Last week the EPA announced the release of its EJ 2014, its comprehensive 3-year plan to advance its environmental health goals.  The policy document is part of EPA’s effort to meet Executive Order 12898, “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations,” which requires Federal agencies to incorporate environmental justice into their mission.  Under Plan EJ 2014, EPA will seek to work with local, overburdened groups to improve environmental conditions within the relevant communities.

Plan EJ 2014 can be found on the EPA’s website.  While it is not a rule or regulation, it is expected that this guidance will significantly affect EPA’s actions with respect to these traditionally under served communities.

If you have any questions regarding Plan EJ 2014, contact us at 773-609-5320, [email protected], or through our web contact form.

Disclaimer: This article cannot, and does not, create any attorney/client or consultant/client relationship.

Stephen Thorn has been appointed to the Environmental Law Section Council of the Illinois State Bar Association.  The Council evaluates and makes recommendations regarding existing and proposed legislation and regulations in the environmental law field.  The Council also monitors developments in the environmental law field and disseminates relevant information to other attorneys and business, industrial, government, and agricultural interests.

If you have any questions regarding the Council, contact us at 773-609-5320 or [email protected], or through our web contact form.

Disclaimer: This article cannot, and does not, create any attorney/client or consultant/client relationship.

Pursuant to a settlement agreement between USEPA and Sierra Club filed in September 2010, EPA must evaluate by June 30 of this year the environmental justice impacts of the new definition of solid waste that went into effect in 2009.  EPA had proposed the new definition of solid waste in an effort to clarify under what circumstances hazardous secondary materials were not “discarded” and, thus, not solid waste subject to RCRA regulation.  Sierra Club disagreed with EPA’s conclusion that the rule would have no adverse environmental impacts or adverse environmental justice impacts and filed an administrative petition requesting that the agency repeal the rule.  In support of their environmental justice claims, Sierra Club referred to data establishing that over half on the population in the immediate area of TSD facilities were minorities.

Check back in the future for updates on this topic.

If you have any questions regarding environmental justice or RCRA, contact us at 773-609-5320 or [email protected], or through our web contact form.

Disclaimer: This article cannot, and does not, create any attorney/client or consultant/client relationship.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced environmental justice as one the agency’s priorities for 2010.  EPA intends to focus its outreach to communities that have been historically underrepresented and on protecting subpopulations that are particularly at risk, like children.  EPA recently published interim guidance on evaluating whether a project raises environmental justice issues and recently announced Plan EJ 2014, a agency roadmap for evaluating environmental justice considerations, scheduled to go into effect on the 20^th anniversary of the original executive order (Executive order 12898 (Feb. 11, 1994)).  According to the EPA, (more…)