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EPA Publication Number: 230R20002
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Table of Contents
MESSAGE FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR. 4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5
SECTION 1 - A Cleaner, Healthier Environment 9
LAND 9
AIR 15
WATER 17
CHEMICAL SAFETY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION 18
ENFORCEMENT 20
SCIENCE 21
REGIONAL EFFORTS TO REDUCE EXPOSURE TO LEAD. 22
COVID-19 PANDEMIC 23
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRAM ............ 26
EJ GRANT FUNDING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITIES 27
SECTION 2 - More Effective Partnerships 33
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 33
STATE GOVERNMENTS 35
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS 36
TRIBAL AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES 37
COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS 39
OTHER PARTNERS 43
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COUNCIL 43
INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS 45
SECTION 3 - Greater Certainty, Compliance and Effectiveness 46
COORDINATION BETWEEN EJ & CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAMS 46
EJSCREEN. ....... ............ ....................... 47
EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND RECOVERY 48
EJ HOTLINE AND EJ LISTSERV 49
EDUCATION, TRAININGS AND TOOLS 49
LOOKING FORWARD 50
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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Message from the Administrator
This year has been a difficult challenge for our nation, with some of the greatest impacts
from COVID-19 being felt by lower socio-economic communities that often suffer
from elevated environmental burdens. This report highlights our efforts to address the
challenges that are disproportionately faced by low-income and minority communities
in the wake of the pandemic, as well as our daily efforts to ensure our nation has clean
air, clean water and clean lands.
Among our accomplishments detailed in the Fiscal Year 2020 Environmental Justice
Progress Report, EPA provided over $160 million in grant funding to support low income
and minority communities. These grants will clean up Brownfield sites in communities
with Opportunity Zones, reduce emissions from diesel vehicles and equipment at ports,
provide environmental job training, and address challenges faced by communities
related to the pandemic.
We recognize that low-income and minority communities are more likely to be
undermined economically by their nearness to environmental hazards. To help combat this risk, in FY 2020, we
deleted all or part of 27 sites from the Superfund National Priorities list for a second consecutive year. We also made
notable improvements to air and water quality that wiil benefit low income and minority communities. We announced
a new $4.3 million grant program, under the Water Infrastructure Improvements of the Nation Act, to help protect
children in tribal communities from lead in drinking water by boosting lead testing in schools and childcare centers.
And this year we reclassified 20 areas of the country that now meet air quality standards, allowing communities to
breath cleaner air and permit new businesses more easily.
In addition, EPA finalized rules that will make meaningful differences for these communities. The Safer Affordable Fuel-
Efficient Vehicles Rule ensures that more people - particularly lower-income and minority populations - have greater
access to newer, cleaner, more affordable cars which will also improve air quality for people living near highways.
We recently finalized a rule that will reduce lead dust-related risks to children in pre-1978 homes and childcare
facilities where lead removal activities take place. We recognize that the negative health impacts of lead exposure
disproportionately hurt children. This regulation will help to provide a healthier environment for America's children
and is part of this Administration's continued efforts to ensure healthy homes for all Americans, regardless of their zip
code.
Communities that deal with the worst pollution in this country - and tend to be low-income and minority - face multiple
environmental problems that need solving. In August, I spoke to the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council
about our efforts to strengthen environmental justice and our interest in finding new opportunities to collaborate
and make progress together. In September, I delivered a speech at the Nixon Library in California that included my
vision for how EPA can help communities become healthier in a more comprehensive way by focusing on community
revitalization on a greater scale. In my speech, I committed to tear down the silos between programs within the agency
so that we can be more effective in addressing the environmental burdens that communities face. As one example,
in December, we launched the Clearinghouse for Environmental Finance, a one-stop shop database to make it easier
for communities to access funding and other resources available through our air, land, and water programs.
Despite the many challenges facing our staff during this pandemic, they worked tirelessly to achieve our mission to
protect public health and the environment. It has truly been an honor for me to work alongside the EPA staff during
2020, which also happens to be the 50th anniversary of the agency's creation back in 1970. Looking ahead, I am
confident that EPA will spend the next 50 years building upon the achievements of our first 50 years, and leave a
healthier environment for future generations.
Andrew Wheeler
EPA Administrator
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EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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Executive Summary
Low-income, minority, tribal, and indigenous communities are more likely to be impacted
by environmental hazards and more likely to live near contaminated lands. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) continues to strengthen environmental
and public health protections for vulnerable, low-income, minority, tribal and indigenous
communitiesmaking measurable progress in improving outcomes for these Americans
especially given COVID-19 concerns over the past year.
The FY 2020 Environmental Justice Progress Report ("FY 2020 Report"), mandated by
Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice, highlights the outcomes the EPA is
achieving for communities with environmental justice concerns. These outcomes include
accelerating the clean-up of contaminated sites and returning them to productive use,
improving air quality in areas out of attainment, financing critical water infrastructure
improvements, and delivering technical assistance and grant funding to economically distressed
communities, including Opportunity Zones.
The FY 2020 Report provides examples of EPAs efforts across the nation to deliver a cleaner, healthier
environment, develop and maintain more effective partnerships, and provide greater certainty, compliance,
and effectiveness for environmental justice communities.
The EPA continues to work day in and day out to provide clean air, water and land, with a particular focus
on environmental justice. The FY 2020 Report demonstrates the Agency's commitment to advance and
accelerate this important work to fulfill our critical mission and protect the American people we serve.
A Cleaner, Healthier Environment:
Responded to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable communities by working with
partners in communities, we reprogrammed $1 million in existing funds for State Environmental Justice
Cooperative Agreement funding, developed technical guidance on COVID-19 issues, and shared
important information on disinfectant products, and information in 11 different languages.
Deleted ail or part of 27 sites from the National Priorities list for a second consecutive year.
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EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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Announced a new Water Infrastructure Improvements of the Nation Act, including a $4.3 million grant
program, to help protect children in tribal communities from lead in drinking water.
Redesignated 20 areas as meeting air quality standards.
Provided technical assistance to communities affected by Superfund sites so they could meaningfully
contribute to the cleanup process, including three communities that received Technical Assistance
Grants (TAGs) and 37 communities that received support through the Technical Assistance Services for
Communities (TASC) Program.
Awarded $46.19 million to support State and Tribal Brownfields Response Programs and continued to
encourage the prioritization of sites in communities with the greatest need, including communities with
EJ challenges.
Awarded 26 communities with Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training (EWDJT)
grants, totaling $5.1 million. Application evaluation considered target communities' high indicators of
need, including low-income, minority, and unemployed populations. All 26 selected communities plan
to serve census tracts designated as federal Opportunity Zones.
Awarded approximately $40 million in FY 2020 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act funding for
projects in and around goods movements facilities, with priority given to projects that take place in
nonattainment areas and special consideration given to projects that meaningfully involve vulnerable
and overburdened communities. Published a series of community-port collaboration materials and
continued to work with stakeholders around the Port of Providence. This initiative supports efforts to
reduce emissions from diesel vehicles and equipment at ports, which can pose health risks to nearby
communities often comprised of low income and minority populations.
Announced a new $4.3 million grant program to help protect children in tribal communities from lead in
drinking water at schools and childcare facilities.
Awarded 151 communities with Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup grants,
totaling $65.6 million. Of the communities selected to receive Brownfield grants this year, 118 can
potentially assess or clean up brownfield sites in census tracts designated as Opportunity Zones, and
nearly 30% are first time recipients.
Selected 2020-2023 National Compliance Initiatives that prioritize impacts on vulnerable communities.
Completed the Getting Risk Communication Right: Helping Communities Plan at
Superfund Sites report to lay out how EPA is working to improve risk communication and
community involvement practices during the post-construction, long-term stewardship phase of
Superfund cleanups.
Advanced EJ principles in chemical safety and protection by creating a Spanish Translation Guide for
Pesticide Labeling to help translate pesticide information into Spanish and recruiting over 262 trainers
to provide Farmworker Health and Safety Training to 6,635 farmworkers and agricultural employers on
pesticide safety, limiting family exposure to pesticides, and pesticide exposure.
