuing work in farm worker education; the Ethnic
Coalition of Southern California, to hold four community forums to discuss environmental problems
and environmental justice in the Los Angeles area; Golden Gate University, to develop a guidebook
that includes a list of environmental laws in California and a description of how low-income
communities and communities of color can be actively involved; Asian Immigrant Women Advocates,
to continue an environmental health and safety project for Asian immigrant women electronics
assemblers in the Silicon Valley area; and the Environmental Health Coalition, to work with Por La
Vida ( a community group) to train Latina women in the community about environmental problems,
risk reduction, and pollution prevention in their neighborhoods.
The Region IX Environmental Justice Coordinator and other regional staff and management also
gave numerous presentations to outside groups and agencies focusing on environmental justice
concerns and activities, including presentations on Lead Hazards in the Home to the Arizona
Interagency Farm Worker Coalition and general environmental justice information presentations to the
California Base Closure Advisory Group, the national Federal Facility Conference, and the
Pittsburgh/Antioch Black Professional Women's Organization. In addition, the Region IX Toxics
Management Section hosted a meeting to bring together local citizens advocacy groups for the
purpose of clarifying what role these groups can play in assisting EP A's implementation of Title X
requirements. •'
REGION TEN
In addition to the regional Envfronmental Justice Coordinator, Region X has a senior staff lead
who is responsible for managing the regional environmental justice program and program/project .
Environmental Justice Coordinators who are assigned to specific projects. The region also established
an Environmental Justice Core Group in 1994. This group represents all divisions and serves as an ·
advisory board to the region, providing guidance on a variety of issues, such as environmental justice
coordination, policy issues, grants, and training.
Along with community and state participation, Region X generates an Environmental Justice
Update which is distributed throughout the region on a bi-annual basis. This Update is one of the
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 49
tools that the region has used to broaden its communication network on issues such as grant
opportunities and training. The Updates are sent to a wide variety of community contacts included on
a regional environmental justice mailing list, targeting audiences of people of color, tribes, and/or low-
income individuals. The list of contacts nearly tripled in 1994.
The region has established a regional Tribal Advisory Committee to develop a stronger working
relationship with and increase awareness of tribal cultures. The Committee will work closely with the
region's tribal office to help address tribal environmental issues and initiatives including tribal fish
consumption studies and the Alaska Native Villages Rural Sanitation Initiative.
In 1994, Region X sponsored a successful all-day community grants training workshop. The
regional Environmental Justice Office organized the workshop, which included informational
presentations by state, local, and endowment institutions. The purpose of the workshop was to
discuss the requirements for filling out grant application forms and to demonstrate how to prepare a
go_od proposal. Feedback from workshop participants was extremely positive.
The region has.initiated a project to help identify what local residents and community
representatives identified as their main environmental problems and to address these problems with
community suggestions and recommendations. The project includes an investigation of community .
concerns and perspectives, demographics, and economic and health factors in targeted urban areas.
The Region X Lead Program is continuing to target resources and grants towards projects in
people of color and low-income communities. The projects include examining lead concentrations in
drinking water, dust, soil, and paint in child care centers, elementary schools, and public facilities.
Region X is completing 4'11 analysis of Superfund actions using a methodology similar to The
Environmental Law Journal's report on EPA sites within the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System (Special Supplement, 9/21/92). This
project will examine if people of color and low-income communities in Region X receive less stringent
enforcement measures at Superfund sites.
Region X is continuing work with other local and state agencies to identify and address
disproportionately high and adverse human health or envfronmental effects in low-income communities
and communities of color. These efforts include working towards standardizing databases and
definitions relevant to the analysis of environmental justice, so that the findings are
useful to EPA, state, and local communities.
Region X has entered into a cooperative agreement with the Refugee Federation Service, an
.Asian Pacific American community group. The region and the community will work together to
determine the scope and feasibility of an Asian Pacific American seafood consumption study in the
Puget Sound area. The study will focus on seafood consumption patterns among Asian Pacific
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 50
Americans. This information will be valuable in the calculation of protective human health criteria and
will provide the region with the tools to develop appropriate outreach activities for these populations.
