Federal Interagency
Working Group on
Environmental Justice
Fiscal Year 2019 Progress Report
Working together
towards collaborative
& innovative solutions
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FY 19 Federal Interagency Working Group
Progress Report
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 3
Connecting Federal Agencies to Communities with EJ Concerns 4
EJ IWG Forms Subcommittee to Further Place-based Efforts 4
EJ IWG Partners with EPA Region 4 to Help Build Community Resilience in North Charleston 6
EJ IWG Partners with EPA Region 10 to Provide Training for Seattle-area Communities 7
Connecting EJ Stakeholders to Environmental Justice Tools and Resources 8
NEPA Committee Advances Awareness for Consideration of EJ in NEPA Review Process 8
Title VI Committee Training at the National Environmental Justice Conference 9
EJ IWG Creates Resources Guide to Help Communities Find Federal Assistance and Resources 9
Connecting EJ Stakeholders to Resources for Natural Disaster Preparedness, Response and
Recovery 10
EJ IWG Helps Vulnerable Communities in Puerto Rico Prepare for Natural Disasters 10
EJ IWG Forms New Subcommittee on EJ and Natural Disasters 11
Connecting with EJ Leaders of the Future 12
Educate, Motive, Innovate Initiative 12
Looking Forward 14
Appendix A: EJ IWG Committees (March 2020) 15
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FY 19 Federal Interagency Working Group
Progress Report
Introduction
The Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice (EJ IWG),
chaired by the EPA Administrator, is comprised of 17 federal agencies and White
House offices to carry out responsibilities outlined by the Executive Order 12898 -
Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low
-Income Populations (EO 12898). The EJ IWG facilitates the active involvement of
federal agencies to implement the EO, which directs that federal agencies covered
by the EO must identify and address, as appropriate, disproportionately high and
adverse human health or environmental effects of their programs, policies, and
activities on minority populations and low-income populations.
Established through the EO, the EJ IWG provides a forum for federal agencies to
collectively advance EJ principles and increase local community capacity to
promote and implement innovative and comprehensive solutions to EJ issues. The
three guiding principles for the EJ IWG are:
• Accessibility - easily reached by communities, advocates, and other stakeholders
regarding EJ concerns;
• Awareness - knowledgeable of the EJ concerns and issues facing communities in
order to facilitate collaboration and coordination; and
• Accountability - capable of explaining the actions and decisions related to the
implementation of the EO.
EJ IWG AGENCIES
White House Council on Environmental
Quality (CEQ)
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Department of Commerce (DOC)
Department of Defense (DOD)
Department of Education (ED)
Department of Energy (DOE)
Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD)
Department of the Interior (DOI)
Department of Justice (DOJ)
Department of Labor (DOL)
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Department of Veteran Affairs (VA)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
General Services Administration (GSA)
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Over the past two years, EJ IWG member agencies have been engaged with the
Government Accountability Office (GAO) on their review of the EJ IWG and the
Executive Branch's fulfillment of the purpose of the EO. The GAO's effort focused
on EPA's role as the EJ IWG chair, and on the activities of member agencies to
integrate EJ into programs and activities. In October 2019, the GAO issued its final report and recommendations to the EJ
IWG, Environmental Justice: Federal Efforts Need Better Planning, Coordination, and Methods to Assess Progress.
The report noted that most agencies that signed the 2011 Memorandum of Understanding took various actions to identify
and address EJ issues related to their programs, policies and activities. Examples of actions included improving research and
data collection by creating data tools such as EPA's EJ Screening and Mapping Tool (e.g., EJSCREEN); considering EJ issues
when implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and enforcing environmental laws; and revising processes
to ensure greater public participation.1 EPA appreciates the constructive feedback and will continue to engage with GAO as
we implement the recommendations. Overall, the EJ IWG is positive about the work accomplished in FY19 and looks forward
to continued progress in the year ahead.
The FY 2019 Accomplishments Report shows how the EJ IWG committees and subcommittees2 apply these principles to
create important connections designed to help EJ stakeholders and vulnerable communities address EJ concerns. This report
demonstrates how the EJ IWG is:
• Connecting Federal Agencies to Communities with EJ Concerns
• Connecting EJ Stakeholders with Federal EJ Tools and Resources
• Connecting EJ Stakeholders to Resources for Natural Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery
• Connecting with EJ Leaders of the Future
1 https://www.gao.gov/assets/710/701401.pdf#page=32
2 A description of the EJ IWG Committees and Subcommittees is included in the Appendix.
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FY 19 Federal Interagency Working Group
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Federal Agencies to Communities with EJ Concerns
The EJ IWG recognizes the need to help connect federal agencies to overburdened communities. Frequently these efforts are
performed collaboratively with other partners through trainings and workshops designed specifically for community members
in response to their environmental justice concerns. The goal is to help empower vulnerable communities to address their
environmental and public health issues. Below are three examples of these efforts in FY 2019.