Performed 778 EJ screenings in EPA's enforcement work to assure that enforcement personnel working
on a case are aware of potential EJ concerns in a community, and to gauge how much enforcement
work is being done in areas with potential EJ concerns.
Provided a total of $4.46 million EJ grant funding to state, tribal, and community partners through 18
Collaborative Problem-Solving Agreements, 12 additional EJ Small Grants, and 10 State Environmental
Justice Cooperative Agreements, a significant increase over the typical annual EJ grant budget of $1.2
million.
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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Effective Partnerships:
Convened and supported the Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice, which continued
its natural disaster efforts, e.g., bringing diabetes supplies to Puerto Rico, and trainings (e.g., National
Environmental Policy Act Webinar on Best Practices for Meaningful Engagement for EJ Without Public
Meetings), with over 1,900 participants.
Piloted the Interagency Interfaith Collaboration for Vulnerable Communities in Shamokin, Pennsylvania,
to assist in the development of the city's Rebuilding Action Plan.
Coordinated with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on issues related to public
housing and multifamily project-based rental assistance housing near Superfund sites as part of a
Memorandum of Understanding.
Buiit capacity among the local workforce and overburdened communities in Puerto Rico by co-hosting
Lead-Mold-Asbestos Awareness Seminars and grant training workshops with the local government.
Worked with tribes to improve the environment and health in Indian Country, e.g., revitalizing
contaminated and advanced recycling efforts.
The National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) held a February 2020 public meeting in
Jacksonville, Florida, where three EPA Regional Administrators attended, two of whom presented to
the NEJAC. Representatives from 10 federal agencies and 16 state agencies attended. A total of 234
individuals attended in-person or via phone, and 18 members of their public shared their EJ concerns.
The NEJAC also held an August 2020 public teleconference meeting where a total of 200 individuals
attended via phone and 37 members of the public shared their EJ concerns.
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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Greater Certainty, Compliance and Effectiveness:
EJ Program trained 1,676 individuals, representing a wide range of federal, state and local governments
and nongovernment organizations on EJSCREEN, EPA's EJ screening tool.
Partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other state, federal and university
partners to support recovery efforts in the Florida Panhandle following Hurricane Michael.
Achieved a 99.5% ticket closure rate for the 630 inquiries received on the EJ Hotline, which is a
way for anyone to contact EPA if they are experiencing or have the potential to experience adverse
environmental and public health impacts in their residence and communities.
In FY 2020, EPA's Community Involvement Coordinators:
0 Held or participated in 570 public meetings and conducted more than 1,200 interviews with
community members living near Superfund sites.
0 Distributed more than 750 factsheets, mailings, postcards, advertisements, or newsletters that
reached more than 259,000 people living near Superfund sites.
Launched an online RCRA Public Participation Toolkit to empower communities to become more
actively involved in the permit and cleanup decision-making processes for hazardous waste facilities.
EPA will continue to deepen its commitment to protect the health and environment for everyone across
the United States. For more information on EPA's EJ efforts, resources, and tools, please visit the Office
of Environmental Justice website. For up-to-date information about Environmental Justice funding
opportunities, events, and webinars, subscribe to EPA's environmental justice listserv by sending a
blank email to: ioin-epa-ei@lists.eDa.aov.
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EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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SECTION 1 - A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
EPA's EJ work aligns with the Agency's strategic goals and core mission. As part of these goals, the Agency
works to ensure the rule of law and fair process, so that everyone in the United States has the same degree
of protection from environmental and health hazards. This work is accomplished through EPA's national
programs and Regional offices, along with several EJ efforts that are led or co-led by OEJ through the
Agency's EJ Program.
EPA NATIONAL PROGRAMS
LAND
Superfund Redevelopment
Reusing and returning Superfund sites back to productive use has resulted in dramatic changes in
communities by improving the quality of life, raising property values, and providing needed services to
communities. The Superfund remedial program credits much of the success through collaborations with
federal agencies, states, tribes, local governments and other partners:
Today, about 1,000 Superfund sites on the National Priorities List (NPL) support new and ongoing uses, which
is roughly half of the sites on Superfund's NPL.
EPA has collected data on more than 9,180 businesses at many of these sites. In FY 2019, these businesses
generated $58.3 billion in sales and employed more than 208,400 people who earned a combined income of
more than $14.4 billion.
Over the last nine years (2011 -2019), the ongoing operations of these businesses have generated at least
$326.7 billion (inflation adjusted) in sales, which is more than 22 times the $14.4 billion (inflation adjusted) EPA
has spent cumulatively at these sites.
Thanks in part to Superfund Redevelopment and EPA's RE-Powering America's Land initiative, 64 Superfund
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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sites are now home to alternative energy facilities. As of September 2019, these facilities provided enough
energy to power approximately 94,000 homes. Wind, solar and landfill gas facilities make up about 92% of
these projects.
Superfund Site Resiliency
In addition to the Superfund program's existing processes that consider the risks and effects of severe
weather events, the Agency has taken additional steps to ensure these considerations are woven into cleanup
processes. In FY 2020, EPA updated three key climate resilience technical fact sheets designed to help
federal, state, and local governments and other stakeholders identify, prioritize, and implement measures to
ensure Superfund sites are resilient to extreme weather events.
Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI) and Community Partnerships in Southern California
EPA's Superfund Job Training Initiative is a job readiness program that provides training and employment
opportunities for people living in communities near Superfund sites. Many of these areas are communities
with EJ concerns - historically under-represented minority and low-income neighborhoods and areas
burdened with significant environmental challenges, EPA's goal is to help these communities develop job
opportunities that remain long after a Superfund site has been cleaned up. In December 2020, 20 community
members completed EPA's Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI) training at the San Gabriel Valley
Superfund sites in La Puente, California. Through a partnership with the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality
Authority, City of La Puente, Hacienda La Puente Adult Education, and America's Job Center of California,
SuperJTI provided local job seekers with new skills. After a rigorous screening and recruitment process,
trainees earned certifications in hazardous waste and emergency response, water distribution and treatment,
CPR/first aid alongside professional development training. After the program, SuperJTI provided the
graduates' information to San Gabriel Valley Superfund site remedial contractors and area employers to help
place graduates.
Carter Carburetor Cleanup Completed and PGA Youth Golf Training Facility Planned
In September 2020, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler joined Region 7 Administrator Jim Gulliford and
local dignitaries at an event with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, to announce the completion of
site cleanup at the Carter Carburetor Superfund Site in St. Louis, Missouri. EPA and the Boys & Girls Clubs
of Greater St. Louis entered into an agreement to transfer ownership of the former Carter Carburetor site
property. The property is located in one of St. Louis's oldest neighborhoods which is also a community with
environmental justice concerns.
Given the proximity to the youth club, the site was the subject of significant community concern regarding
potential exposures to area children and residents. In 2019, the site was placed on the Administrator's
Emphasis List and in May 2020, site work was complete. Long in the shadows of an industrial site, the Boys
and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis will build a golf training facility for inner city youth in partnership with
Gateway PGA. The remainder of the site will be transformed, potentially into a pollinator park, community
garden or urban prairie under the stewardship of the St. Louis Reutilization Authority.
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Significant Cleanup Progress Made at Colorado Smelter Superfund Site Due to Accelerated
Funding Decision
The former Colorado Smelter in Pueblo, Colorado, was a silver and lead smelter active in the Eilers, Bessemer
and Grove neighborhoods from 1883 to 1908. Due to high levels of lead and arsenic in neighborhood soil,
the site was added to EPA's National Priorities List in 2014. The site is made up of 1,900 residential and
commercial properties. With many with bare-soil yards, young children, women of childbearing age, and
pregnant or nursing women are particularly vulnerable to the effects of exposure to lead. Blood lead screening
showed these groups have been impacted.