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 51
APPENDIX I -EPA NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
ADVISORY COUNCIL CHARTER MEMBERSHIP
COUNCIL:
Richard Moore, Chair
Clarice Gaylord, Designated Federal Official
Bunyan Bryant
Robert Bullard
Mable Butler
Herman Ellis
Deeohn Ferris
John Hall
Dolores Herrera
Hazel Johnson
Richard Lazarus
Charles Lee
Charles McDeimott
Richard Moore (Chair)
Laurie Morissette
John O'Leary
Michael Pierle
Peggy Saika
Jean Sindab
Gail Small
Cindy Thomas
Baldemar Velasquez
Velma V eloria
Nathalie Walker
Beverly Wright
University of Michigan
Clark Atlanta University
Orange County Florida Commissioner
Rohn and Haas Company
Washington Office for Environmental Justice
Texas Natural Resources Conservation Comm.
Albuquerque San Jose Community Awareness Council
People for Community Recovery
Washington University School of Law
United Church of Christ Commission on Env. Justice
Waste Management, Inc.
SW Network for Environmental and Econ. Justice
EG&G, Inc.
Pierce, Atwood, & Scribner
Monsanto
Asian Pacific Environmental Network
National Council of Churches
Native Action
Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
Farm Labor Organizing Committee
Washington State Legislature
Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund
Xavier University
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 52
EPA NEJAC SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS
Public Participation and Accountability Subcommittee:
Peggy Saika, Chair
Robert Knox, Designated Federal Official
Dana Alston
Carl Anthony
Mable Butler*
Domingo· Gonzales
Dolores Herrera*
John Kyte
Pam Tau Lee
John O'Leary* .
Peggy Saika* (Chair)
Cindy Thomas*
Beverly Wright*
Baldemar Velasquez*
Public Welfare Foundation
Earth Island Institute
Commissioner, Orange County Florida
Texas Center for Policy Studies
Albuquerque San Jose Community Awareness
National Association of Manufacturers
University of California, Berkeley
Pierce, Atwood & Scribner
Asian Pacific Environmental Network
Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of AK
Xavier University
Farm Labor Organizing Committee
Waste and Facility Siting Subcommittee:
Charles Lee, Chair
Jan Young,_ Designated Federal Official
SueBriggum
Irasema Coronado
Michael Guererro
Fran Dubrowski
Donald Elisburg
David Hahn-Baker
Lillian Kawasaki
Tom Kennedy
Kevin Ladaris
Charles Lee* (Chair)
Mildred McClain
Michael Pierle*
Jon Sesso
Jean Sindab*
Lenny Siegel
Jonathan Taylor .
Connie Tucker
Velma Veloria *
Nathalie Walker*
-Pat Williams
WMX
University of Arizona
SWOF
Alliance for Justice
Laborer's Intl. Union of North America
Inside-Out
LA Department of Environment
ASTSWHO
Student Environment Action Coalition
UC of Christ Commission on Racial Justice
Citizens for EnvironmentalJustice
Monsanto
Silverbow Mt Planning Committee
National Council of Churches
Pacific Studies Center
Cherokee Nation
Southern Organizing Committee
State of Washington
Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund
NWF
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 53
Enforcement Subcommittee:
Deeohn Ferris, Chair
Sherry Milan, Designated Federal Official
Hope Babcock
Pat Bryant
Denise Ferguson-Southard
Deeohn Ferris* (Chair)
Sylvia Herrera
Richard Lazarus*
Richard Moore*
Laurie Morissette*
Art Ray
Gail Small*
Georgetown Law Center
Gulf Coast Tenants Organization
State of Maryland
Washington Office for Env. Justice
People Organized in Defense of Earth Resources
Washington University
SW Network for Env. & Econ. Justice
EG&G, Inc.
