EPA-REGION 8
Environmental Justice
Action Plan
2009
Enforcement, Compliance and Environmental Justice
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Art Palomares, M.Sc., B.A.
Director, Policy, Information Management and
Environmental Justice Program
September 2009
-------
Executive Summary
The EPA- Region 8 Environmental Justice Team (EJ Team) within the Policy,
Information Management and Environmental Justice Program addresses a unique mix of
urban, rural, and tribal issues shaped by the geography, culture and history of our
mountain and plains states. The Region's EJ Team has been designed to address
Environmental Justice (EJ) concerns in a manner responsive to the crosscurrents borne of
our setting. EJ Team staff, along with technical, enforcement, and legal staff, address a
wide range of issues and concerns. Recent strategic opportunities have included Mercury
and Radon concerns, Lead program review, Environmental Justice Strategic Enforcement
Assessment Tool (EJSEAT), Climate Change issues, and Children's Health concerns.
EJ Team resources are structured around six main goals:
• Identification of EJ Priority Areas
• Integration of EJ into Region 8 Teams
• Administration of EJ Grants
• External Outreach
• Data Management
• Evaluation of Program Effectiveness
In Region 8, EJ concerns typically arise from converging environmental concerns.
EJ concerns are rarely amenable to resolution by a single entity. Accordingly, the EJ
Team focuses resources on convening and facilitating multi-media/multi-agency efforts
in collaboration with affected communities. The activities reported in the EJ Action
Plan matrix reflect this approach. In the matrix, we highlight stakeholder partnerships
to address EJ issues and concerns.
Management Accountability
Organizational Infrastructure and Management Support
• The Team was established to ensure attention to environmental and human health
conditions of minority and low-income populations with the goal of achieving
environmental protection for all communities.
• Region 8, the states, Indian tribes and affected communities in Region 8 will work
together to correct and prevent inequitable environmental and public health impacts
to any groups through effective implementation of policies and procedures that will
include the following:
A. Raising awareness of EJ issues;
B. Identifying, assessing, addressing and responding to inequitable
environmental impacts;
C. Managing procedures that will correct present and prevent future
inequitable environmental impacts;
-------
D. Communicating information to the public regarding opportunities for
involvement in environmental decision making.
• The Director of the Policy, Information Management, and Environmental Justice
Program (PJ) serves as the Region's Environmental Justice Coordinator, the
Region's Enforcement Coordinator, and is a member of the Regional Leadership
Team and meets regularly with the Senior Leadership Team to coordinate activities.
The Senior Leadership Team establishes Region-wide direction and goals. Thus,
the Director of the PJ Program is a senior level Manager that is well placed to
address environmental issues and concerns.
• Evaluation of the EJ Team is conducted both through the annual performance cycle,
and by accessing tangible impacts, project results, and by meeting targeted
priorities. The impact of leadership from the EJ team is demonstrated by strategic
planning, creating cross-program partnerships, and by establishing short range and
long range goals.
Operational Resources/Program Support
• The EJ Team is incorporated into the Office of Enforcement, Compliance and
Environmental Justice. From this organizational base, the EJ staff works closely
with the Regional programs to incorporate EJ into agency activities.
• The EJ Team functions with a staff of four environmental justice coordinators. The
EJ Team is managed by the Director of the Policy, Information Management and
Environmental Justice Program.
• The overarching responsibility of the EJ Team is to integrate Environmental Justice
into the Agency's core programs. Individual EJ staff assignments are designed to
address specific environmental media or core functions. The assigned staffs are
responsible for initiating activities, following-up on leads, evaluating program
opportunities for collaboration, and providing appropriate program support.
• Each-member of the EJ Team works to provide internal advocacy and education to
assigned project teams. Each EJ staff person is proactive in enhancing EJ awareness
to project team members.
• The EJ Team reviews State-EPA Performance Partnership Agreements (PPAs), to
ensure that environmental justice principles are incorporated.
Internal Organizational Engagement
• The EJ Team has developed successful mechanisms to communicate with, receive
input from, and engage other programs in the Regional office. The EJ Team
participates on Regional standing committees and works actively with staff
liaisons in the media programs. These committees include:
-------
- Climate Change Workgroup
- Tribal Communications Workgroup
- Children's Health Workgroup
- Air Toxics Workgroup
- Enforcement Inspector's Projects
- Safe Drinking Water / Storm Water Projects
- Brownfields Teamwork
- Permit Writing
- Diesel Workgroup
- NEPA Teamwork
- Radon Team
- Lead Workgroup
The EJ Team highlights its efforts through presentations at national and regional
conferences, public meetings, and training opportunities.
