%>. r *L PRO^ a LU PLAN EJ 2014 SUPPORTING COMMUNITY-BASED ACTION PROGRAMS DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Led by Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response and Regions 2, 3 and 4 Plan EJ 2014 is EPA's roadrnap to integrate environmental justice (EJ) into its programs and policies. 2014 represents the 20s" anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 12898 on environmental justice. ------- Comments regarding the Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan can be submitted on Regulations.gov Docket # EPA-HQ-OECA-2011-0296. Comments will be accepted through April 29, 2011. For more information on Plan EJ 2014, visit the US EPA's Office of Environmental Justice website at: www.epa.gov/compliance/ei/resources/policy/plan-ei-2014.html. ------- Plan EJ 2014: Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan, March 1, 2011 1.0 INTRODUCTION For over forty years, EPA's top priority has been protecting human health and the environment. The Agency has learned that communities must be the driver for local solutions. Consequently, EPA has implemented numerous programs that support community empowerment and provide community benefits at all levels, from basic educational and leadership development to comprehensive approaches to achieving healthy, sustainable and green communities. These efforts include financial assistance programs such as Environmental Justice (EJ), Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE), Brownfields Area-Wide Planning, Lead, and Tribal grants. They also include other place-based programs such as EPA's Local Climate and Energy, Childhood Asthma, Smart Growth/Sustainable Communities, Urban Waters, Superfund, and Brownfields programs. EPA undertakes these programs in collaboration with other federal agencies, state, tribal, and local governments, and multiple stakeholders. Significantly, EPA's ten Regions play a leading role in implementing these programs. While communities continue to impress EPA with their dedication, their innovative ideas, and most importantly their ability to bring real change to their communities, we realize that far too many communities still lack the capacity to affect environmental conditions. Many low-income, minority, and indigenous communities continue to live in the shadows of the worst pollution and face some of the harshest impacts. The Plan EJ 2014 Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Implementation Plan builds upon an Agency effort to improve the effectiveness of EPA's place-based community programs through better information access, coordination, and leveraging. Through this process, EPA hopes to make "community" an organizing principle for our work. To implement this principle, EPA is currently doing the difficult foundational work of internally aligning and coordinating its programs. The resulting foundation will enable EPA, particularly its Regions, to more effectively expand partnerships, build local capacity, and foster health and economic benefits in minority, low-income, indigenous, and other underserved communities, as well as aligning EPA programs and investments with those of other federal agencies, state, local and tribal governments, and other stakeholders. 1.1 Goals EPA will strengthen community-based programs to engage overburdened communities and build partnerships that promote healthy, sustainable and green communities. To accomplish this goal, EPA will build upon and leverage Agency efforts to promote greater coordination in the use of programs and tools that support community empowerment. EPA will pursue this goal at all levels, from basic educational and leadership development to comprehensive approaches to achieving healthy, sustainable, and green communities. Through these efforts, EPA will make the Agency's resources more accessible to underserved communities, while achieving greater internal efficiency through feedback and better understanding of implementing community-based programs. This approach will result in environmental, health, and economic improvements in such communities. 1 ------- Plan EJ 2014: Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan, March 1, 2011 1.2 Organizational Structure The Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) and Regions 2, 3, and 4 are responsible for designing and implementing the Plan EJ 2014 Supporting Community-Based Action Programs focus area. They will be supported by the Office of Water (OW), Office of Air and Radiation (OAR), Office of Policy (OP), Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ), Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), and Regions 1, 6, and 10. EPA recognizes that Supporting Community-Based Action Programs is cross-cutting in nature and requires the participation of all EPA Programs and Regions. This One-EPA approach enables the Agency to better engage and empower communities and their partners, particularly those who have been historically under-represented, in order to support and advance environmental protection and foster environmental, health and economic benefits for all communities. 