EJ Action Plan: Office: Building Up Environmental Justice in EPA’s Land Protection and Cleanup Programs
The document lays out ways to integrate environmental justice in the Office of Land and Emergency Management’s programs, such as the Brownfields Program, Superfund Program, Emergency Response and Removal Program, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Program, Underground Storage Tank Program, and Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Program. Most of these programs are either administered by states or have significant state and local agency involvement.
The document calls for increased collaboration with state and local agencies, as well as community organizations. There are several recommendations for how state and local governments can advance environmental justice, such as
Incorporating cumulative impacts into decision-making processes.
Implementing environmental justice considerations in permitting and enforcement.
Developing and using EPA screening tools to identify vulnerable populations.
Enhancing state and federal collaboration and data sharing.
State officials should consider whether their state agencies may use this guidance to justify actions that exceed their statutory authority.