» The EJ Team utilizes the Geographical Information System (GIS) application to
identify potential EJ communities. The use of GIS allows the EJ team to conduct
preliminary assessments using the statistical characteristics of the potentially
affected community.
• The EJ Team participates in national agency workgroups including:
- NEJAC (National Environmental Justice Advisory Council)
- EPA-State EJ Cooperative Agreement Work Group
- National Grant Workgroup
- Community Action for Renewed Environment (CARE) Steering Committee
- EJ Regional Coordinator's Workgroup
- EJSEAT Testing and Policy Workgroup
• The EJ Team effectively utilizes various internship programs and is committed to
providing an enriching experience for student while meeting the goals of
environmental justice. The mentoring of interns is intended to give the individual
an experience that will be rewarding and career-shaping while leveraging our
resources.
• The EJ Team will continue to gather data for testing the EJSEAT (Environmental
Justice Strategic Enforcement Assessment Tool), a new national assessment tool
developed for OECA (Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance). This
tool is designed for enforcement programs to consistently identify areas with
potentially disproportionately high and adverse environmental and public health
burdens. EJSEAT uses 18 select federally-recognized or managed databases and a
simple algorithm to identify such areas. The data sets are divided into four
categories: environmental, human health, compliance, and social demographics.
• The EJ Team will conduct an EJ Review in the Lead program to evaluate,
continue to learn, and improve the way they consider EJ in the program's
-------
decision-making process. This review will help determine whether the Lead
programs policies, and activities have a disproportionately high and adverse
health or environmental impact on minority and low-income populations.
External Stakeholder Engagement
• The EJ Team works with external stakeholders through project-specific
initiatives, such as:
Mercury Outreach and Education on Tribal Lands
Mercury Outreach and Education in Hispanic Communities
- Radon Outreach and Education
Clean Diesel / School Bus Retrofits
Asthma Education
Tribal Children's Health Summit
Through these activities, the EJ Team communicates with local governments,
community groups, state agencies and other interested parties.
• The EJ Team has developed a website with information about EJ activities and
opportunities. The website address is: http://epa.gov/region8/ej
• The national EJ program (OEJ-Office of Environmental Justice) has made
available to the public 1-day classroom training and online training through NETI
(National Enforcement Training Institute). The 1-day course explores the origins
of the Environmental Justice Movement, perceptions and definitions of EJ, laws
pertaining to EJ, and provides an overview of Geographic Information Systems
("GIS") and other analytical tools helpful in understanding the issues.
Additionally, these trainings are designed to address topics including: what is
environmental justice, the history of the environmental justice movement, EPA's
commitment to environmental justice, the Agency's major EJ policies, an
environmental justice indicators framework, various EJ tools, and how
environmental justice can be integrated into EPA's programs and activities, using
existing statutory and regulatory authority.
• The EJ Team conducts and annual Grant's Writing Workshop. The workshop is
designed to provide information on the competitive grant programs EPA offers.
These grants target nonprofit groups, tribal entities, academia and state and local
governments.
» Annually, the EJ Team establishes an internal grant application review team in
response to the various community-based grants applications including: CARE,
EJ Small Grants, and Collaborative Problem Solving Grants. The EJ team solicits
volunteers from various EPA programs to operate as expert grant reviewers of
these competitive grants. Each reviewer thoroughly evaluates the qualities of the
proposal related to the responsiveness to the mission, vision and guiding
principles of the grant. Also, each reviewer will evaluate, score, and give written
-------
comment on the project's purpose, goals, objectives, outcomes, work plan, the
capacity of the partners; and the qualifications of project staff according to the
criteria listed in the RFP (Request for Proposal).
» The EJ Team is utilized as technical experts for grants that are managed by EPA's
OEJ (Office of Environmental Justice) headquarters' office. As technical experts,
the EJ team reviews and synthesizes grant activities by continuously monitoring
the development of project, tracking milestones, ensuring receipt of deliverables,
assisting community in developing the project, ensuring that statutory and
regulatory are met with internal grants policies and procedures, and by helping
in research when necessary.