EJ IWG Forms Subcommittee to Further Place-Based Efforts
When federal agencies coordinate and collaborate together to leverage resources, underserved and overburdened
communities reap the benefits. In FY 2019, the EJ IWG formed a subcommittee on Place-Based Efforts to examine ways for
better connecting government resources with communities experiencing EJ challenges and for addressing their environmental,
health and economic needs. This subcommittee identifies and implements strategies that foster healthy, equitable, sustainable
and resilient communities.
In FY 2019, the subcommittee coordinated with other E J IWG committees (e.g., Rural Communities and Goods Movement
Committees) and federal agencies to accomplish the following. Many of the activities included below are ongoing efforts:
• Southeast United States: In September 2018, Hurricane Florence3 caused extensive wind damage along the North Carolina
coast, widespread power outages and record breaking storm surge and devastating rainfall, which produced catastrophic
and life-threatening flooding. In October 2018, Hurricane Michael4 caused catastrophic damage from wind and storm surge.
The widespread damage spread inland as Hurricane Michael remained at hurricane strength into southwest Georgia. In
response, the EJ IWG partnered with government agencies (e.g., EPA, USDA, HHS and DHS) and health associations (e.g.
American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Disaster Response Coalition, American Optometric Association and Insulin for Life)
to help impacted vulnerable communities obtain insulin and disease management supplies for free, along with important
information on diabetes preparedness, pharmacies and shelter prescriptions, and health care providers.
Partners involved in EJ IWG place based efforts in Southeast U.S. include:
US EPA (Office of Environmental Justice, Region 4), USDA (Forest Service, Natural Resource Conservation Ser
vice), HHS (Health Resource Services Administration, Office of the Assistant Secretary, National Diabetes Educa-
tion Program), Department of Homeland Security, American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Disaster Response
Coalition, American Optometric Association and Insulin for Life, among others.
3 https://www.weather.eov/ilm/HurricaneFlorence and https://www.weather.gov/mhx/Florence2018
4 https://www.weather.eov/tae/HurricaneMichael2018
Connecting
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FY 19 Federal Interagency Working Group
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This effort addressed the urgent need for diabetes care during a natural disaster, especially for vulnerable populations, and in-
cluded the following efforts:
~ The EJ IWG developed and activated a network of community and environmental justice leaders, health care pro-
viders and others living in the storm affected areas to receive and share information on diabetes care during and
after natural disasters.
~ The EJ IWG connected organizations providing insulin and disease management supplies free of charge to those
with diabetes through emergency response personnel in storm areas (e.g. Panama City, FL Department of Health).
~ Partner organizations distributed information developed by federal agencies, non-profit organizations and medical
providers on diabetes preparedness, pharmacies and shelter prescriptions, health care providers, switching and
storing insulin, and discarding sharps.
• Houston, Texas: Provided education, training, convening and consulting to help low-income and minority communities
affected by Hurricane Harvey on the Texas gulf coast. This effort included federal agencies (e.g., EPA, USDA and GSA), com-
munity organizations (e.g. Lone Start Legal Aid), businesses (e.g., Community Lattice), local government (e.g. city of Hou-
ston), health care (e.g. Cities Changing Diabetes), and other stakeholders. The goal of this effort is to apply Brownfields to
Healthfields5 (B2H) for addressing the ongoing environmental challenges exacerbated by natural disasters and help commu-
nities revitalize contaminated sites affected by the hurricane and subsequent flooding.
• Appalachia and Coastal Georgia: Due to the success of B2H in Grundy County, Tennessee6, the EJ IWG launched "Breaking
Bread7 for B2H" - an effort to bring the B2H approach to help low-income and minority communities throughout Southern
Appalachia and along coastal Georgia (from Brunswick to Savannah). This effort included educational B2H presentations at
state, regional and national brownfields conferences. It also involved convening stakeholders to work together, including
federal government partners (e.g. USDA, EPA, DHS Federal Emergency Management Agency), environmental justice leaders
(e.g., Harambee House), and local government (e.g., city of Savannah and city of Brunswick). The goal is to help these com-
munities achieve their EJ priorities through contaminated site remediation and redevelopment.