2.0 IMPLEMENTATION 2.1 Strategies EPA will employ five strategies in the Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Implementation Plan that are tied to the larger Plan EJ 2014 goals and Agency priorities. 1. Advance EJ principles by building strong state and tribal partnerships through the FY2011 National Environmental Performance Partnership System (NEPPS) and National Program Manager (NPM) guidance. 2. Align multiple community-based programs to provide funding and technical assistance to build capacity to address critical issues affecting minority, low-income, indigenous, and other underserved communities. 3. Promote a One-EPA presence to better engage communities in the Agency's work to protect human health and the environment. 4. Foster community-based programs modeled on CARE principles. 5. Explore how EPA funding, policies and programs can inform or help local decision-makers to maximize benefits and minimize adverse impacts from land use decision-making, planning and siting. 2.2 Activities This section will describe the nine major activities EPA will undertake to implement these strategies to support community-based programs. 2 ------- Plan EJ 2014: Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan, March 1, 2011 Strategy 1: Advance EJ principles by building strong state and tribal partnerships through the FY2011 National Environmental Performance Partnership System (NEPPS) and National Program Manager (NPM) guidance This effort will advance the Administrator's priorities on EJ and children's health through state, tribal, and grant work plans. EPA Regions will work with states and tribes to advance environmental justice by improving environmental conditions and public health in minority, low-income, indigenous, and other overburdened communities. EPA will establish a workgroup and schedule a series of meetings to hold discussions. The workgroup will make recommendations and develop appropriate language to incorporate EJ principles and Title VI to better protect disproportionately burdened communities. This effort will demonstrate how the Agency can positively impact minority, low-income, indigenous and other overburdened communities through its partnerships, agreements, work plans and grants that are governed by NEPPS and NPM guidance principles. The workgroup will promote state and tribal engagement with impacted communities in their discussions and decision-making processes. The workgroup has identified two key activities to address as part of its effort to advance EJ through NEPPS and NPM guidance: Activity 1: Create a workgroup to provide recommendations that mutually support community involvement, resource/data sharing, monitoring/tracking and training within programs implemented through performance partnership agreements, tribal agreements, and work plans guided by NEPPS and NPM documents. • Address specific issues and identify barriers within current practices to incorporating EJ principles into NEPPS and NPM process • Develop recommendations on how to best integrate EJ principles into state, tribal, and grant work plans • Promote state and tribal involvement in EJ discussions, reviews and decision-making to incorporate EJ principles into the NEPPS and NPM processes • Coordinate with NEPPS and NPM efforts, exploring current regional practices and lessons learned to develop language for EJ guidance on community-based programs for inclusion in the annual NPM & NEPPS guidance • Identify Agency programs to pilot the inclusion of EJ principles into negotiated work plans and tribal agreements • Incorporate lessons learned from pilot demonstrations of EJ in negotiated work plans and tribal agreements into NPM & NEPPS annual guidance Activity 2: Develop language for EJ principles including Title VI guidance (as appropriate with all Agency grants) for inclusion in the FY 2013 NEPPS and FY 2012 NPM guidance through collaboration and discussions with OCIR, Office of Civil Rights (OCR), Regional Offices and States. 3 ------- Plan EJ 2014: Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan, March 1, 2011 • Consult Agency legal resources for guidance in integrating EJ considerations and Title VI guidance through NEPPS and NPM guidance documents. • Review language from PPA, PPG and grants of Agency and state programs being implemented under NEPPS and NPM guidance. Strategy 2: Align multiple community-based programs to provide funding and technical assistance to build capacity to address critical issues affecting minority, low-income, indigenous, and other underserved communities. EPA has achieved great success with community-based programs that help build capacity to address critical issues affecting disproportionately burdened populations. In order to help Agency community-based programs learn from direct experience in the field, this workgroup will engage regional offices regarding their successes and lessons learned with community- based programs. EPA has embarked on an effort to improve the effectiveness of its place-based community