Data Collection, Management, and Evaluation
• The EJ Team maintains an interactive database of more than 600 community
organizations, local governments, and partners. This database is utilized for
education and community outreach by conducting annual mailings concerning EJ
grant opportunities and EJ national newsletters
• The EJ Team has worked closely with the Enforcement Program to identify
"potential areas of concern." During the case screening process, demographic
information is developed for each potential case.
• The EJ Team uses GIS tools to map enforcement actions within the Region and
does a comparison to potential EJ areas of concern.
Professional and Organizational Development
• The EJ Team has developed program-specific training materials with the
objective of building a consistent baseline of knowledge about EJ, the integration
of EJ practices into programs, policies, and activities, and to improve all levels of
decision-making. Further, the EJ Team has developed training for Permit
Writer's entitled, "EJ and Permits" and for new R8 employees entitled, "The
Introduction to Environmental Justice." The EJ and Permits training was
developed to train permit writers on how to incorporate EJ principles in the
permits that are written within the Region. The Intro to EJ training for new
employee is considered a blended-learning course which requires completion of
two hours of a web-based online training module and two hours of classroom
training. The overall EJ training strategy and learning focus on five major areas
which include: 1) Public Participation and Accountability, Partnerships, Outreach,
and Communication with Stakeholders; 2) Health and Environmental Research;
3) Data Collection, Analysis, and Stakeholder Access to Public Information; 4)
American Indian and Indigenous Environmental Protection; and 5) Enforcement,
Compliance Assurance, and Regulatory Reviews.
-------
• The EJ Team continuously seeks ways to create awareness about global topics
related to the environment, health, or Environmental Justice. The EJ team will
host Lunch and Learn sessions (Brown Bags) to compliment EJ training, build
internal capacity, and introduce new initiatives.
Environmental Justice Assessment
• The EJ Team utilizes the Geographical Information System (GIS) application to
identify potential EJ communities. The use of GIS allows the EJ team to conduct
a preliminary assessment using the statistical characteristics of the affected
community. Low-income populations are identified using annual statistical
poverty thresholds from the Bureau of the Census; current population reports,
Series P-60 on Income and Poverty. Minority populations are identified as
members of the following population groups: American Indian or Alaskan Native,
Asian, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, Black or African American,
and Hispanic or Latino.
• The EJ Team relies on various informational resources to conduct an EJ
assessment. Again, statistical information provided by GIS is offered as guidance
for determining what levels of minority and low-income residents exist in the
community. In environmental injustice situations, the ultimate assessment
endpoints include the potential for disproportionately high adverse impacts on
environmental conditions, human health, and welfare (including economic and
social welfare) in the community of concern compared with other communities.
Because the definition of environmental justice assumes a relative comparison of
impact ("disproportionate share of negative environmental consequences"), the
indicators of community trends are examined within the context of the reference area
outside the community. The EJ team conducts EJ assessment on an ongoing as
requested by EPA programs.
Program Evaluation
• The EJ Team highlights accomplishments, and results of activities by way of its
annual EJ action plan, presentations, fact sheets, posters, training opportunities,
site-specific presentations, meetings, and Regional and national reporting
mechanisms. Other mechanisms used to transplant the EJ programs mission,
principles, and strategy is by creating practices that may be transferable and
adopted by others in a different context. These modalities include: Lessons-
learned Reports, Best Practices, Success Stories, Directives, and Policy formation.
Further, these products are utilized to enhance capacity building efforts,
strengthen program viability, and expand awareness concerning Environmental
Justice.
-------
Region 8 Environmental Justice Action Plan
Section 1: Performance Measures Matrix Highlights
FY09 EJ Review and Robust-Result Oriented Activities
Robust Results-Oriented Activities:
1. Clean Diesel Initiative:
Diesel engines emitting 7.3 million tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides and 333,000 tons of soot annually are linked to thousands of
premature deaths, hundreds of thousands of asthma attacks and millions of lost work days. EPA's grants are beginning to lower
emissions from the diesel engines already in use through innovative programs and practices.
Retrofitting buses results in significantly reduced tailpipe emissions and has demonstrated reductions in concentrations of in-cabin
particulate emissions by more than 50%. Additionally, the installation of anti-idling devices further reduces both tailpipe and in-cabin
emissions and significantly reduces fuel use.
-------
Region 8 is working with its state partners to broaden the reach of the EPA's Clean Diesel Initiative. Together with local agency and
Activities
Output
Applicable Outcome Measure
Point of Contact
Clean Diesel Initiative:
• In partnership with the
State of Colorado and
Region 8's Clean
Diesel program, use the
learning from the
Pueblo School Bus
Retrofit initiative to
encourage and
accomplish the
retrofitting of school
buses in Colorado's
rural communities.