Decisions made in 2017 and 2018 resulted in an expedited cleanup of lead, arsenic and heavy metals at the
site. The goal of the decision was to remove smelter contamination and benefit public health more quickly,
particularly in children. "The decision to accelerate funding for cleaning up the Colorado Smelter is one of the
best decisions EPA leadership has made in the past several years," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler
during a visit to the community in July 2020. "We've sampled over 1,000 homes in the Eilers, Bessemer
and Grove neighborhoods and have done soil and indoor dust clean-ups in hundreds of homes with the
expectation of completing the project by 2023 - accelerating the residential cleanup to be completed in 5
years rather than over 12 years. Cleaning up these neighborhoods is the reason EPA was created; so, I'm
proud of our progress."
"This is an environmental justice community, and there are a lot of people here who need help," said EPA
Region 8 Administrator, Greg Sopkin. EPA Region 8's site team and their state and local health department
partners conduct outreach and health education activities in the area, routinely engage with community
members when making decisions regarding cleanup activities, and strive to identify and connect with
impacted minority (primarily Latinx1) and low-income populations resulting in increased and meaningful
participation. Efforts to engage with the Latinx population in the area include providing outreach documents
and translation services during public meetings. Early on, the site team engaged with the Region 8 EJ team
to meet Pueblo community champions so EPA would better understand issues impacting the community,
including potential EJ concerns. Input from the community was among the factors influencing the Region's
decision to seek additional funding for accelerated cleanups.
Removal of Contaminated Sediment at Donna Canal Superfund Site, Hidalgo County, Texas
The Donna Reservoir and Canal System Superfund site is located south of the city of Donna near the
border with Mexico. It consists of a 400-acre reservoir and a system of lined and unlined irrigation canals.
Community representatives provided insight on the communication and cultural barriers that exist in
colonias and emphasized the need to prevent human consumption of fish from the site. EPA created a public
awareness campaign to communicate the possible health effects related to eating fish from the site and are
conducting ongoing fish removal actions. In May 2020, EPA and the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality (TCEQ) completed removal of nearly 14,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the site. After
completing the sediment dredging, EPA restored the canal banks and placed signage around the site warning
against consuming the contaminated fish. EPA and TCEQ will continue assessing sediment and fish for
contamination. EPA created a video about the recent work in English and in Spanish.
"The removal of this massive amount of sediment is a crucial step toward restoring the site to
its original condition and is just one example of the many ways TCEQ and EPA work together to
clean up the Texas environment," said TCEQ Commissioner Bobby Janecka.
1
Latinx is a gender neutral term for people of Latin American descent.
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT
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Brownfields Program
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, tribes, and other stakeholders to work together to
prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse contaminated properties. Revitalizing brownfield sites
and putting these properties back into productive reuse creates many economic and environmental benefits
throughout the community. In FY 2020, EPA's Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization accomplished the
following:
Awarded 151 communities with Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup grants, totaling
$65.6 million. These grant funds will provide communities with funding to assess, clean up and redevelop
underutilized properties while protecting public health and the environment. Of the communities selected to
receive Brownfield grants this year, 118 can potentially assess or clean up brownfield sites in census tracts
designated as Opportunity Zones, and nearly 30% are first time recipients.
Awarded $46.19 million to support State and Tribal Brownfields Response Programs and continued to
encourage the prioritization of sites in communities with the greatest need, including communities with EJ
challenges.
Awarded 26 communities with Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training (EWDJT)
grants, totaling $5.1 million. This grant funding will be used to recruit, train, and place unemployed and
underemployed individuals with the skills needed to secure sustainable employment in the environmental
field. The environmental job training programs advance environmental justice by providing opportunities for
residents in areas impacted by environmental contamination, economic disinvestment and health disparities.
Of the programs selected for funding this year, 31 % plan to serve residents of communities experiencing
persistent poverty, and nearly 70% plan to serve veterans. All 26 selected communities plan to serve census
tracts designated as federal Opportunity Zones.
Brownfield Program Successfully Impacting all Parts of the Great Lakes Region
The Region 5 brownfields program improves the iives of people with environmental justice concerns through
grants to local partners. By considering socioeconomic and other EJ criteria during the grant selection, most
brownfields grants are awarded in EJ areas of concern and opportunity zones. In FY 2020, Region 5 issued 54
grants totaling $19.6 million dollars. The region completed 401 property assessments, 185 clean-ups,
leveraged $772,432,680 arid 3,377 jobs, and prepared 175 properties for reuse and redevelopment.
Racine, Wisconsin: Success in Brownfields Job Training
The Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps (GLCCC), a grant recipient of EPA's Environmental
Workforce Development and Job Training Program since 2015, recruits, trains, and places unemployed and
underemployed residents in environmental jobs. To date, GLCCC has received $584,122 in EPA funding which
has led to hundreds of residents obtaining the skills necessary to secure employment in the environmental
field.
Student at HAZW0PER Training demonstrate sample collection
technique.
Students in HAZW0PER Lead Abatement Training.
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Minnesota: Targeted EJ Investments
Since 2003, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Minnesota Brownfields has targeted
Brownfields Assessment funds towards sites in EJ neighborhoods. Special emphasis is placed on sites
that would benefit affordable housing, greenspace, or economic development, and promote use of existing
infrastructure. To date, 31 out of the 54 sites assessed have been iri EJ areas. Many sites have been
redeveloped. In St. Paul, a former auto shop is now a glassmaking studio and in Minneapolis, a former
warehouse is home to apartments and a diner.
Brownfield site before cleanup and redevelopment, used for furniture 700 Central is rehabbed into residences and a restaurant and is listed in
manufacturing. the National Register of Historic Places.
Flint, Michigan: Leveraging Every Possible Resource
The Chevy-in-the-Hole site was a major auto manufacturing plant until the 1990s. In 2005, the factories were
demolished leaving a 67-acre site covered in concrete. In 2012, the city of Flint acquired the property and
negotiated a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Prospective Purchaser Agreement. The site design
included a community park called Chevy Commons with meadows, wetlands, and trails. Since then, the
Genesee County Land Bank and partners have leveraged $12.8 million to build the park. The project is 90%
complete and is now a beautiful riverfront park.
The former Chevy Main Assembly Plant, after demolition of the The same site, transformed into Chevy Commons, a beautiful riverside
buildings. park.
EJ at the 2019 Brownfields Conference
In December 2019, over 2,000 attendees participated in the National Brownfields Training Conference
in Los Angeles, California. This annual conference provides training, research and technical assistance
to communities to facilitate the inventory of brownfield sites, site assessments and remediation of
brownfield sites, community involvement, and site preparation. This conference also offered high quality
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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learning experiences with attention to EJ challenges as well as peer-to-peer networking for stakeholders
to help participants address their brownfields challenges, promote equitable development, and improve
environmental and public health.
Prior to the conference, community members and conference attendees were invited to participate in
the EJ Caucus. Local EJ leaders from three community groups in Los Angeles, California; National City,
California; and Phoenix, Arizona, presented on their brownfields project successes and challenges. Nearly
200 participants had the opportunity to meet with and learn from brownfields experts on a variety of relevant
topics such as community outreach, identifying assets and challenges, resource opportunities, grant writing,
building a team for remediation and redevelopment, and promoting health in reuse projects.
During the three-day conference, over 30 sessions were classified in the Community Engagement and EJ
category to help participants identify sessions on key EJ topics. Some of the sessions included presentations
and facilitated discussions on promoting partnerships in communities with EJ challenges, innovative solutions
for stakeholder groups, building community confidence, eliminating food deserts, environmental job training,
intergenerational inclusion in brownfields redevelopment, and promoting EJ in Opportunity Zones.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
East Chicago, Indiana: Former DuPont East Chicago Facility Cleanup and Redevelopment
Underway
The $26.6 million Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) soil and groundwater cleanup continues
at the former DuPont East Chicago Facility located in an Opportunity Zone in East Chicago, Indiana. In 2018,
EPA prepared a community involvement plan to inform, engage, and support the EJ community affected by
the former Dupont facility, as well as the separate U.S. Smelter and Lead Refinery, Inc. Superfund site. To
date, in 2020, over 12,700 cubic yards of lead and arsenic contaminated soil has been removed from several
source areas across the former DuPont facility, along with the in-situ stabilization of an additional 3,100 cubic
yards of deeper saturated soils. With baseline groundwater sampling completed, the preliminary groundwater
treatment for the northern and southern zones began in the Fall of 2020.