5B2H is an approach to help local organizations access government (e.g. state and federal), academic, philanthropic and private sector resources to
transform brownfields and blighted properties into community spaces that improve the environment, public health and economic potential of vulnera-
ble, overburdened and underserved communities.
6Please refer to page 13 of EPA FY19 EJ Annual Progress Report.
7Breaking Bread" is a convening approach to foster shared learning and replication of successful place-based efforts. It brings multiple parties, re-
sources, and information together to manage the B2H process.
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EJIWG Partners with EPA Region 4 to Help Build Community
Resilience in North Charleston
In FY 2019, the EJ IWG Goods Movement Committee8 partnered with EPA Region 4 and the
Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities (LAMC) to host a working session and
community resource fair to help the North Charleston community develop an actionable
implementation plan. The goal of the plan was to improve community resilience and share
key tools and resources with community members. Federal and state agencies shared
resources related to the community's environment, health, housing, transportation, and
economic opportunities. The EJ IWG NEPA Committee discussed the EJ IWG's Community
Guide to Environmental Justice and NEPA Methods as well as the EJ IWG Promising Practices
for EJ Methodologies in NEPA Reviews. The following tools were also shared: U.S. DOE's
Weatherization Assistance Program; U.S. DOE's Clean Energy for Low Income Communities
Accelerator; U.S. DOT's Safe Routes to Schools Activities; and U.S. EPA's College/Underserved
Community Partnership Program.
Raising awareness of these resources and fostering federal, state and academic connections are vital to uplifting the North
Charleston community. This community is in Charleston County, South Carolina, and comprised of seven neighborhoods that
are served by LAMC. Community members are predominantly minority, low-income and elderly. The community is located
near several major transportation facilities, including an interstate highway and several industrial rail and port facilities. North
Charleston is environmentally overburdened due to both legacy pollution and continuing heavy industrial activity. Residents
have articulated concerns about air quality, flooding, safe and affordable housing, access to healthy food and public
transportation, economic opportunities, among others.
As a result of this collaborative effort with the EJ IWG, other partners, and the community, EPA Region 4 created a feasible
action plan and a resource compendium specifically for North Charleston. Over the course of this work, the community
enhanced relationships and partnerships with participating or newly identified organizations, including: Charleston
Waterkeeper; city of North Charleston; Clemson University Emergency Management Center; Federal Highway Administration's
South Carolina Division; South Carolina DOT; U.S. DOE; and U.S. EPA Brownfields Program.
"Impacts from commercial transportation and supporting infrastructure ("Goods Movement"} was identified to be an area of focus in the 2011
Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Justice and Executive Order 12898.
9LAMC is a nonprofit organization that advocates for environmental justice and promotes community development, education, employment, quality
housing, and community involvement.
Figure 1: A home in Union Height
(neighborhood in North Charleston)
using a blanket as insulation.
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EJIWG Partners with EPA Region 10 to Provide Training for Seattle-area Communities
The EJ IWG convened a two-part training (webinar and workshop) on NEPA and EJ for Seattle-area communities. The Goods
Movement Committee led, and the NEPA Committee supported, the development, planning and implementation of this effort.
The trainings were created for several Seattle-area low-income and minority communities concerned about impacts from
commercial transportation activity (e.g., air quality and noise impacts from trucks, ships and airplanes). The Goods Movement
Committee became aware of the community's interest in how to meaningfully engage in the NEPA process when the
committee was supporting EPA-funded EJ collaborative problem-solving efforts and the EPA Ports Initiative in Seattle's
Georgetown, South Park, and Beacon Hill communities.
In FY 2019, EPA Region 10 assisted with developing, planning, and participating in the two training events with input from
several Seattle community leaders. The first part was a 90-minute presentation, Primer on the National Environmental Policy
Act and Environmental Justice. It introduced community members to NEPA, environmental justice and the EJ IWG. The second
part was a 3-hour Workshop on Promising Practices for EJ Methodologies in NEPA Reviews. The training included an interactive
hypothetical transportation infrastructure project to help participants explore how these two EJ IWG resources - Promising
Practices for EJ Methodologies in NEPA Reviews and Community Guide to Environmental Justice and NEPA Methods - can
support the consideration of EJ during various stages of the NEPA process. Development and planning efforts occurred
throughout FY 2019 while the trainings took place in early FY 2020.