Reduce diesel
emission by
retrofitting school
buses in Colorado's
rural and low-income
communities.
(Target: 100 buses in
2009)
1. Develop a
curriculum for and
hold seminars for
West Slope school
districts and allied
communities to
explain how to
reduce diesel
emissions from
school buses.
2. Support
community
outreach to institute
anti-idling
programs.
1. Develop and
publish an RFP with
the Districts to
initiate the project.
2. Publish guidelines
for anti-idling
programs.
l.In partnership with
school districts, fund
the project, oversee
the installation
process and deploy
100 retrofitted buses.
2. Working with local
agencies and
communities
implement two anti-
idling programs.
Michael
Wenstrom,
303-312-7009
community partners, the Region is fostering the installation of diesel retrofits and fuel efficiency technologies in school buses across
Colorado. The immediate target communities are spread across the state's Western Slope. As a part of this initiative, the Agency will
also provide support to community-driven anti-idling initiatives in Utah.
2 Lead-Based Paint Project:
Many houses built prior to 1978 have paint that contains high levels of lead. Lead from paint chips, and dust can pose serious health
hazards. Lead exposure happens by breathing or swallowing lead dust, or by eating soil or paint chips containing lead. In children,
lead can cause nervous system and kidney damage; learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder and decreased intelligence; speech,
language and behavior problems; poor muscle coordination; decreased muscle and bone growth; and hearing damage. In adults lead
can cause an increased chance of illness during pregnancy; harm to the fetus, including brain damage or death; fertility problems in
-------
both men and women; high blood pressure; digestive problems; nerve disorders; memory and concentration problems; and muscle and
joint pain.
The EJ team will be working closely with the Lead Program, the Tribal assistance program, and the Eastern Shoshone and Northern
Arapaho Tribes located on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. Wind River is the seventh-largest reservation in the United
States, encompassing a land area of 3,473.272 sq miles, in Fremont County. There are 714 homes built before 1939 on the
reservation. The EJ team will be testing over 400 homes for lead utilizing a portable XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) device. The XRF
device determines the presence of lead in paint and indicates the relative depth of the lead (i.e. whether the lead is in the surface layer
of paint or buried underneath layers of non-lead based paint). As a part of this initiative, the EJ program will provide education and
outreach to community members and support to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes for remediation planning.
Activities
Output
Applicable Outcome Measure
Point of Contact
Short-term
Intermediate
Long-term
-------
Activities
Output
Applicable Outcome Measure
Point of Contact
Lead Base Paint:
• Identification of the
location of homes built
prior to 1978 on the
Wind River
Reservation in
Wyoming.
• GIS Mapping
of the
identified
homes on the
Wind River
Reservation.
• Testing for
lead based
paint in 400
homes on the
Wind River
Reservation.
• Provide
education and
outreach
materials.
Short-term
People that live in
the identified
homes will be
made aware of the
serious health
hazard, prevention
measures, and ways
to reduce risk.
Intermediate Long-term
Homes that are
identified with lead-
based paint will be
mapped and
information will be
shared with the
entities that may be
able to permanently
remove the lead
hazards or
permanently remove
children and
pregnant women
from these homes.
This project will lead
to a reduction in adult
and children Lead
exposures in homes.
The health related
hazards will be
reduced on this
reservation which may
lead to a healthier
community.
Nancy Reish
303-312-6040
Jean Belille
303-312-6556
Environmental Justice Review: Lead Program
OEJ: Toxics - Reduced Incidence of Elevated Blood Lead Levels
OPPTS: Children and Lead Poisoning (Training, Reduction and Exposure)
Activities
Output
Applicable Outcome Measure
Point of Contact
-------
EJ Review of Lead
Program in Region 8
A report created for
Region 8 by the EJ
Team and the Lead
Team that evaluates the
effectiveness of the
lead program in
potential Region 8 EJ
areas.
Short-term
(awareness)
Personnel in the
Region 8 and State
Lead Programs will
gain further
awareness of
Environmental
Justice.
Intermediate
(behavior)
Lead Program
personnel
increase their
knowledge and
skills to
effectively
implement EJ
principles in
. i •
their program
work.
Long-term
(condition)
Lead Program
personnel fully
incorporate EJ into
their work.