EPA has required the current property owner and redeveloper, East Chicago Gateway Partners (ECGP), to
keep the community informed and involved in the cleanup process. This has been accomplished through
the development of an ECGP webpage devoted to the on-site cleanup and redevelopment, the issuance of
newsletters throughout the community, and outreach events. In June 2020, the second installment of the
East Chicago Public Outreach Report was mailed to the community providing updates on the EPA cleanup,
planned outreach events, and resources for more information. The ultimate goal for the site includes ECGP's
redevelopment project called "The East Chicago Logistics Center." Phase 1 of the project will involve
expedited construction of a 1.1 million square-foot warehouse. Local hiring and job opportunities are a priority
of this project. To date, the remediation contractors have hired six area residents as full-time employees.
Each employee was trained and is an active part of the corrective action team. More opportunities for local
employment are expected in the coming months.
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AIR
Reducing Harmful Diesel Emissions
EPA addresses disproportionate environmental burdens through a variety of ways, including grants and
community partnerships. EPA offers grant funding to reduce diesel emissions through the Diesel Emissions
Reduction Act (DERA), and the Ports Initiative supports effective communication and engagement between
the port industry and communities to address air
quality concerns. The reduction of diesel emissions in
the transportation sector, particularly those operating
in communities around ports, airports, and goods
movement facilities, is a priority for EPA.
In FY 2020, EPA awarded approximately $40 million
in DERA funding for projects in and around goods
movements facilities. Priority is given to projects
that take place in nonattainment areas, places with
air toxic concerns, and goods movement areas that
receive a disproportionate quantity of air pollution
from diesel fleets. Goods movements facilities include
ports, airports, rail yards, terminals, and distribution
centers. Further priority is given to projects that engage affected communities and directly address their
needs and concerns. In FY 2020, EPA refined its DERA Request for Applications (RFA) by providing additional
information to help applicants identify factors that indicate disproportionate impacts to communities and data
sources to help describe health disparities in their applications. In addition to suggesting factors applicants
may consider in describing health disparities in their communities, EPA provided links to federal data
including county-level trends in rates of death, disease, and risk factors. By providing further information and
data sources, EPA hoped to assist applicants in developing robust projects that benefit communities. EPA will
continue to provide priority points to applications that benefit affected communities and will refine this section
of the RFA as needed in the future.
The EPA Ports Initiative supports efforts to reduce emissions from diesel vehicles and equipment at ports,
which can pose health risks to nearby communities often comprised of low income and minority populations.
In FY 2020, the Ports Initiative published a series of community-port collaboration materials, including
case studies on three community-port collaboration pilot projects that took place in Seattle, New Orleans,
and Savannah. Additionally, EPA continues to work with stakeholders around the Port of Providence who
participated in a similar community-port collaboration pilot project in 2017-2018. Participants in the pilot
projects tested out the Communitv-Port Collaboration Toolkit developed by EPA and provided feedback for
improvement. These pilot projects helped build stronger relationships between the communities and port
operators and provided lessons learned and resources for collaborative action to improve air quality at other
ports across the country.
Providence Port/Community Stakeholder Workgroup
In 2017, EPA initiated a pilot project as part of its Ports Initiative to enhance community-port collaboration.
EPA worked with the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island (EJLRI), the city of Providence, Port of
Providence (ProvPort), community stakeholders, and other interested local entities in Providence to facilitate
a dialogue between near-port residents, businesses, government agencies and port-related stakeholders.
To begin, EPA conducted a needs assessment and a review of key documents related to Agency, port, and
community initiatives. Following the needs assessment, site visits and affinity group meetings were held to
identify community priorities.
Prior to the pilot, most stakeholders did not work together. Through extensive outreach, key agency and
industry representatives came to the table and stayed engaged throughout the process. On the community
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side, outreach and relationship-building required a different approach. With limited resources, EJLRI was
able to conduct one community organizing meeting where a neutral third party provided by EPA facilitated
a discussion. This resulted in a shared understanding around the need for additional funding to support
community organizing. Additional lessons learned from the project include:
Invest in building trust-centered relationships;
Develop a project timeline that reflects the community's pace and capacity;
Compensating community members for their participation;
Acknowledge inequities between community members and other stakeholders; and
Build a collaborative network of stakeholders.
In the summer of 2020, EPA Region 1 was able to initiate a truck count survey for the impacted area, as
a result of citizens' concerns. In September 2020, EPA announced that it anticipates that it will award
approximately a $260,000 Community-Scale Air Toxics Ambient Monitoring grant to the Rhode Island
Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) once all legal and administrative requirements are
satisfied. With this grant, RIDEM plans to characterize air toxics emissions near the Port of Providence and
characterize risk to the most highly affected populations, including surrounding environmental justice areas,
schools and hospitals. The multi-stakeholder working group will continue convening quarterly to advance
projects that improve conditions at the port and in the near-port communities of Providence, Rhode Island.
Having the Port-Community Meetings has created a working relationship between the
business port tenants, state and city agencies, and neighborhood groups, that have long been
overlooked and desperately needed. With our new working relationships, we can now create
the groundwork for a 'Green Justice Zone', that highlights the necessity of Social Justice,
Environmental Justice, and Climate Change preparation. Thank you to the EPA!
- Linda Perri, Washington Park Association
Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards Proposal Virtual Public Hearings
In April 2020, EPA proposed to retain the nation's air quality standards for particle pollution, a topic of interest
to many communities. In advance of this proposal, EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
(OAQPS) was planning for several in-person public hearings across the country. However, with the COVID-19
pandemic, however, those plans needed to quickly change and options for providing virtual public comment
investigated. Knowing the tremendous interest in this rule, EPA explored options for a virtual public hearing
focusing on platforms that allowed the greatest access to the greatest number of participants and did
not require participants to have computer or internet capabilities. The first step was outreach, enabled by
ensuring that the fact sheet about the rule and information about the public hearing were available in seven
languages. Next was to identify a platform that would allow nearly universal access, recreating as closely as
possible the in-person public hearing experience. OAQPS determined that a moderated teleconference would
ensure:
Access via telephone for as many speakers as registered,
Translation services were available upon request,
Speakers who did not register in advance were able to offer testimony,
People only interested in listening could attend as listener only, and
No speaker would be turned away.
Due to overwhelming interest and participation, the initial two days of virtual hearings were extended twice,
for a total of six hearing sessions conducted over four different days. EPA hearing panelists heard testimony
from 232 unique speakers, and 273 additional people were able to listen in on these virtual public hearings.
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These virtual public hearings were an invaluable service to those who wanted to be heard on this important
air quality issue, in December 2020, after carefuiiy reviewing the most recent available scientific evidence and
technical information, and consulting with the Agency's independent scientific advisors, EPA announced that
it is retaining, without revision, the existing primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) PM NAAQS.
WATER
Making a Difference in Indian Country with the Drinking Water SRF Program
EPA engages in activities to ensure access to safe drinking
water in tribal communities. This includes implementing
regulations to ensure drinking water quality; providing
grants to improve treatment, delivery and household
access; and providing training and certification for tribal
water personnel. Most recently, this includes issuing
grants to implement voluntary testing programs for iead in
drinking water at schools and childcare facilities.
