&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EJ 2020 Action Agenda
The EJ 2020 Action Agenda (EJ 2020) is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) strategic plan for
environmental justice for 2016-2020. EJ 2020 will build on the foundation established by EPA's previous plan,
Plan EJ 2014, as well as decades of significant environmental justice practice by the Agency, communities and
our partners.
VISION
By 2020, we envision an EPA that
integrates environmental justice
into everything we do, cultivates strong
partnerships to improve on-the-ground
results, and charts a path forward for
achieving better environmental outcomes
and reducing disparities in the nation's most
overburdened communities.
Achieving this vision will help to make our
vulnerable, environmentally burdened, and
economically disadvantaged communities
healthier, cleaner and more sustainable
places in which to live, work, play and learn.
"Clean water and clean air don't just happen, especially in
low-income and minority communities. These are essential
resources that we have to invest in protecting and that starts
with communities, cities, states
I and tribes. This problem isn't
We won't fix it overnight.
inly when we work together
we will be able to deliver
e basic rights to every
American, no matter who they
iiuch money they make. Everyone
.mi protected from environmental
exposures.
- Administrator Gina McCarthy
GOALS & KEY AREAS
We will achieve this vision through three goals, eight priority areas, and four national challenges:
Goal I: Deepen environmental justice practice within EPA programs to improve the health and
environment of overburdened communities
Priority areas: (1) Rulemaking, (2) Permitting, (3) Compliance and Enforcement, and (4) Science
Goal II: Work with partners to expand our positive impact within overburdened communities
Priority areas: (1) States and Local Governments, (2) Federal Agencies, (3) Community-Based Work, and
(4) Tribes and Indigenous Peoples
Goal III: Demonstrate progress on significant national environmental justice challenges
Challenges: (1) Lead Disparities, (2) Drinking Water, (3) Air Quality, and (4) Hazardous Waste Sites
www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/ej-2020-action-agenda
Office of Environmental Justice
environmental-justice@epa.gov
(202)564-2515
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ACTIVITIES
Implementation
EJ 2020 will be implemented over
the next four years using a cross-
agency approach. The various
goals and actions in this plan will
be carried out by many different
EPA offices and regions in an
effort to incorporate environmental
justice into everything we do. Some
work on actions included in EJ
2020 is already underway.
Stakeholder Outreach
Stakeholder engagement is an
integral part of EJ 2020. In addition
to providing an opportunity for
the public and stakeholders to
comment on the draft framework
and the draft final versions of
EJ 2020, EPA is also working
to expand other avenues of
communication. We have held and
will continue to hold numerous
webinars and meetings to share
information on the plan as well as
to solicit input and feedback on
EJ 2020. If you are interested in
participating in these dialogues,
please contact us. A list of the
EPA's EJ 2020 regional and
program contacts is available on
our website.
Annual Reporting
EPA will produce annual reports
on our EJ 2020 progress starting
at the end of 2017 through 2020.
We are doing this in an effort to
be transparent and accountable to
the public in our implementation of
these important efforts.
KEY AREAS & LEAD EPA OFFICES
Rulemaking - Office of Policy, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention, Region 6
Compliance and Enforcement - Office of Enforcement and Compliance
Assurance, Region 8
Science - Office of Research and Development, Region 1
States and Local Governments - Office of Water, Region 5
Federal Agencies - Office of Land and Emergency Management, Office of
Environmental Justice, Region 4
Community-Based Work - Office of Land and Emergency Management,
Office of Environmental Justice, Region 3, Region 10
Tribes and Indigenous Peoples - Office of International and Tribal Affairs,
Office of Environmental Justice, Region 6
National Measures - Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Region 9
Through EJ 2020, EPA will advance EPA's environmental justice efforts
to a new level in improving the health and environment of overburdened
communities. By 2020, we will:
Improve on-the-ground results for overburdened communities;
Institutionalize environmental justice integration in EPA decision-
making;
Build robust partnerships with states and co-regulators;
Strengthen our ability to take action on environmental justice and
cumulative impacts; and
Better address complex national environmental justice issues.
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
May 2016
Office of Environmental Justice
300S16001
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