Environmental Justice: 1996 Annual Report. Working Toward Solutions.

摘要

This report, 'Working Toward Solutions', summarizes environmental justice activities and programs of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As the lead agency under the President's Executive Order on Environmental Justice, EPA seeks to develop and implement a national objective to ensure that all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, culture or income status, live in a healthy, safe and sustainable community. Implementing environmental justice programs at EPA has required modifying the Agency's approach to educating its officials to recognize that certain populations who are disproportionately impacted by environmental pollution are excluded from the decision and policy making process. Achieving a successful environmental justice program requires the presence of senior management commitment; environmental justice guidance for all staff; environmental justice training; a cross-media team approach; coordination with states, Indian tribes, industry, and all stakeholders; resources devoted to program implementation; systematic review and integration of environmental justice priorities into activities; establishment of pilot projects; and development of measurement tools for accountability. The report addresses successful programs as well as present and future challenges. It reviews a number of environmental assessment methods, including geographic information systems, the Toxic Release Inventory, LandView II and the Integrated Data for Enforcement Analysis system. EPA's role in assisting other federal agencies on environmental justice issues, federal reinvention initiatives, regional environmental justice programs and sustainable development is discussed. The report outlines the role and importance of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council as a stakeholder group to give advice and guidance to the Agency on effective environmental justice strategies. Public participation and meaningful involvement are the cornerstones to effectively address environmental justice issues. The report describes the Agency's outreach activities to the broadest audience possible, and pays particular attention to the need to enhance cultural diversity in all phases of the Agency's operation.