The Oklahoma Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
(DWSRF) program partnered with U.S. Department of
Agriculture-Rural Development, Indian Health Services,
the Cherokee Nation, and the South Delaware County
Regional Water Authority (SDCRWA) to provide over $15 million in funding for the SDCRWA's new surface
water treatment plant. This project, completed in December 2019, allowed the SDCRWA to enhance service
for its current customers and to extend service to communities experiencing public health issues, including
maximum contaminant level exceedances for fluoride, gross alpha, and radium. SDCRWA now continues to
provide safe, reliable drinking water to seven communities in northeastern Oklahoma. The DWSRF provided
approximately $3 million for this project, including $1.9 million in principal forgiveness.
In Juiy 2020, EPA announced a new $4.3 million grant program to help protect children in tribal communities
from lead in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities. This is authorized by the Water Infrastructure
Improvements of the Nation (WIIN) Act, the Lead Testing in School and Child Care Program Drinking Water
Tribal Grant Program. The grant program provides funding to tribal consortia to test school and childcare
facility drinking water for lead and provide technical assistance to tribal schools and childcare facilities on
using the EPA's 3Ts - Training, Testing, and Taking Action - for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water guidance.
The guidance provides steps to implement lead testing programs and develop monitoring, maintenance and/
or sampling plans that protect children from lead exposure now and in the future.
Environmental Justice in the Urban Waters Federal Partnership
The Lower Passaic River Urban Waters Federal Partnership (LPR UWFP) is a collaboration of federal and
state agencies, municipalities, and community-based organizations advancing cleanup, restoration, and
stewardship of the Lower Passaic River and equitable, sustainable development along its banks. The New
York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP) is an ongoing effort to develop and implement a consensus
driven plan to protect, conserve and restore the estuary. Together, the LPR UWFP and HEP accomplished the
following in FY 2020:
HEP awarded a community grant to Trust for Public Land, a member of the LPR UWFP, to support
community engagement through a future art installation project in Dundee Island Park in Passaic, New
Jersey. Dundee Island Park is the only accessible waterfront park in Passaic, an environmental justice
community home to New Jersey's largest Mexican community and a population of 74% of Hispanic or
Latinx descent.
Helped manage other grant efforts and facilitated partner communication for events, including a
shoreline litter cleanup, kayaking excursions, and a catch and release fish training event. In addition,
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LPR UWFP and HEP partnered with USDA/US Forest Service during these events to conduct a social
assessment on Passaic community open space resources, particularly around the waterfront.
Supported "Virtual Brownbags: Adjusting Our Efforts in Response to COVID-19," a webinar series
that shared best practices on fundraising during a crisis, adapting monitoring programs to current
times, continuing effective community engagement, and reducing pollution in environmental justice
communities in times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coordinated a survey to identify potential struggles that workgroup members experience when
supporting BIPOC (black, Indigenous and people of color) voices. The goal was to learn how to
incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion into all areas of the work. Results of the survey will help
create a roadmap that will help HEP and its network better support BIPOC and environmental justice
and low-income communities.
CHEMICAL SAFETY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION
The Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) is committed to advancing EJ principles to
protect human health and the environment. OCSPP reviews pesticides and other chemicals for potential risks,
with a special focus on more vulnerable groups such as children and workers. To accomplish this, OCSPP
engages with stakeholders to ensure the Agency is using sound science and thoughtful decision-making to
meet the needs of communities. For example, OCSPP works to protect children from lead-poisoning and
pesticides, ensures farmworkers are protected from workplace hazards, and implements regulations to ensure
the safety of chemicals in the marketplace. Below are examples of this work in FY 2020:
EPA Takes Important Step to Further Protect Children from Exposure to Lead-Contaminated
Dust: In December 2020, EPA announced a new action to better protect American children from the
dangers of lead. This final rule will lower the clearance levels for the amount of lead that can remain in
dust on floors and window sills after lead removal activities, known as abatement. These new clearance
levels will reduce lead dust-related risks to children in pre-1978 homes and childcare facilities where
lead abatement activities take place. After actions are taken to remove lead from a building, those
buildings must then be tested to make sure that the cleaning activities were successful. These
"clearance levels" indicate that lead dust was effectively removed at the end of the abatement work.
EPA's new clearance levels are 10 micrograms (jjg) of lead in dust per square foot (ft2) for floor dust and
100 |jg/ft2 for window sill dust, significantly lower than the previous levels of 40 jjg/ft2 for floor dust and
250 |jg/ft2 for window sill dust.
Lead-contaminated dust, from chipped or peeling lead-based paint is one of the most common
causes of elevated blood lead levels in children. Lead dust can be generated when lead-based paint
deteriorates or is disturbed. Lead exposure, particularly at higher doses, can pose a significant health
and safety threat to children and can cause irreversible and life-long health effects. Together, EPA's
2019 hazard standards and 2020 clearance levels reflect the best available science on potential human
health effects that result from exposure to lead.
In addition, EPA continues to make concerted efforts to increase the number of certified renovation
firms capable of providing lead-safe renovation, repair and painting (RRP) services through targeted
outreach campaigns to contractors. EPA also provides a nationwide list of certified renovation firms on
EPA's website to help the public identify firms that are capable of providing lead-safe RRP services.
EPA Takes Action to Stop Use of Certain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Products
and Protect American Consumers: In June 2020, EPA announced a significant new use rule (SNUR)
for long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylate (LCPFAC) chemical substances, which requires EPA to be
notified before a company begins or resumes the import of articles containing long-chain PFAS. This
action under the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) also requires EPA review and approval before
a company can begin or renew the LCPFAC uses identified in the SNUR. This action also finalized
an amendment to an existing SNUR for perfluoroalkyl sulfonate chemical substances that makes
inapplicable the exemption for persons who import perfluoroalkyl sulfonate chemical substances as
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EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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part of carpets. As part of the Agency's review, EPA has the authority to place restrictions on new
uses of these chemicals, including import of certain products containing these chemicals. Given this,
EPA can stop products containing PFAS from entering or reentering the marketplace unless it reviews
and puts the necessary restrictions in place to address any unreasonable risks, including potentially
exposing susceptible subpopulations. This action is part of EPA's commitment to addressing these
chemicals under the Administrator's PFAS Action Plan.
EPA Created Guide to Help Translate Pesticide Safety Information into Spanish: EPA took an
important step to improve risk communication in October 2019 by expanding the Agency's Spanish
language resources that assist with translating the health and safety portions of pesticide product
labels. The new Spanish Translation Guide for Pesticide Labeling resource is available for anyone to
use, including pesticide manufacturers, and provides a resource for pesticide registrants that choose to
display parts of their pesticide product label in Spanish. EPA developed the Spanish translation guide
in response to feedback from stakeholders who believe that having bilingual pesticide labeling is critical
to the well-being of pesticide handlers and farmworkers, many of whom do not speak English as a first
language. EPA generally allows pesticide registrants to translate product labels into any language so
long as there is an EPA-accepted English version of the label and the translation is true and accurate.
Some pesticide registrants already have their product labels fully translated in Spanish. However, many
product labels are only available in English.
EPA Supported Implementation Efforts on the Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS):
EPA supported several activities throughout the fiscal year to implement the WPS. Through cooperative
agreements, over 262 trainers were recruited to provide Farmworker Health and Safety Training
to 6,635 farmworkers and agricultural employers on pesticide safety, limiting family exposure to
pesticides, and pesticide exposure, and heat stress prevention. In addition, the Pesticides Education
Resources Collaborative developed resources on pesticide safety and the WPS for pesticide safety
educators and trainers, agricultural employers, and pesticide regulatory agencies. Materials focused on
WPS respirator requirements, WPS ventilation criteria, WPS contacts by state, and a WPS inspector
resource library.
EPA provided capacity building support to Guam and the Pacific Islands through a cooperative
agreement with Michigan State University. The university conducted a WPS train-the-trainer workshop
and provided information on using available resources and materials. As a result of community
engagement meetings, pesticide regulatory and education professionals in these locations expressed a
need to strengthen pesticide safety education and outreach to control invasive species. Subsequently,
an interactive virtual reality training video was developed on the control of the coconut rhinoceros
beetle.