Figure 2: Photo of Seattle.
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Connecting EJ Stakeholders to EJ Tools and Resources
Tools and resources can help stakeholders meaningfully engage in their
environmental justice efforts. With that in mind, the EJ IWG continues to
provide tools and resources to partners and vulnerable communities. The
topics for these tools range from the intersection of EJ and the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and
how to find federal funding opportunities and assistance. Below are highlights
of these EJ IWG FY 2019 efforts.
Figure 3: Photo of federal agency resource table at National Environmental Justice Conference.
NEPA Committee Advances Awareness for Consideration of EJ in NEPA Review Process
The EJ IWG National Environmental Policy Act Committee " promotes EJ principles in the NEPA process by sharing promising
practices and lessons learned developed by federal departments and agencies. Highlights of the NEPA Committee's work in FY
2019 include:
• Community Guide: The IWG released the Community Guide to Environmental Justice and NEPA Methods, which provides
information for community members who want to assure that their EJ issues are adequately considered when there is a
federal agency action that may involve environmental impacts on minority populations, low-income populations, and/or
Indian tribes and indigenous communities. It lays out a framework for how federal agencies generally consider EJ in the
NEPA process, and summarizes opportunities that communities may use to work with these agencies to advance EJ.
• Workshop on Ei and NEPA Methods at the National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program: The
purpose of the workshop was to increase understanding of opportunities to advance consideration of EJ in the NEPA
review process. The specific focus was the community's understanding of the interconnection between EJ and NEPA by
utilizing two tools of the EJ IWG NEPA Committee: The "Promising Practices for EJ Methodologies in NEPA
Reviews" (Promising Practices Report) and the "Community Guide to Environmental Justice and NEPA
Methods" (Community Guide), a companion document to the Promising Practices Report. The workshop consisted of a
panel presentation by federal NEPA practitioners and an interactive exercise on how to apply NEPA to an infrastructure
project. Ultimately, the workshop provided participants with better knowledge of what practices federal agencies use to
evaluate environmental impacts to minority, low-income, tribal and indigenous populations, and how they can be a more
effective advocate for their communities with these agencies as they make decisions.
10
NEPA was identified to be an area of focus in the 2011 Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Justice and Executive Order 12898.
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FY 19 Federal Interagency Working Group
Progress Report
• DOE Department Memorandum Advancing Use of Promising Practices: On September 30, 2019, DOE issued a
memorandum, Environmental Justice Evaluation Tools for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Reviews to encourage
all NEPA practitioners throughout the Department to utilize both the Promising Practices Report and the Community
Guide. This was developed by the NEPA Committee Co-chairs and DOE's EJ Program Manager. As a next step, the NEPA
Committee will leverage DOE's action to encourage other federal departments to do the same.
• Performance Measures and Evaluation: In FY 2019, the NEPA Committee continued its efforts to evaluate how federal
practitioners use the Promising Practices Report to improve consideration of EJ through the NEPA review process. Based
on a Performance Measures Survey conducted the prior year, preliminary recommendations were crafted to implement in
FY 2019 and beyond. The goal is to create greater awareness and promote the use of the Promising Practices Report
among federal NEPA practitioners.
Title VI Committee Training at the National Environmental Justice Conference
The EJ IWG Title VI Committee11 conducted a Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Training at the 2019 National Environmental
Justice Conference and Training Program. This session provided participants with an overview of Title VI, its application to
environmental justice scenarios, and information on how to file a complaint with a federal agency and how such complaints
EJ IWG Creates Resource Guide to Help Communities Find Federal Assistance and Resources
In FY 2019, the EJ IWG released the EJ IWG Guide to Finding Federal Assistance and Resources for Environmental Justice Efforts
(Resource Guide). The federal government provides assistance for several environmental, educational, health care, research,
infrastructure, economic development and other programs and projects through grants, loans, scholarships, insurance and
other types of financial assistance. The EJ IWG created this guide to help EJ stakeholders know where to start. It leverages the
information available through government websites, offers general guidance and tips on how to search for federal resources,
and compiles recorded webinar trainings related to federal grants, along with links to different environmental justice tools, all
in one place. The goal is to increase awareness of these resources so that vulnerable communities can access them to help
address their environmental and public health needs.
nTitle VI was identified to be an area of focus in the 2011 Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Justice and Executive Order 12898.
are processed.
