Plan EJ 2014: At-A-Glance
In January 2010, Administrator Lisa P. Jackson made Expanding the
Conversation on Environmentalism and Working for Environmental Justice
an Agency priority. This priority was incorporated into the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Strategic Plan for 2011-2015. To
implement this priority, EPA launched Plan EJ 2014 as the Agency's
roadmap for integrating environmental justice into its programs, policies,
and activities.
Plan EJ 2014, which is meant to mark the 20th
anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 12898 on
environmental justice, is EPA's overarching strategy for
advancing environmental justice. It seeks to:
1. Protect the environment and health in
overburdened communities.
2. Empower communities to take action to improve
their health and environment.
3. Establish partnerships with local, state, tribal, and
federal governments and organizations to achieve
healthy and sustainable communities.
Plan EJ 2014 has three major sections: Cross-Agency Focus
Areas, Tools Development Areas, and Program Initiatives.
Input from communities and all stakeholders helped to
inform the development of Plan EJ 2014 and will continue
to inform implementation of its initiatives. EPA will issue
annual reports documenting the progress toward meeting
the commitments outlined in Plan EJ 2014. The annual
reports will be made available to the public through
For more information on Plan EJ 2014 and how to get involved
please go to: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/plan-ej/
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Three Major Sections in Plan EJ 2014
1. Cross-Agency Focus Areas
EPA has identified five Cross-Agency Focus Areas:
1. Incorporating Environmental Justice into
Rulemaking.
2. Considering Environmental Justice in Permitting.
3. Advancing Environmental Justice through
Compliance and Enforcement.
4. Supporting Community-Based Action Programs.
5. Fostering Administration-Wide Action on
Environmental Justice.
2. Tools Development Areas
Tools Development will focus on developing the methods,
mechanisms, and systems that support environmental
justice analysis, technical assistance, and community
work. Plan EJ 2014 has identified four areas for tools
development:
6. Science.
7. Law.
8. Information.
9. Resources.
3. Program Initiatives
EPA will designate one initiative per appropriate program
for inclusion in Plan EJ 2014. Existing EPA initiatives can
be tailored to better integrate environmental justice and
produce greater benefits for overburdened communities.
What Happens in 2014?
In 2014, EPA will make an assessment of its progress in
achieving the goals of Plan EJ 2014. Based on this
assessment, EPA will produce a report on the
accomplishments, lessons learned, challenges, and next
steps for continuing the Agency's efforts to make
environmental justice an integral part of every decision.
For more information on Plan EJ 2014 and how to get involved
please go to: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/plan-ej/
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