An EPA contractor, the Hispanic Communications Network (HCN), aired three EPA-approved Spanish-
language radio messages that targeted farmworkers and encouraged wearing appropriate clothing
while working in the field, washing hands before using a cell phone, and what to do if you come in
contact with pesticides. The messages were broadcast 117 times on 150 radio stations across the
country over a span of 39 days in June and July 2020. Furthermore, an EPA contractor, the CauseWay
Agency, developed a pesticide safety poster with information required by the WPS for display on
agricultural establishments. The poster was translated into Spanish, Chinese, Haitian-Creole, llocano,
Karen, Russian, Tagalog and Vietnamese.
EPA Spanish Language Portal to Provide Information on Over 2,000 Safer Products: EPA's
Safer Choice program has a Spanish language portal allowing consumers, workers, and institutions
to identify chemical (and cleaning) products that meet EPA's stringent criteria for safer chemical
ingredients - which can be an important tool for protecting human health and the environment in EJ
communities. Products with the Safer Choice label help consumers and commercial buyers identify
products with safer chemical ingredients, without sacrificing quality or performance.
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ENFORCEMENT
EPA's Implementation of National Compliance Initiatives for 2020-2023 Prioritizes Compliance
and Enforcement Efforts Where Violations Affect Vulnerable Communities
The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) continues to strengthen the integration of
EJ into the Agency's enforcement program. In FY 2020, EPA concluded 531 enforcement cases covering
562 facilities located in areas with potential environmental justice concerns. Those enforcement cases are
estimated to reduce pollution in these areas by 37.3 million pounds. Specifically, the pollutant reductions were
from:
Air Pollutants, reduced, treated, or eliminated - 19.3 million pounds;
Hazardous and Non-Hazardous waste treated, minimized or properly disposed -3.9 million pounds;
and
Water pollutants reduced, treated, or eliminated -14.2 million pounds.
For FY 2020-FY 2023 OECA prioritized compliance and enforcement efforts where violations affect vulnerable
communities in selecting National Compliance Initiatives (NCI) last year.2 Specifically, EPA is advancing the
NCI efforts on Creating Cleaner Air for Communities bv Reducing Excess Emissions of Harmful Pollutants
from Stationary Sources and Reducing Hazardous Air Toxic Emissions from Hazardous Waste Facilities by
focusing on those sources that adversely affect vulnerable populations or an area's attainment status. These
initiatives allow the Agency to focus enforcement and compliance assistance efforts in areas where excess
emissions of harmful pollutants are more likely to impact vulnerable populations. Under the Reducing Risks
of Accidental Releases at Industrial and Chemical Facilities NCI, the Agency is focusing on reducing the
occurrence and impacts of releases from facilities that make, store, or use extremely hazardous substances,
many of which are located in vulnerable communities. EPA is also working to benefit communities through
the implementation of two additional NCIs: Reducing Noncompliance with Drinking Water Standards at
Community Water Systems, and Reducing Significant Noncompliance with National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) Permits. In addition, EPA launched a Circuit Rider Program to provide technical
assistance to small community wastewater and drinking water systems and tribal environmental programs.
The Circuit Riders provide hands-on, face-to-face technical and compliance assistance to small Clean Water
System operators.
The Agency is considering EJ throughout its core enforcement work, and implementation of the NCIs over
the next three years. This is accomplished by reviewing all new cases to determine whether they may affect
overburdened communities, structuring the resolution of enforcement actions to correct noncompliance, and
communicating with affected communities. In FY 2020, EPA performed 778 EJ screenings in its enforcement
work. These EJSCREEN reviews serve two purposes. They assure that EPA enforcement personnel working
on a case are aware of the potential EJ concerns in a community, and they allow OECA to gauge how much
of its enforcement work is being done in areas with potential EJ concerns.
2
20
For FY 2020-FY 2023, the national enforcement and compliance assurance program focuses on priority areas that align with the FY 2018-FY 2022 Agency
Strategic Plan, providing states and tribes with additional opportunities for meaningful engagement, and enhancing the use of EPA's full range of compliance as-
sistance tools.
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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SCIENCE
Science and Social Justice in the Cano Martin Pena Estuary in San Juan, Puerto Rico (CEMM)
The largely working class and low-income communities near the Cano Martin Pena Estuary in San Juan,
Puerto Rico, experience frequent flooding that results in water filled streets, homes, and schools. Storm
drains cannot keep up with the deluge of water and urban runoff, which affects the health and prosperity of
the local communities. Levels of fecal coliform in flood water and hydrogen sulfide in the air are dangerously
high and can lead to long term health consequences. In addition, these communities have an increased
prevalence of asthma, and many residents report gastrointestinal issues.
EPA researchers are trying to understand how the San Juan Bay Estuary is affected by the closure of
the Cano Martin Pena channel by looking at biogeochemical cycling
3 in the estuary, particularly for nitrogen, and by measuring contaminants of emerging concern. To best
meet community needs, in FY2020, EPA researchers worked closely with local stakeholders such as the
ENLACE Project, a non-profit organization that works to promote the equitable urban, social, and economic
development of the eight communities of the Cano Martin Pena Estuary. The team continues to share data
and other information with the local communities to help inform decision-making related to the Cano Martin
Pena Estuary. The results of this work will help both improve human health and the quality of life as well as the
health of the whole San Juan Bay Estuary.
Improving Access to Health Risk Communication Among Limited English
Proficiency Populations (CPHEA)
Exposure to wildfire smoke is a community health issue that has been gaining the atte
of public health professionals and organizations, especially in states where fires are
frequently large and intense. Wildfire smoke has significant health implications for tho;
near the fire, as well as for those living farther downwind. While these risks affect the
population broadly, individuals with limited English proficiency are at increased risk of
exposure due to limited access to health risk communication resources that provide
clear information about wildfire smoke and the exposure reduction actions they can
take.
The Smoke Sense citizen science project aims to increase awareness about the
health risks associated with inhalation of wildfire smoke and actions individuals
can take to reduce the amount of smoke they breathe. The Smoke Sense mobile
app is free to download, available on both iOS and Android phones, and has more
than 34,000 participants. Through feedback from stakeholders, the Smoke Sense
team learned that translating text in the app into Spanish would reduce a barrier for
receiving information among individuals who speak Spanish and have limited English
proficiency. Based on this feedback, the research team adapted the app's source
code to accept translated text. The first language the app has been translated into
is Spanish, allowing Spanish-speaking individuals to more fully engage. This effort
reduces barriers for individuals with limited English proficiency by making available
within the Smoke Sense app information about evolving environmental health threats
and protective health behaviors.
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REGIONAL EFFORTS TO REDUCE EXPOSURE TO LEAD
EPA and State of New Jersey Collaborate to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water in Newark
Newark has been burdened with a myriad of health concerns exacerbated by drinking water contaminated
with dangerous levels of lead. At its core, environmental injustice hits communities of color in ways that
are not seen or felt immediately. There is no safe level of lead exposure. Pregnant women and children are
most at risk. Since 2018, EPA has worked closely with the City of Newark and the New Jersey Department
of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to protect residents from elevated lead levels in drinking water. EPA
Region 2, EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD), NJDEP, and the City of Newark collaborated
to determine the best approach for reducing lead levels in tap water in the affected areas of Newark until
corrosion control treatment could be effective again.
Newark has undertaken what is very likely to be the nation's most aggressive lead service line replacement
program. Using funding from the EPA State Revolving Fund (SRF) and from a county bond program, Newark
began a program in March 2019 to replace all lead service lines (LSLs) in the city over 24 to 30 months. As of
September 2020, over 14,000 LSLs of the approximately 18,000 LSLs in the city have been replaced. In June
2020, the Water Infrastructure Fund Transfer Act (WIFTA) allowed EPA Region 2 and New Jersey to transfer
funds from their Clean Water SRF to their Drinking Water SRF of nearly $110 million to fund drinking water
lead abatement projects. EPA is strongly committed to continuing its long-standing and close collaboration
with Newark and NJDEP to strengthen the city's capacity to ensure that Newark area residents can continue
to receive clean drinking water.