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Connecting EJ Stakeholders to Resources For Natural Disaster
Preparedness, Response and Recovery
Building on prior EJ IWG efforts and lessons learned from connecting EJ stakeholders to
resources that aide in natural disaster recovery, the EJ IWG worked to address the
growing need to support minority and low-income populations that are
disproportionately vulnerable in the event of a natural disaster. Below are two examples
of the EJ IWG's FY 2019 efforts.
Figures 4: Insulin-related durable goods delivered to Puerto Rico. Photos courtesy ofColegio de Optometras de PR.
EJ IWG Helps Vulnerable Communities in Puerto Rico Prepare for Natural Disasters
The EJ IWG expanded its place-based disaster preparedness and response model to help
vulnerable communities after Hurricanes Florence and Michael (discussed above) to
include Puerto Rico in FY 2019. The EJ IWG's Rural Communities Committee (RCC) piloted
a project to help communities in Puerto Rico manage chronic diabetes after the
occurrence of a natural disaster. In the last several years, Puerto Rico has experienced
several major hurricanes that have devastated the environment and left people with
chronic diabetes especially vulnerable. 2 Diabetes is a contributor of morbidity and
mortality during natural disasters, especially for vulnerable populations.' Knowing that
medical supplies were needed for those with chronic diabetes, the RCC launched an
effort to find out how to connect vulnerable populations with diabetes to the medical
supplies that they needed.
Figure 5: Insulin-related durable goods deliv-
ered to Puerto Rico. Photos courtesy of Cole-
gio de Optometras de PR.
^Diabetes can contribute to early death and lead to health problems, such as nerve damage, blindness and amputation. See https://www.cdc.gov/
diabetes/basics/diabetes.html and https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/ndep/peoDle-with-diabetes/avoidine-complications.html
'"'See https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/ndep/people-with-diabetes/emergencv.html: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/preparedness.html: https://
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31748930 ("Diabetes and Disasters: Recent Studies and Resources for Preparedness" Nov. 20, 2019); and https://
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4964212/ ("Acute post-disaster medical needs of patients with diabetes: emergency department use in New York
City by diabetic adults after Hurricane Sandy" July 26, 2016).
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To accomplish this, the EJ IWG worked with several partners, including EPA, USDA, FWS, Insulin for
Life, Pediatrics Foundation of Puerto Rico, Medical Center of San Juan, Vieques House of
Representatives, and medical practitioners in the United States and Puerto Rico. As a result of this
public and private sector collaboration, the EJ IWG secured and transported insulin-related durable
goods from Florida to Puerto Rico. Eleven distribution points were in overburdened and vulnerable
communities across the island, including three pediatric foundations, and supplies were divided
among doctors to help distribute the medical supplies for free, as needed, These efforts in Puerto
Rico are ongoing, and the EJ IWG plans to expand the network of partners to leverage more
resources to help vulnerable communities affected by natural disasters address their health
concerns.
EJ IWG Forms New Subcommittee on EJ and Natural Disasters
The EJ IWG formed a new subcommittee to help it focus on EJ and natural disasters. The EJ and Natural Disasters
Subcommittee brings federal officials together to assess major EJ issues and identify timely solutions to address natural
disaster preparedness, response, and recovery in vulnerable, overburdened, and underserved communities. The subcommittee
will focus on a variety of natural disasters, e.g., major floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and wildfires, and how to
minimize the impact of these disasters on vulnerable populations.
This subcommittee is chaired by a representative at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS),
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Members include representatives from EPA, Department of Justice,
Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Transportation, Department of
Housing and Urban Development, Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, and HHS.
In FY 2019, the Subcommittee developed a charge, workplan, and schedule of deliverables for its goal of issuing a final report
to the EJ IWG in September 2020. This report will document best approaches to address EJ concerns in vulnerable,
overburdened, and underserved communities related to natural disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Informed by EJ
stakeholder input, the report will include findings and recommendations for the EJ IWG for future improvements in addressing
EJ concerns and needs.
Figure 6: Insulin-related dura-
ble goads delivered to Puerto
Rico, Photos courtesy of Cole-
gio de Optometras de PR.
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Connecting with EJ Leaders of the Future
The EJ IWG strives to engage and elevate the next generation of EJ leaders. This
is accomplished by providing an opportunity for youth to present their work and
share their insights with other EJ stakeholders.