PEPCO
Native Action
Health and Research Subcommittee:
Robert Bullard, Chair
Lawrence Martin, Designated Federal Official
Jose Bravo
· Bunyan Bryant*
Robert Bullard* (Chair)
Herman Ellis*
Benjamin Goldman
Tom Goldtooth
Hazel Johnson*
Chuck McDermott*
Raphael Metzger
Dr. Janet Phoenix
Bailus Walker
* Denotes Members of Council
Environmental Health Coalition
University of Michigan
Clark Atlanta University
Rohm and Haas Company
Jobs & Environment Campaign
Red Band of Chippewa Indians
People for Community Recovery
Waste Management, Inc.
COSSHMO
National Safety Council ·
University of Oklahoma
Office of Environmental. Justice Annual Report 54
APPENDIX II -LIST OF MATERIALS AVAILABLE FROM THE
OFFICE OF ENVIRO~MENTAL JUSTICE
TITLE OF DOCUMENT DOCUMENT
NUMBER
1993 EJ ANNUAL REPORT 1
1993 PROJECT MATRIX 13
1994 EJ ANNUAL REPORT 40 .
ADMINISTRATOR'S EJ STATEMENT 5
ASIAN AMERICAN: POLICY ISSUES 29
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT -TITLE VI 44
ENDANGERED COMMUNITIES 36
EJ CONTACTS AT EPA 39
EJSTRATEGY-APRIL 1995 50
EJ HOTLINE BROCHURE 37
EJ HOTLINE BROCHURE (SPANISH) 38
EARTH DAY MESSAGE FROM PRES. CLINTON 4/94 41
EPA ORGANIZATION LIST -.HEADQUARTERS 48
EPA ORGANIZATION LIST -REGIONAL 49
EPA'S EJ ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE 47
EJ BIBLIOGRAPHY 11
EJUPDATE MEMOS: 10/92; 12/92, 7/93 17,18,19
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS -NATIONAL 12
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (HEALTH SYMPOSIUM) 2/94 30
FACT SHEET: EJ BACKGROUND 9
FACT SHEET: EJ BACKGROUND (SPANISH) 10
FACT SHEET: NEJACBACKGROUND 32
FACTSHEET: SMALLGRANTSPROGRAM 33
FACT SHEET: SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM (SPANISH) 34
FACT SHEET: UNIVERSITY/COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP GRANTS 54
-
FACT SHEET: UNIVERSITY/COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS (SPANISH) 55
GAYLORDINTERVIEW: PATRIOT'S 1994 42
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 55
INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES (BIBLIO.) 35
MONITOR: 1ST PUBLIC MEETING IN ATLANTA (1/19/95) 4
LEGISLATION ON EJ -STATE Bll,LS 43
LEGISLATION ON EJ -SUMMARY OF FEDERAL Bll,LS 28
MISSION STATEMENT (FROM 1993 ANNUAL REPORT) 27
NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS CATALOG-REFERENCE ONLY
NEJAC CHARTER 25
NEJACPROCEEDINGS: D.C. MAY20, 1994 22
NEJAC PROCEEDINGS: ALBUQUERQUE 8/3-5/94 23
NEJAC PROCEEDINGS: DULLES-D.C. 10/25-27/94 24
NEJACPROCEEDINGS: ATLANTA 1/17-19/95 51
OSWER EJ TASK FORCE REPORT 46
PRESIDENTS EXECUTIVE ORDER 12898 20
PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER -FACT SHEET 21
PRINCIPLES OF ENIVRONMENTAL JUSTICE 26
RECOMMENDATIONS: HEALTH SYMPOSIUM -2/94 52
REDUCING RISK COMMUNITIES: VOL. I 2
REDUCING RISK COMMUNITIES: VOL. II 3
SERVING A DIVERSE SOCIETY BROCHURE 6
SERVING A DIVERSE SOCIETY BROCHURE (SPANISH) 7
..
SLIDES: EJ-ClVIl, RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF 90'S 45
SMALL GRANTS REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS 15
SMALL GRANTS AWARDED: FY 1994 16
TOWARD DIVERSITY 14
TOXIC WASTE & RACE (UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST) --8
1987
UNIVERSITY/COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP GRANTS -REQUESTS FOR 53
APPLICATIONS
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 56
APPENDIX III -ACRONYMS USED IN THIS REPORT
A
AIEO ............ .