Nancy Reish
303-312-6040
Michael Wenstrom
303-312-7009
Tami Thomas Burton
303-312-6581
Jean Belille
303-312-6556
Region 8 FY09 Environmental Justice Action Plan
Activities
Output
Applicable Outcome Measure
Point of Contact
Short-term
(awareness)
Intermediate
(behavior)
Long-term
(condition)
Section 2: Performance Measures Matrix
Overview
-------
Asthma Outreach on
Tribal Lands
• Partner with the
EPA's Office of
Environmental
Information (OEI)
and select tribal
communities in
Montana to develop
culturally-appropriate
asthma education
and outreach
information.
A series of tools and
processes which assist
tribal members to
better manage and
monitor asthma.
Make these tools
available nationwide
through various EPA
communication
channels.
Increase awareness
through a series of
interviews and
focus group
sessions to assess
the level of
knowledge of
asthma
Share
information and
teach culturally
appropriate
practices to
encourage good
health practices
re: asthma
Tribal members
provided with
tools which allow
and encourage
them to share good
and safe practices
within their
community.
Tami Thomas-Burton,
303-312-6581
Nancy Reish, 303-312-6040
Michael Wenstrom,
303-312-7009
-------
Activities
Output
Applicable Outcome Measure
Point of Contact
Test 100 homes in Salt
Creek and Pueblo West
communities for radon
and remediate low
income homes in these
neighborhoods
Increase awareness
of the high radon
levels in Pueblo
Develop outreach
materials and
workshop
presentations.
Develop and
train a Pueblo
Radon
Promotora
Corps to teach
low income
home owners
how to
remediate their
properties and
reduce
exposures.
Instill basic
knowledge of
radon issues and
provide
sustainable tools
and resources for
education, testing
and remediation
Michael Wenstrom,
303-312-7009
Radon Reduction:
• Partner with
Pueblo
community,
City/County
Health Dept/State
of Colorado to
test for radon,
foster
remediation and
enable EJ
communities to
effect necessary
fixes and to
create a model for
other, similarly
affected
communities.
Each of the Activities described below is aligned with the Agency's Environmental Justice goals as identified by the Office of
Environmental Justice, each of the five National Program Offices and Region 8 priorities.
Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change
Objective 1: Reduction in number of asthma attacks
Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change
Objective 2: Reduce exposure to air toxics (e.g., reduce releases of mercury)
-------
CARE Level 1 grant and
partnership with Garfield
County Health Department
Manage CARE Level 1 -
Grant with City and County of
Denver / West Denver Cares
Being a part of the
planning,
coordination and
implementation of
the partners group
and helping
communities identify
environmental
concerns.
Development of a
community
environmental action
plan.
Short-term
(awareness)
Educate the County
and communities
on environmental
issues and their
potential health
impacts.
Educate the
community on
toxic awareness
and analyze toxic
risk.
Intermediate
(behavior)
Building
partnerships within
EPA and other
Agencies and
communities to use
voluntary programs
to reduce air
pollution impacts
indoors and out.
Building
partnerships within
EPA, leveraging
EPA' s voluntary
programs to reduce
air pollution
impacts.
Long-term
(condition)
Reduction in Air
Toxics in Garfield
County.
Create self-sustaining
community -based
partnerships with the
capacity to identify
local environmental
threats.
Jean Belille
303-312-6556
Nancy Reish
303-312-6040
Tami Thomas-
Burton,
303-312-6581
-------
Clean Diesel School Buses:
• In partnership with the
State of Colorado and
Region 8's Clean
Diesel program, use the
learning from the
Pueblo School Bus
Retrofit initiative to
encourage and
accomplish the
retrofitting of school
buses in Colorado's
rural communities.
Reduce diesel
emission by
retrofitting school
buses in Colorado's
rural communities.
(Target: 100 buses in
2009)
Develop a
curriculum for and
hold seminars for
West Slope school
districts and allied
communities to
explain how to
reduce diesel
emissions from
school buses.
Develop and publish
an RFP with the
Districts to initiate
the project.
With the Districts,
fund the project,
oversee the
installation process
and deploy the
retrofitted buses.
Michael
Wenstrom,
303-312-7009
Community-based Mercury
Initiative:
• Partnering with the Region
8 Air Toxics group,
CDPHE, the community
and Rocky Mountain Steel
Mills (RMSM), work to
reduce mercury emissions
from the mill
Reduced stack
emissions of mercury
from
Work with
community and
RMSM to audit the
company's mercury
switch removal
program.