Figure 7: EMI student presenters at the 2019 NEJC, listed from left to right: Joey Danielle Batts, Aaliyah Shan-
non and Sadie Shofidiya. Photo courtesy of NEJC.
Educate, Motivate, Innovate Initiative
The EJ IWG recognizes the importance of connecting with leaders of the future. This effort is accomplished through the EJ
IWG's Educate Motivate Innovate (EMI) Climate Justice Initiative, a national effort comprised of representatives from differ-
ent federal agencies. The goal of EMI is to engage the next generation of EJ leaders and expand partnerships with Minority
Serving Institutions.
EMI offers an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate student EJ leaders to share their work at a panel presentation
during the National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program (NEJC). The NEJC includes interactive sessions
that feature the needs and challenges of communities, governments, municipalities, American Indians and Alaskan Natives,
faith-based organizations, and others with interests in environmental justice and health disparities and how addressing
them together can build healthy communities.
EMI's panel presentations during NEJC provide a forum where students present their projects that address the impacts of
our changing climate on minority, American Indians and Alaskan Natives, and vulnerable and underserved communities.
This initiative results in two major accomplishments. EMI uplifts the next generation of environmental justice leaders and
provides them opportunities to engage with elders and activists, as well as influential members of academia, government
and non-governmental organizations. In turn, EMI's student EJ leaders share their knowledge, innovation and inspiration
with participants of the NEJC and leaders in the EJ field.
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https://theneic.org/7page id=2
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As part of the IWG's Educate, Motivate, Innovate Initiative, three students presented their work at the 2019 National Envi-
ronmental Justice Conference and Training Program:
• Aaliyah Shannon (Tennessee State University) discussed the "Modified Health Impact Assessments (HIA) for Two Envi-
ronmental Justice Communities in Pensacola. Florida and Houston, Texas." A goal of this project was to conduct re-
search on the impacts of environmental contaminates and share the information with stakeholders in the Wedgewood
and Pleasantville communities to help address the issues they are facing.
• Sadie Shofidiya (Savannah State University) spoke about her project "Foster Beeliefs Education Outreach Program" to
build awareness about honeybees, providing education on their plight, and organizing action for their future. Another
goal of this project was to increase interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) among young African
American students and introduce them to the EJ movement.
• Joey Danielle Batts (Tennessee State University) provided insight into the "Two-Community Health Impact Assessment
(HIA): Lower 9l Ward Community, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Africatown Community, Mobile, Alabama." The goal of
the HIA was to identify the specific issues impacting communities from Hurricane Katrina, provide information on these
issues to the communities, and identify possible resolutions.
Significant Fint
• lm9* Ward. New t
Figure 8: EMI student sharing work at Student Poster Abstracts at NEJC 2019.
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FY 19 Federal Interagency Working Group
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Looking Forward
The EJ IWG looks forward to continuing its efforts to strengthen the connections between federal agencies, resources and
opportunities with EJ stakeholders, vulnerable communities, and future leaders that are all working to improve the
environment and health of overburdened communities.
These connections are critical to ensuring that environmental justice is integrated into federal programs and activities to
strengthen environmental and public health protections for low-income, minority, indigenous, and disadvantaged communities
that are more likely to live near contaminated lands or be disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards.
For a list of EJ IWG Committees (as of March 2020), please see Appendix A. For a list of agency contacts for the EJ IWG, please
visit the Agency Contacts webpage.
STAY CONNECTED!
Find more environmental justice resources and information on the EJ IWG website:
https://www.epa.gov/environmentaliustice/federal-interagencv-working-group-
environmental-iustice-ei-iwg
To receive updates of EJ tools and resources from across the federal government,
sign up for EPA's EJ Listserv:
https://lists.epa.gov/read/all forums/subscribe?name=epa-ei
To contact the EJ IWG, call the EJ Hotline 800 962 6215 (toll free) or email
eistrategy@epa.gov
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FY 19 Federal Interagency Working Group
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APPENDIX A: EJIWG Committees - March 2020
COMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRPERSONS (BOLD);
PARTICIPATING AGENCIES
PURPOSE
Strategy and
Implementation
Progress Report
Committee
EPA, DOJ, DOI, USDA
Serves as a resource for federal agencies as they review, update, or
develop their environmental justice strategy, and the annual im-
plementation progress reports. Works with agencies to help coor-
dinate programs, policies, and activities. Coordinates EJ IWG Sr.