programs through better information access, coordination, and leveraging, with the following desired outcomes: • "Community" becomes an organizing principle for our work; • Communities find it easier to access our programs; • Communities' needs are better met; • EPA programs effectively target communities most in need; • Environmental protection and quality of life at the community level are improved; and • Effective basis for coordination across federal agencies is established. This effort is employing a multi-pronged approach, which is in the process of: • Assessing a list of 27 key community-based programs to initiate this effort;1 • Developing web-based mapping tools and information portals to serve as an internal management tool and to better connect communities with EPA resources and services; • Reviewing existing grants programs to ensure use of a community-based orientation (e.g., the EJ 2014 Resources Tools Development Implementation Plan is designed to supporting this cross-agency focus area); • Developing and incorporating metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of community-based activities and to integrate this approach into ongoing Agency planning and budgeting processes; and • Coordinating with other federal agencies, states, regions, tribes, and municipalities to integrate a community-based approach. EPA has also undertaken significant community and stakeholder engagement efforts. Examples are provided below. • OSWER' Community Engagement Initiative assists local communities and stakeholders to meaningfully participate in government decisions on cleanup, emergency preparedness and response, and hazardous materials management. 1 A list of EPA's community-based programs is provided in Appendix B. 4 ------- Plan EJ 2014: Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan, March 1, 2011 • The Community Involvement Conference provides training to EPA staff. • The National Environmental Justice Advisory Council provides advice and recommendations to the EPA Administrator. • The Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) organizes an Agency-wide community training conference. OAR is developing an EJ Learning Center, patterned after its highly successful tribal training program in collaboration with the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals. The workgroup has identified two key activities to improve EPA's community-based efforts to produce tangible results in minority, low-income, indigenous, and other overburdened communities. Activity 3: Review list of Agency and key outside community-based programs and identify scalable and replicable program elements which encourage place-based solutions to environmental issues, strengthen and promote partnerships, and support healthy and sustainable communities. Activity 4: Make recommendations on how EPA can align its community-based and geographically-centered work, particularly in EPA's regions. Strategy 3: Promote a One-EPA presence to better engage communities in the Agency's work to protect human health and the environment The organizational structure of EPA presents a challenge for many communities that are addressing multiple environmental issues. The reality is that most Americans see EPA as a single entity. More and more communities are seeking comprehensive environmental solutions that cut across individual media programs. We will find the best solutions when we work consistently in a unified way. What we can achieve as One EPA to assure a clean and healthy environment for all is far greater than the results of multiple uncoordinated efforts. One EPA is a mindset that values alignment - investing our time and energy to define together the outcomes we want and how to get there. It entails our persistent search for more integrated ways of reaching solutions that better protect the environment. The workgroup has identified two key activities to address as part of its effort to promote a One-EPA presence. Activity 5: Identify three approaches to promote a "One EPA" presence where EPA will find the best solution by working in a consistent and unified way. Activity 6: Promote equitable development opportunities. EPA has a range of financing and technical assistance vehicles in place which communities might be able to tap if they had basic, understandable information about how to do so. However, accessing them can be a formidable challenge for communities and organizations unfamiliar with EPA's processes for distributing these resources. 