Before
During
EPA Region 4 Addresses Residential Lead Contamination in Three States
EPA has been actively cleaning up lead contamination in residential yards at the 35th Avenue site in
Birmingham, Alabama, the Southside Chattanooga Lead site in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the Westside
Atlanta Lead site in Atlanta, Georgia. Ail three communities have strong historical ties and have been
impacted by past practices of placing lead-contaminated soil in
low-lying areas. In FY 2020, EPA Region 4 actively engaged the 35th Avenue Site
community, state and local governments, and stakeholder groups
to communicate the dangers of lead contamination, consistent with
the 2018 Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures
and Associated Health Impacts. In FY 2020, EPA reached out to
3,568 residents via letter and conducted door-to-door outreach in
all three communities to request permission to sample their yards.
The Agency received permission to sample 653 yards and cleaned
up 171 properties this fiscal year.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, EPA enhanced health and safety
protocols based on CDC guidelines to continue addressing these
sites. Many of these practices include social distancing and
implementing innovative methods to engage the primarily low-
income, minority communities at all three sites. For transparency
and awareness, the Agency conveyed our enhanced protocols to
local elected officials and residents through various communication
methods. EPA posted newspaper and radio advertisements,
videos on its websites and social media to inform residents about
potential lead exposure in their communities and continue to
request permission to sample residents' yards. Fact sheets were
prepared in English and Spanish to address language barriers in
the Chattanooga neighborhoods. EPA coordinated with school
districts to test the soil in school playgrounds and local parks, as
well. The Region 4 Superfund site team will continue to engage the
community and clean and restore the yards in these areas.
35th Avenue property before, during, and after
remediation.
House on Vance in Southside Chattanooga following
contamination removal. More than 85 properties have
been cleaned up this fiscal year.
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St. Joseph Lead Poisoning Prevention Initiative
In St. Joseph, Missouri, EPA continued to build local capacity reduce lead poisoning in young children. This
work combines several priorities: reducing exposure to lead, children's health, EJ and education. Building on
recent efforts, EPA reached 100% of daycare facilities and over 600 families in the zip code with the highest
levels of lead4 in St. Joseph, which has among the highest levels of lead in Missouri. This was accomplished
by:
Training to 30 home daycare and childcare center teachers on lead poisoning prevention.
Conducting one-on-one meetings with daycare directors and nonprofit directors.
Providing outreach and education materials to each childcare center and home daycare.
Holding a demonstration outreach and education event that served 75 families and tested 17 children.
Coordinating with United Way so that lead poisoning prevention information is included in take-home
materials with every family leaving the hospital with a newborn in St. Joseph.
EPA also facilitated meetings with the St. Joseph Health Department; Kansas City Health Department; and
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) staff. The collaboration resulted in HUD providing $100,000 from
their Lead Abatement and Healthy Homes program and an agreement between St. Joseph and Kansas City
health departments to share funds to reduce lead hazards for low-income families living in pre-1978 housing.
In addition, St. Joseph increased its commitment to address lead poisoning in young children by passing a
rental property ordinance that ensures safe and healthy housing.
C0VID-19 PANDEMIC
EPA Released List of Disinfectants to Use Against COVID-19 Pandemic
EPA released a list of EPA-registered disinfectant products in March 2020 that qualified for use against
SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Products on EPA's list qualified for use
against COVID-19 through the Agency's Emerging Viral Pathogen program. This program allows product
manufacturers to provide EPA with data, even in advance of an outbreak, that shows their products are
effective against harder-to-kill viruses than SARS-CoV-2. Using the correct disinfectant is an important part
of preventing and reducing the spread of illnesses along with other critical aspects, such as hand washing.
There is no higher priority for EPA than protecting the health and safety of Americans, especially vulnerable
communities where COVID-19 is having a disproportionate impact on low-income and minority communities.
EPA provided this important information on disinfectant products to the public in a transparent manner to help
reduce the spread of COVID-19.
EPA Takes Action to Help Americans Disinfect Indoor Spaces
EPA issued new guidance to disinfect public spaces effectively and efficiently to control SARS-CoV-2 in July
2020. This guidance outlines what information registrants need to submit in order to expedite the review
of requests to add electrostatic sprayer application directions to disinfectant product labels that qualify for
use against SARS-CoV-2. With this guidance, EPA is ensuring offices, schools, and local governments in all
communities, especially vulnerable ones, have access to as many effective and approved surface disinfectant
products as possible - including those designed to disinfect large indoor spaces. The guidance also builds on
EPA's expedited review of certain submissions for products intended for use against SARS-CoV-2.
Wastewater Monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 in Ohio (CESER)
In partnership with the Ohio Department of Health and Ohio EPA, Agency researchers are developing and
applying methods for detecting different forms of SARS-CoV-2, including live or infectious virus and the
genetic marker of the virus (its RNA) in wastewater. Wastewater samples from treatment plants in Cincinnati,
4 Zip code 64501 had a lead level of 16% and 20% between 2014 and 2017. The national average is around 2.75 %.
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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Dayton, and other areas in the southwestern region of the state are being analyzed. The criteria for selecting
sites includes the potential vulnerability of the community based on socioeconomic factors, helping to ensure
infections are identified early in these at-risk communities. Developing reproducible methods of detection are
critical to accurately inform public health decisions and are particularly important for vulnerable communities
who are at greatest risk from complications after infection.
With an infectious disease like COVID-19, people may be contagious before they show any symptoms.
Preliminary research from across the country and around the world indicates that monitoring wastewater for
the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA may be useful as a sensitive early indicator of low levels of infections
in the community. Having an early warning system to inform public health officials about infection rates could
be helpful to direct resources to the communities with the greatest need. The data from this research and
other academic and state labs will be publicly shared on the State's Coronavirus Dashboard hosted by the
Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and will be used by the Governor and ODH as an additional metric for
determining public health advisory levels.
Region 8 Prioritizes Low-income and Minority Populations in Efforts to Reduce Effects of
COVID-19 Pandemic
According to the CDC, long-standing systemic health and social inequities have put many people from racial
and ethnic minority groups at increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19. Region 8 has taken
several steps to help reduce this risk by conducting outreach and providing access to information regarding
safely disinfecting surfaces against COVID-19, taking steps to ensure compliance with regulations regarding
the use and labeling of disinfectants, and helping communities address ancillary impacts related to food
security. Some examples of Region 8's focused efforts include:
Partnering with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease (ATSDR) to provide outreach on the safe
use of disinfectants that can be used against the virus. EPA Region 8 Administrator Greg Sopkin joined
ATSDR Regional Director Kai Elgethen in hosting a Safely Reopening America: Disinfecting Public Spaces call
with the Colorado Asian Chamber of Commerce in May 2020. They also hosted a similar call, translated
in Spanish, with the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in June.
Engaging with multiple stakeholders that are striving to address food security issues exacerbated by
the pandemic in low-income and minority communities in the Region. Regional staff have worked with
stakeholders in communities across the Region who are interested in the development, implementation,
and enhancement of local food systems serving minority and disadvantaged residents. Staff have
provided technical assistance, helped to identify potential projects, explored possible funding sources,
and convened stakeholders in communities including the Globeville and Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods
in Northeast Denver; Southeast Colorado Springs; Pueblo, Colorado; and Bismarck, North Dakota.
Initiating a compliance effort in Indian Country in the Region to ensure proper disinfectant product
use, marketing, and labeling. Regional compliance and enforcement staff are partnering with tribal
inspectors to provide compliance assistance (and, if necessary, to take enforcement action) to address
instances of false COVID-19 sterilization and disinfectant claims, unregistered disinfectants, and
misapplication of disinfectants.
Inspection of ICE facilities and prisons for compliance with disinfectant use requirements in response to
increased illness in those facilities from improper ventilation during disinfection processes.