Work with Rocky
Mountain Steel
Mills (RMSM) to
increase the number
of annual mercury
emissions stack
tests.
Continuing
monitoring stack
emissions to establish
a baseline. Continuing
discussions on
mitigation strategies.
Michael
Wenstrom,
303-312-7009
-------
Mercury Outreach on Tribal
Lands
• Work with the EP A's
Office of Environmental
Information (OEI) and
select tribal communities
in Montana to develop
culturally-appropriate
mercury education and
outreach information.
A series of tools and
processes which
assist tribal members
to minimize exposure
to mercury.
These tools will be
made available
nationwide through
various EPA
communication
channels.
Increase awareness
through a series of
interviews and
focus group
sessions to assess
the level of
knowledge and
interest in mercury
Share information
developed in data
collection to
encourage effective
avoidance of
mercury.
Tribal members
provided with tools
which allow and
encourage them to
share good and safe
mercury avoidance
practices within their
community.
Tami Thomas-
Burton,
303-312-6581
Michael
Wenstrom
303-312-7009
Nancy Reish,
303-312-6040
Mercury Outreach in Latino
Communities
• Work with the EP A's
Office of Environmental
Information (OEI) and
Denver and Pueblo's
Latino communities to
develop culturally-
appropriate mercury
education and outreach
information.
A series of tools and
processes which
assist Latino
community members
to minimize exposure
to mercury. These
tools will be made
available nationwide
through various EPA
communication
channels.
Increase awareness
through a series of
interviews and
focus group
sessions to assess
the level of
knowledge and
interest in mercury.
Share information
developed in data
collection to
encourage effective
avoidance of
mercury.
Community members
provided with tools
which allow and
encourage them to
share good and safe
mercury avoidance
practices within their
community.
Michael
Wenstrom,
303-312-7009
Tami Thomas-
Burton, 3 03-312-
6581
-------
Goal 2: Clean and Safe Water
Objective 2: Clean and safe drinking water
Activities
CARE Level 1 grant with
Garfield County Health
Department
CARE Level 2 Rocky
Mountain College grant
designed to reduce toxics in
Indian Country
Output
Being a part of the planning,
coordination and
implementation of the
partners group and helping
communities identify
environmental concerns.
Creation of processes where
communities utilize EPA
voluntary programs to reduce
toxins.
Applicable Outcome Measure
Short-term
(awareness)
Education about the
possible drinking
water
contamination that
could be occurring
from spills, Oil and
Gas activities, and
other sources.
Through Rocky
Mountain College,
Communities and
Tribes will be
educated on water
sampling and
analysis to assess
their drinking
water.
Intermediate
(behavior)
Working with
the County and
community
members to
identify where
pollution of
water is
occurring or
may occur.
Creation of
collaborative
partnerships that
address water
issues on at least
one Indian
Reservation in
Montana.
Long-term
(condition)
Safe Drinking
water for those
who live in
close proximity
to Oil and Gas
Development in
Garfield
County.
Reduction in
water pollution
in at least one
Montana
Reservation.
Point of Contact
Jean Belille,
303-312-6556
Nancy Reish,
303-312-6040
Nancy Reish,
303-312-6040
-------
Goal 3: Land Preservation and Restoration
Objective 1: Revitalization of Brownfields and Contaminated Sites
Activities
Brownfields/Flood Control
• Work with the City of
Pueblo to create a flood
control plan for
Peppersauce Bottoms using
Brownfields funds to
initiate the development of
fourteen stormwater
catchment basins.
Tribal Recycling Project CARE
Level II Rocky Mountain
College grant
Output
Reduce the incidence of flooding
of the Peppersauce Bottoms
neighborhood
A recycling project that will
reduce toxins on one or more
Montana Indian reservations.
Appl
Short-term
(awareness)
Monitor City
Flood Control
plans and
investments.
Inform the
community of
such plans.
Educate and
encourage the
residents of
one or more
Indian
Reservation on
the benefits of
recycling.
icable Outcome Mea
Intermediate
(behavior)
As plans are
considered, work
with and assure
that the
community is
involved in their
design.
Encourage
residents to
reduce, reuse, and
recycle solid waste
in their
communities.
sure
Long-term
(condition)
Help the
community to
build capacity
to monitor the
effect of the
flood control
measures and
assure that
they can
suggest
effective
changes,
where
necessary.
Reduce toxins
through
recycling.
