Environmental Justice. Guidance Under the National Environmental Policy Act

摘要

Executive Order 12898, 'Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations,' provides that 'each Federal agency shall make achieving 1 environmental justice part of its mission by identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income populations.' The Executive Order makes clear that its provisions apply fully to programs involving Native Americans. In the memorandum to heads of departments and agencies that accompanied Executive Order 12898, the President specifically recognized the importance of procedures under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for identifying and addressing environmental justice concerns. The memorandum states that 'each Federal agency shall analyze the environmental effects, including human health, economic and social effects, of Federal actions, including effects on minority communities and low-income communities, when such analysis is required by NEPA.' The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has oversight of the Federal government's compliance with Executive Order 12898 and NEPA. CEQ, in consultation with EPA and other affected agencies, has developed this guidance to further assist Federal agencies with their NEPA procedures so that environmental justice concerns are effectively identified and addressed. To the extent practicable and permitted by law, agencies may supplement this guidance with more specific procedures tailored to particular programs or activities of an individual department, agency, or office.