5 ------- Plan EJ 2014: Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan, March 1, 2011 Strategy 4: Foster community-based programs modeled on CARE principles The Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program was developed from lessons learned from EPA community-based programs (e.g., Brownfields, EJ, Community-Based Environmental Protection, etc.) and advice from the 2004 National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) to "initiate community-based, collaborative, multi-media, risk reduction pilot projects." The CARE principles will be applied to a One-EPA approach toward testing regional approaches for joint planning and non-EPA funding of community partnerships. These partnerships will engage private industry, foundations, universities and community colleges, and other groups. The workgroup has identified two key activities to address as part of its effort to foster community-based programs modeled on CARE principles. Activity 7: Develop a community-based partners (CBP) program for opportunities in undeserved and overburdened neighborhoods to collaborate with private industry, foundations, and other institutions to implement the CARE model. In developing the CBP program, EPA will assess and implement ways by how the Agency can better act as a conduit to bring together underserved communities with private industry, businesses, foundations, universities, and other institutions. Activity 8: Identify technical assistance resources, program staff, and regional staff available to aid minority, low-income, indigenous and other underserved communities with issues related to their areas of expertise. Strategy 5: Explore how EPA funding, policies and programs can inform or help local decision-makers to maximize benefits and minimize adverse impacts from land use decision-making, planning and siting EPA is aware of communities concerns about land use planning. To respond to these concerns, EPA will explore how our programs impact land use planning, siting, and decision-making in low income, minority, indigenous and other overburdened communities. While land use planning is usually a local government responsibility, EPA can provide interested jurisdictions with information on best practices regarding policies and approaches that can benefit all community stakeholders and minimize adverse impacts. Building upon its work with the interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities, EPA can support a broad discussion forum to explore how interested jurisdictions might better address the issues of overburdened communities when making local land use decisions. Due to the cross-cutting nature of land use planning and its effect on communities, EPA will work collaboratively with communities and all stakeholders to identify issues and opportunities. EPA has identified one activity to implement its effort to examine land use decision-making, planning, and siting in underserved and overburdened communities. Activity 9: Establish a workgroup and seek stakeholder feedback to explore ways the Agency's work intersects with land use decision-making, planning and siting. This workgroup will produce information discussing environmental concerns which may affect land use planning, siting, and permitting decisions. This workgroup will be comprised of select 6 ------- Plan EJ 2014: Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan, March 1, 2011 EPA offices, state, local government and tribal partners. The workgroup will also develop a complementary training course for stakeholders with the goal of increasing awareness of land- use decision-making, and its impact on communities. 2.3 Community Engagement and Stakeholder Partnership Plan Community engagement and stakeholder partnership activities are integrated into the different strategies and activities of this Implementation Plan. Many strategies and activities of this plan resulted from community dialogues and the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council's (NEJAC) advice and recommendations. In addition, we will coordinate our community outreach and stakeholder involvement efforts with the Office of Environmental Justice. 7 ------- Plan EJ 2014: Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan, March 1, 2011 3.0 DELIVERABLES The table below provides a list of activities to be completed with deliverables and associated milestones. ACTIVITIES DELIVERABLES MILESTONES Activity 1: Recommendations on advancing EJ principles in work plans and agreements • Necessary expertise identified for developing recommendations • Recommendations on how to best integrate NEPPS principles into state, tribal, and grant work plans • Agency programs to pilot the inclusion of EJ into negotiated work plans and tribal agreements identified • June 30,2011 • September 30, 2011 • September 30, 2012 Activity 2: Development of appropriate language for incorporating EJ principles in work plans and agreements • OGC guidance on EJ and Title VI language • Proposed language on EJ including Title VI guidance for CB programs for FY- 2013 NEPPS Guidance and FY-2012 NPM Guidance developed • June 30, 2011 • September 30, 2012 Activity 3: List of scalable and replicable elements of community-based programs • Workgroup established to coordinate with OP and look at Agency and outside CB programs • List of scalable and replicable CB program elements developed • March 31, 2011 • September 30, 2011 Activity 4: Recommendations on aligning Agency community-based programs • Recommendations on aligning Agency CB programs • September 30, 2011 Activity 5: Target three approaches to promote a "One EPA" presence • Conferences - Identify 3 conference that address overarching concerns of minority, low- income, and indigenous populations or communities - Explore options for a traveling One- EPA kiosk at conferences where people can register for listserves, etc. • March 31, 2011 8 ------- Plan EJ 2014: Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan, March 1, 2011 ACTIVITIES DELIVERABLES MILESTONES • Communication and Outreach - Recommendations for effective public listening sessions - Identify best practices • Capacity Building - Workforce development - Job training - Coordinate with Office of Air (OAR) on the Community Learning Center Project • June 30,2011 • December 31, 2011 Activity 6: Promote equitable development opportunities • Conduct research on financing vehicles • Prepare the Analysis • Produce "EPA Agency-wide Financing and Technical Assistance Vehicle: Strategies to Apply Them to Support Equitable Community Development" and Post on the web • March 31, 2011 • June 30,2011 • December 31, 2011 Activity 7: Develop and implement CBP program based on the CARE model • Communities with the established framework in place to implement this program identified by EPA regional offices • Select communities • Preliminary program initiated • Lessons learned from selected communities developed • April 2011 • June 2011 • July 2011 • June 2012 Activity 8: Identify resources available to underserved communities • Identify areas of need • Reach out to offices and regions to identify resources and staff • Develop a list and a system for updating the list • June 2011 • June 2011 • May 2011 Activity 9: Explore how EPA funding, policies and programs can inform and help local decision-makers to maximize benefits and mininize adverse impacts from land use decision- making, planning and siting • Establish a workgroup • Set up a series of meetings to begin looking at intersection of Agency work and land use planning • Develop an outreach strategy to get stakeholder feedback • Develop training course for stakeholders • TBD • TBD • TBD • TBD 9 ------- Plan EJ 2014: Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan, March 1, 2011 3.1 Reports Progress reports on this Implementation Plan will be made annually. The planned deliverables and milestones for each of the activities described above are set forth in the tables. Each of the offices responsible will further refined and developed during the process of implementation. For information, please contact: Pat Carey, 202-566-0199, carey.pat@epa.gov. 10 ------- Plan EJ 2014: Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan, March 1, 2011 4.0 APPENDICES Appendix A: Acronyms CARE - Community Action for a Renewed Environment CB - Community Based CBCE - Community Based Coordination Effort CBP - Community-Based Partners CEI - Community Engagement Initiative EPA - Environmental Protection Agency EJ - Environmental Justice FY - Fiscal Year IWG - Interagency Working Group NEJAC - National Environmental Justice Advisory Council NEPPS - National Environmental Performance Partnership System NPM - National Program Management OAR - Office of Air and Radiation OCFO - Office of the Chief Financial Officer OCSPP - Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention OECA - Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance OEJ - Office of Environmental Justice OGC - Office of General Counsel 01A - Office Indian Affairs OP - Office of Policy OPE - Office of Public Engagement OSWER - Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response OW - Office of Water 11 ------- Plan EJ 2014: Supporting Community-Based Action Programs Draft Implementation Plan, March 1, 2011 Appendix B: Community-Based Programs. Projects and Investments f2009-10) 1. Community Action for a Renewed Environment (Leads: OW and OAR) OAR 2. Community-Based Childhood Asthma Program 3. Local Climate and Energy Program (Climate Showcase Communities) 4. EPA School Monitoring Initiative OSWER 5. Brownfields - Training, Technical Assistance Grants, including Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities (TAB) grants 6. Targeted Brownfields Assessment 7. Superfund Job Training Initiative 8. Superfund Redevelopment Initiative 9. Superfund Community Technical Assistance Grants 10. Brownfields Sustainability Pilots 11. Brownfields Assessment, Cleanup, and RLF Grants, including Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Pilots 12. Technical Assistance Services for Communities Program 13. Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants 14. Partnership for Sustainable Communities Brownfields Pilots (2010) 15. On-Scene Coordinators 16. RE-Powering Feasibility Studies 17. Brownfields and Land Revitalization Technical Support Centers OW 18. Five Star Restoration Grants Program 19. Lead in Schools Program 20. Urban Waters Initiative 21. Stormwater/SSO/CSO permits OCSPP 22. Community-Based Lead Grant Program 23. Tribal Lead Grant Program OP 24. Smart Growth OIA 25. Indian Environmental General Assistance Program OECA 26. EJ Showcase Communities 27. EJ Small Grants Program 12 ------- |