Point of Contact
Michael Wenstrom,
303-312-7009
Nancy Reish ,
303-312-6040
-------
Goal 4: Healthy Communities and Ecosystems
Objective 2: Collaborative problem-solving to address environmental justice issues
Activities
Output
Applicable Outcome Measure
Point of Contact
CARE Level 1 - Garfield
County Health
Department
Administration of Grants
and Projects.
Creation of a network
of knowledgeable
professionals and
community groups
available to work on
environmental and EJ
issues.
Train and work with
communities.
Short-term
(awareness)
Working with
various partners to
• . i
increase the
County's ability to
collaborate and
1 * 1 1
work with
community
members.
Create an
understanding of
community based,
community driven
multi -media
projects.
Intermediate
(behavior)
Understand the
empowerment
potential of
community based,
community driven
multi-media
projects.
r^ j
Creation of
collaborative
partnerships that
address
environmental
issues in EJ
communities.
Long-term
(condition)
Reduction in
Environmental
Issues in Garfield
County.
Reduction in toxics
in individual EJ
communities.
Jean Belille
303-312-6556
Nancy Reish
303-312-6040
Nancy Reish
303-312-6040
Jean Belille
303-312-6556
Michael Wenstrom
303-312-7009
Tami Thomas-Burton
303-312-6581
-------
Activities
Output
Applicable Outcome Measure
Point of Contact
CARE Level II Rocky
Mountain College grant
designed to reduce toxics
in Indian Country
Creation of processes
where communities
utilize EPA voluntary
programs to reduce
toxins.
Short-term
(awareness)
Through Rocky
Mountain College,
Communities and
Tribes will be
educated on
environmental
contaminates that
exist within their
communities.
Intermediate
(behavior)
Creation of
collaborative
partnerships that
address
environmental
issues on these four
Indian Reservations
in Montana.
Long-term
(condition)
Reduction in toxics
in four Montana
Reservations.
Nancy Reish
303-312-6040
-------
Goal 4:
Objective 3:
Activities
Healthy Communities and Ecosystems
Revitalization of brown fields and contaminated sites
Output
Applicable Outcome Measure
Short-term
(awareness)
Intermediate
(behavior)
Long-term
(condition)
Point of Contact
Targeted Brownfields
Assessment (TEA)
support to West Denver
Cares / CARE Level 1
project:
Targeted
Brownfields
Assessment for
communities
defined by eight
geographically
contiguous
neighborhoods
(Barnum, Barnum
West, Sun Valley,
Valverde, Villa
Park, West
Colfax,
Aurari a/Lincoln
Park and Baker)
Collaboration with
community to identify
and select site for
assessment.
By Educating
community partners on
the Brownfields
process, the community
gains a better
understanding of
contamination of
property and where
further investigation or
cleanup is needed.
Identifying and
selecting a
candidate site for
a Level 1
assessment.
Brownfield
assessment
performed in
community
receiving CARE
funding.
Tami Thomas-Burton
303-312-6581
-------
Goal 5: Compliance and Environmental Stewardship
Objective 1: Ensure Compliance
Activities
Output
Applicable Outcome Measure
Point of Contact
Enforcement Actions and
Potential EJ Areas Project
Apply EJ SEAT tool
r r J
testing and participate in
policy development
activities.
GIS Mapping of entire
Region to show
enforcement activity.
New tool for inspectors
to use in identifying
and assessing potential
EJ areas with
disproportionate
environmental health
burdens so they are
conducting inspections
in both EJ and non-EJ
areas.
Short-term
(awareness)
To educate the
Regional
Enforcement
Programs about
the percentage
of enforcement
actions in EJ
areas.
To educate the
Regional
Enforcement
Programs about
the percentage
of enforcement
actions in EJ
areas.
Intermediate
(behavior)
To ensure that
EJ areas are
included in
enforcement
actions.
To ensure that
EJ areas are
included in
enforcement
actions.
Long-term
(condition)
To provide equal
protection to all
populations
r^ r^
within the
Region.
Increase
Enforcement
Inspectors
capacity to
r^ J
identify areas
with
disproportionate
environmental
health burdens
and compliance
activities in
these areas.
Nancy Reish
303-312-6040
Nancy Reish
303-312-6040
-------
Activities
Output
Applicable Outcome Measure
Point of Contact
SEPs (Supplemental
Environmental Projects)
• Continue to develop
community -based
SEPs in the Region's
enforcement
settlements.