ALA .............. .
APTMD ......... .
ARD .............. .
ATSDR ......... .
-----------C
CAA .............. .
CAG ........... -... .
CDC .............. .
CERCLA ....... .
CRUW .......... .
cw A · ............. .
D
DFO ................ .
DOJ. ................ .
E
EIS ................ .
EPA ............... .
EJ. .................. .
EJC -............... .
F
FFEO ........... .-.. .
G
GAP .............. .
GIS ................ .
GLNPO ......... .
GLO .............. :
American Indian Environmental Office
American Lung Association ·
Air, Pesticides, & Tmcics Management Division (Regio_n IV)
Air and Radiation Division
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Clean Air Act
Community Advisory Group
Centers for Disease Control ·
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
Coalition to Restore Urban Water
Clean Water Act
Designated Federal Official
Department of Justice.
Environmental Impact Statement
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Justice , __
Environmental Justice Coordinators
Federal Facilities Enforcement Office
General Assistance Program
Geographic Information System
· Great Lakes National Program Office
Greater Leadership Opportunities Program
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 57
GRO .............. .
H
HBCU's ......... .
HlJD : ............ .
I
IWG .............. .
L
LLRW ........... .
M
~E ............. .
MOA ............. .
MOU ............. .
N
NAAQS ....... :.
NCHS ............ .
NEJAC .......... .
NEPA ............ .
NETI ............. .
NHANES ...... .
NPL ............... .
NPDES ......... .
0
OAQPS ......... .
OAR .............. .
OARM .......... .
OCEPA ......... .
OCR .............. .
OECA ........... .
Goal Setters's Reaching for Opportunities
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Department of Housing and Urban Development
lnteragency Working Group
Low Level Radioactive Waste
Maryland Department of the Environment
Memorandum of Agreement ·
Memorandum of Understanding
Non-Attainment Air Quality Standards
National Center for Health Statistics
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council
National Environmental Policy Act
National Enforcement Training Institute
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
National Priorities List
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
Office of Air Quality and Planning Standards
Office of Air and Radiation
Office of Administration and Resource Management
Office of Communications, Education, and Public Affairs
Office of Civil Rights
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 58
OEJ ............... .
OFA .............. .
OGC .............. .
OIA , .............. .
OIRM ........... .
OPPE ............. ·
OPPTS .......... .
ORD .............. .
ORE .............. .
ORE-MED .... .
ORE-RED .... ..
ORE-TPED .... .
ORIA ............ .
OSDBU .......... .
OSHA ........... ..
OSWER ......... .
OW ................ .
p
PECT ........... .
PETE .......... .
PPW .............. .
PRASA ........ .
PSD .............. .
PWS .............. .
R
RA ................. .
RCRA ............ .
RCRIS ........... .
RRIIFS .......... .
s
SEDESOL ..... .
SEP's ............. .
T
TCI ............... .
TIGER .......... .
Office of Environmental Justice
Office of Federal A.:~tivities
Office of General Counsel
Office of International Activities
Office of Information Resources Management
Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation
Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances
Office of Research and Development
Office of Regulatory Enforcement
Office of Regulatory Enforcement's Multimedia Enforcement Division
Office of Regulatory Enforcement's RCRA Enforcement Division
Office of Regulatory Enforcement's Toxics & Pesticides Enforcement Division
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air
Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
Office of Water
Population Estimation and Characterization Tool
Partnership for Environmental Technology Education
Partners for Pure Water
Puerto Rico Aqueduct & Sewer Authority
Passive Sampling Devices
Public Water Supply
Regional Administrator
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Resource Conservation Recovery Information System
Remedial Removal and integrated Investigation Feasibility Study
Secretariat for Social Development
Supplemental Environmental Projects
Tribal College Initiative
Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Reference System
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 59
TOC ............. .
TRI ................. .
TSCA ............ .