Leadership Meetings. Manages implementation of EJ IWG Frame-
work for Collaboration and standard operating procedures.
Regional IWG
EPA, HUD, HHS, USDA, DOJ,
DOI
Provides targeted and coordinated technical assistance, develops
relationships between federal field and regional staff, and devel-
ops best practices for prioritizing EJ concerns. Develops community
resource materials and strengthens education, training, and/or
engagement on EJ among local and state agencies. Implement Edu-
cate, Motivate, Initiate student project and the Access & Aware-
ness Webinar Series.
Native Ameri-
cans/Indigenous
Peoples
DOJ, USDA Forest Service,
EPA, DOC, DOI, GSA, USDA,
DOJ, DHS, DOE, DOD/US
Army Corps of Engineers,
HHS/lndian Health Services
(IHS), Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation
(ACHP)
Facilitates effective coordination and collaboration of federal agen-
cies in identifying and addressing issues of environmental justice
that are concern to federally recognized tribes, indigenous peo-
ples, and others living in Indian Country.
Rural Communi-
ties
USDA, DOI/Fish and Wild-
life Service (FWS), HHS,
DOJ, EPA, GSA, DHS, DOL,
DOJ, NOAA, HUD
Supports efforts to ensure collaboration between federal agencies
and rural environmental justice communities; develop economic
opportunities so rural overburdened communities are self-
sustaining and economically thriving; and coordinate federal agen-
cy investments to further holistic community-based solutions that
reduce environmental justice issues.
Impacts from
Commercial
Transportation
"Goods
Movement"
DOT/Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), EPA,
DOT/Federal Highway Ad-
ministration (FHWA), DOT/
Maritime Administration
(MARAD), DHS, GSA
Serves as a resource to coordinate with other federal agencies on
reducing environmental and health effects of commercial transpor-
tation and supporting infrastructure ("goods movement") that im-
pact low-income, minority and tribal populations (overburdened
communities). Ensures that overburdened communities have
greater opportunities to access benefits from federal efforts relat-
ed to goods movement.
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FY 19 Federal Interagency Working Group
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APPENDIX A: EJIWG Committees - March 2020
COMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRPERSONS (BOLD);
PARTICIPATING AGENCIES
PURPOSE
National Environ-
mental Policy Act
(NEPA)
DOE, EPA, CEa DHS, DOI,
DOJ, DOE, DOT, EPA Re-
gions, EPA HQ, FERC, GSA,
HHS, HUD, State, USDA
Improves effective, efficient and consistent consideration of envi-
ronmental justice principles in the NEPA process by sharing prom-
ising practices and lessons learned developed by federal depart-
ments and agencies. Fosters collaboration between federal depart-
ments and impacted populations to advance informed decision-
making.
Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act
DOJ, DHS, DOT, USDA, EPA,
HUD, GSA, DOI, DOE, HHS,
NPS
Serves as a resource to help agencies connect their civil rights en-
forcement responsibilities with their other efforts to achieve envi-
ronmental justice.
Public Participa-
tion
DOJ, EPA, GSA, DHS, DOI/
FWS
Increases transparency, language accessible outreach and address-
es technological barriers; develops listening sessions and opportu-
nities for public input; facilitates collaboration and public participa-
tion with federal agencies and external stakeholders; utilizes tradi-
tional means of communication and social media to build participa-
tion; and helps coordinate responses to public input.
EJ and Natural
Disasters Sub-
committee
HHS/National Institute of
Environmental Health Sci-
ence (NIEHS), DOJ, DHS,
FEMA, DOT, HUD, DOI,
USDA, HHS Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Pre-
paredness and Response
(ASPR), EPA Region 4.
Brings federal officials together to assess the major EJ issues and
identify time sensitive solutions to address natural disaster prepar-
edness, response, and recovery in vulnerable, overburdened, and
underserved communities. Will focus on a variety of natural disas-
ters, e.g., major floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and
wildfires, and how to minimize the impact of these disasters on
vulnerable populations.
Subcommittee on
Place-based
Efforts
EPA, DOJ, USDA, DOT
Examines ways to better connect government resources to com-
munities with environmental justice concerns to address their en-
vironmental, health and economic needs. Identifies and imple-
ments strategies that foster healthy, equitable, sustainable and
resilient communities.
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