• Track changes in
Agency SEP policy
and share with
Enforcement staff
EJ-NEPA
Increase the number of
SEPs attaching to both
administrative and
judicial enforcement
cases.
Attend meetings,
evaluate public
process, and review
NEPA documents by
providing comments as
appropriate on EJ.
Short-term
(awareness)
Publicize
current EPA
policy and
practices on
SEPs, using
current
examples.
Encourage SEP
inclusion
among
Technical and
Legal
Enforcement
staffs.
Review and
comment on EJ
portions of draft
EIS, andEA's.
Intermediate
(behavior)
Provide tools
and channels
which offer
convenient
access to
resources to
develop and
monitor SEPs
EJ
considerations
are adequately
presented.
Long-term
(condition)
Respond to
Enforcement
staff requests to
create SEP
language.
EJ issues are
resolved during
the NEPA
review process
and Final EIS
avoids or
mitigates impact
toEJ
communities.
Michael Wenstrom,
303-312-7009
Tami Thomas-Burton,
303-312-6581
Cross Cutting Strategies:
Objective: Internal Capacity Building (e.g., internal program management)
-------
Activities
Output
Applicable Outcome Measure
Short-term Intermediate
(awareness) (behavior)
Long-term
(condition)
Point of Contact
EJ in Region 8 States:
Outreach to foster
the development
of El-specific
laws, regulations
and/ or guidance
in each of the
Region 8 states to
focus and assist
with each state's
EJ efforts.
Active partnerships in
EJ communities with
each of the six Region
8 states.
Introduce EJ principles to
each state
(meetings/conference calls/EJ
Training) Introduce
meaningful EJ language in
PPAs.
Creation of
policies,
guidances in
Region 8 state
governments.
Engage states in
potential EJ
projects.
Develop
partnerships on
these issues.
Respond to state
initiatives and
partner with
states on EJ-
related projects
Michael Wenstrom,
303-312-7009
Coordination with Region
8 Tribal Activities
Program
Active, cooperative
working relationship
with the Region's
Tribal Activities
Program (TAP)
Establish regular meeting
times with TAP staff and
share opportunities for EJ
assistance on Tribal Lands.
Work
collaboratively
with TAP on
tribal issues
Make EJ an
organic part of
engaging with
the tribes.
Tami Thomas-Burton,
303-312-6581
Michael Wenstrom,
303-312-7009
Coordination with Region
8 Climate Change
Activities and Strategy
Active, cooperative
working relationship
with the Region's
Climate Change
Coordinator and
Workgroup
Attend regular meeting times
with Climate Change
Workgroup and share
opportunities for EJ
assistance.
Work
collaboratively
with Climate
Change
Workgroup on EJ
issues
Make EJ an
organic part of
Climate Change
issues.
Tami Thomas-Burton,
303-312-6581
-------
Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure
EJ Basic Training
EJ Lunch and Learn
Series
Train all new and
recently employed R8
personnel on the
fundamentals of
Environmental Justice.
Host Lunch and Learn
sessions for Region 8
employees concerning
global environmental
and health issues.
Short-term
(awareness)
New and recently employed
R8 personnel gain awareness
of Environmental Justice.
Region 8 employees will have
an opportunity to increase
knowledge on global issues
concerning the environment,
health, and environmental
justice.
Intermediate
(behavior)
New and recently
employed R8
personnel have
knowledge and
skills to
effectively
exercise EJ
practices in their
program work.
Region 8
employees will
gain awareness of
new initiatives
and critical global
activities.
Long-term
(condition)
NewRS
employees fully
incorporate EJ
into their work.
Improved
communication
throughout the
agency
concerning
environmental
justice issues.
Point of Contact
Tami Thomas-Burton
303-312-6581
Tami Thomas-Burton,
303-312-6581
-------
Activities Output Applicable Outcome Measure
EJ Grant Activities:
Collaborative
Problem Solving
Grant (EJ-CPS,
Cooperative
Agreement) -
Leap High of the
San Luis Valley,
CO.
Provide technical
assistance for
household drinking
water well project.
Short-term
(awareness)
Grant recipients refine,
clarify, and establish
priorities.
Intermediate
(behavior)
Grant recipients
and community
participants
develop strategies
to provide
household
drinking water
well testing.
Long-term
(condition)
Grant recipient
achieves
environmental
and health
objectives
identified in
grant proposal.
Point of Contact
Tami Thomas-Burton
303-312-6581
------- |