TWDB ........... .
u
UMD ............. .
URI ................ .
USDA ........... .
w
WEL ............. .
WIPP ........... .
WPS .............. .
Tribal Operations Committee
Toxic Release Inventory
Toxic Substances Control Act
Texas Water Development Board
University of Maryland
Urban Environmental Initiative
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Women's Executive Leadership Program
Waste Isolation Pilot Plant
Worker Protection Standards
Office of Environmental Justice Annual Report 60
Environmental Justice Contacts
ENVIRONMENTAi, .TIJSTICE CONTACT IJSTING
AS OF: MAY 4, 1995
lLSEPA -HEADQUARTERS CONTACTS:
401 M Street S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460
Use Mail Code (MC) for Each Office.
OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENT AL JUSTICE
Dr. Clarice E. Gaylord -MC-3103
800/962-6215, 202/260-6357
FX 202/260-0852
AMERICAN INDIAN ENVIRONMENT AL
OFFICE -MC-3103
Elizabeth Bell; 202/260-8106 FX202/260-0852
OFFICE OF AIR AND RADIATION
MC-6101
Will Wilson; 202/260-5574 FX202/260-0253
OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS -MC-1201
Rodney Cash; 202/260-4582 FX202/260-4580
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION,
EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
MC-1702
Doretta Reaves; 202/260-3534 FX202/260-0130
OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT AND
COMPLIANCE ASSURANCE -MC-2225
Sherry Milan; 202/260-9807 FX202/260-7553
OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL
MC-2378
Mary O'Lone; 202/260-5313 FX202/260-8393
OFFICE OF POLICY, PLANNING AND
EVALUATION -MC-2125
Janice Bryant; 202/260-2730 Fx:202/260-0174
OFFICE OF PREVENTION, PESTICIDES ·&
TOXIC SUBSTANCES -MC-7101
Wesley Allen; 202/260-2900 FX202/260-184 7
OFFICE OF REGIONAL
0
OPERATIONS &
STATE/LOCAL RELATIONS -MC-1502
Janice Berry-Chen; 202/260-3870
FX 202/260-9365
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT -MC-8105
Lawrence Martin; 202/260-7667
FX202/260-0507
OFFICE OF SOLID WASTE AND
EMERGENCY RESPONSE -MC-5101
Greg Mertz; 202/260-5714,Fx:202/260-3527
OFFICE OF WATER -MC-4102
Sandra Germann; 202/260-5410
FX202/260-7923
USEPA -REGTQN CONTACTS: ----EAX.:.
USEPA, REGION 1
. James Younger; 617 /565-3403
One Congress Street, l 0th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
USEPA, REGION 2
Melva HaydP.n; 212/637-5027
290 Broadway, 26th Floor ·
New York, NY 10007 ·
USEPA, REGION 3
Reginald Harris; 21-5/597-6529
841 Chestnut Building
Philadelphia, PA 19107
USEPA, REGION 4
Vivian Malone-Jones;
404/347-3555, Ext.6764
345 Courtland Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30365
USEPA, REGION 5
Margaret Millard; 312/3 53-1440
77 West Jackson Blvd. MC HRM-7J
Chicago, IL 60604-3507
USEPA, REGION 6
Lynda Carroll; 214/665-7200
Frrst Interstate Bank, at Front Pl.
1445 Ross Ave., 12th Floor, Suite 1200
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
USEPA, REGION 7
Rupert Thomas; 913/551-7282
726 Minnesota A venue
Kansas City, KS 66101
USEPA,REGION 8
Mel McCottry; 303/293-1645
999 18th Street, Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202-2405
USEPA, REGION 9
Lori Lewis; 415/744-1561
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
USEPA, REGION 10
Joyce Crosson-Kelly; 206/553-4029
Planning and Evaluation Branch
1200 Sixth Avenue (MD-142)
Seattle, WA 98101
617/565-3415
212/637-5024
215/597-8255
404/347-3721
312/353-6519
. 214/665-2164
913/551-7925
303/293-1647
415/744-1605
206/553-6647