Outreach to area K-12 school districts, including those with schools in EJ areas, and colleges and
universities to provide resources for cleaning, disinfecting, and preparing for safely reopening schools
in Region 8.
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Addressing Air Quality Concerns in Chelsea, Massachusetts
In response to community and lawmakers' concerns, EPA and the Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection are working together to monitor and address potential particulate matter emissions
as well as concerns about overall air quality in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Recent demolition and construction
activities in Chelsea have generated airborne dust which have heightened concerns about particulate matter
pollution in this city of 35,000, located next to Boston. Chelsea is a lower income, densely populated, majority
Hispanic or Latinx community that hosts a large number of industrial facilities regulated by the state and EPA.
In recent months, Chelsea residents have suffered the highest rates of COVID-19 infections in Massachusetts
and, historically, suffer higher incidence rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. In the short term, EPA
is loaning its state partner nine air sensors that could be very useful to understand particulate matter impacts
in Chelsea. EPA and the state will work together to identify locations to collect the most representative air
quality data for Chelsea's residents and will also ensure that proper air monitoring and dust suppression
activities are being conducted at bridge and road demolition and construction sites to minimize airborne dust.
In the longer term, EPA will work with the state to consider locating a permanent air quality monitoring station
in Chelsea. EPA and the state also plan to meet virtually with city officials and community stakeholders to
continue to help address Chelsea's air quality concerns.
In response to EPA's actions, Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey issued the following press
statement: "The residents of Chelsea can breathe a little easier today... Chelsea residents have
faced the unjust burden of multiple pollution sources for too long. They deserve the right to air
quality monitoring in their community, and I am glad the EPA has heeded our request to take this
first step to responding to dangerous inequalities in air quality." EPA is committed to ensuring
that the residents of Chelsea benefit from a safe environment and clean air to breathe.
EPA Responds to Tribal Needs Regarding COVID-19 Pandemic
Through the Tribal Infrastructure Task Force (ITF), the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery
(ORCR) worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate assistance to tribes
who lacked COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) for their solid waste and recycling sanitation
workers. EPA Regions 2, 4, 5, 7 and 10 worked through ORCR to coordinate with FEMA the distribution of
31,500 cloth face masks that went to 63 tribes for use by their solid waste operators in the lower 48 states.
EPA Region 6 worked directly with FEMA to obtain masks. EPA Region 10 and ORCR overcame logistical
constraints to help FEMA supply 6,000 cloth masks for distribution through the Yukon River Inter-Tribal
Watershed Council to solid waste operators in Alaska Native Villages and First Nations in their service area,
covering a combined total of 75 Alaska Native Villages and First Nations. ORCR also coordinated with our ITF
partners, including U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Rural Development, U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), and the Indian Health Service (IHS) to
provide technical assistance to tribes and amplify funding opportunities related to COVID-19.
The Office of Emergency Management helped conduct several activities to assist communities in their
COVID-19 response, including:
Coordinated with EPA Regions and FEMA to manage the distribution of 31,500 cloth face masks to
solid and hazardous waste employees for 63 tribes in the lower 48 states.
Developed disinfection strategies for communities, as outlined in the EPA/Center for Disease Control
(CDC) Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces. Workplaces. Businesses-
Schools. and Homes.
Developed technical guidance from the internal Technical Working Group to federal partners as well as
state and local entities on COVID-19 issues.
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
25
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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRAM
FY20 EJ PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
w COLLABORATE WITH GOV'T
ฃ I PARTNERS & OTHER
c EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS
ฃ > 1,100 STAKEHOLDER
ฃ GROUPS ENGAGED
;;;
SUPPORT & ENGAGE WITH
COMMUNITIES WITH EJ
0 CONCERNS
K
o> > 9,500 COMMUNITY
1 MEMBERS REACHED
One objective of the EJ Program is to advance
the integration of EJ principles throughout EPA
to support the efforts of communities with EJ
concerns. The ultimate goal is to achieve real,
concrete improvements in environmental and
public health outcomes in communities with EJ
concerns.
SUPPORT INTEGRATION
INTO EPA ACTIVITES
> 500 EJ INTEGRATION
ACTIVITIES IN EPA
Strategic Priority 1: Supporting the
Integration of EJ Considerations into EPA FY20 EJ Program Highlights.
Activities. In FY 2020, common training topics
included performing effective community engagement, using the EJSCREEN mapping tool, and including EJ
in emergency response. The EJ Program also consulted on integrating EJ into EPA rulemaking, permitting,
enforcement, and community revitalization. This resulted in stronger integration of EJ considerations,
including direct engagement efforts in underserved communities, the addition of EJ factors to program plans,
and increased use of the EJSCREEN tool after providing trainings.
EPA's EJ Training* for State* respond to states, local and federal governments'
interest in how to integrate EJ and address dispropo*tionate impact- In FY20:
_JL
950 'filtered for trn> Rural Watซr lnuei Progress and Challenges In Impiemertting
Cflitfomu'i Human to Water Training with the CaMomia Water Resources Cental
Board. Community Water Center and CalEPA
Over 1.900 registered lor t*e frtformeSon System* to Advance C J and Public Health
Tr*rwng the Temas Commission on Environmental Quality, Wtseonskn Department of
Heath wvd EPA'a Tokics Release Inventory Program,
Strategic Priority 2: Collaborate with
Governmental Partners and other External
Partners. EPA EJ Program staff collaborate
with external stakeholder groups to provide
consultations, conduct trainings and
exchange information. These partnerships
focus on integrating EJ within partners'
policies and programs, collaborating on
general EJ work, leveraging resources,
and planning work in communities with EJ
concerns. FY' 2020 highlights include the EJ
Trainings for States webinars and EJSCREEN training for staff at FEMA for improved consideration of EJ in
their emergency and recovery work. Collaborations also involved leveraging resources for underserved and
vulnerable communities to help mitigate the cumulative impacts of COVID-19.
Strategic Priority 3: Support and Engage with Communities with EJ Concerns. The ultimate purpose of
the EJ Program is to support communities with EJ concerns. In addition to providing technical and financial
assistance through EJ grants in FY 2020, the EJ Program engaged with community members in a variety of
ways. Here are the top activities and number of community members reached:
Specific activity highlights include:
Convened events at conferences
to provide education, assist with
leveraging resources, and provide
networking opportunities with
stakeholders for EJ community
members.
NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS REACHED BY EJ PROGRAM EFFORTS IN FY 20
| Outreach: >5,750
Events / Listening Sessions: >960
Training I Education: >85
Consultations / Analysis:
FY 20 EJ Program highlights on supporting and engaging vulnerable communities.
Conducted outreach and education for tribes, rural and other EJ communities on using effective
cleaning and disinfecting products for indoor environments to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Engaged with several near-port communities to provide tools for collaborating with port stakeholders
and to support their efforts to address concerns with local air emissions, as part of EPA's Ports
Initiative.
Consulted and/or partnered with governmental stakeholders to engage EJ community members to
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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gather public comments on a variety of proposed projects, permits, and revitalization efforts. This work
promotes meaningful engagement, so that EJ communities have a say about what happens in their
communities.
EJ GRANT FUNDING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITIES
The Office of Environmental Justice manages EPA's EJ grants, which support overburdened communities
and build partnerships to improve the environment and public health. Since 1994, more than $40 million in
EJ grant funding has been awarded to more than 1,500 low income and/or minority communities across the
United States. In FY 2020, Congress provided additional funding for EJ grants. This funding coincided with
the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has devastated low-income, minority and tribal communities.
There were more than 70 active EJ grants when the pandemic struck. The majority of EJ grantees are small,
grassroots organizations who fight on the frontlines to address the needs of those who have the least.
These grassroots organizations are critical in alerting local governments and authorities to the needs of
local communities, even more so during COVID-19. Many EJ grantees have realigned resources, reimagined
outreach methods, and changed daily protocols to better respond to the needs of the people they serve. In
turn, the EJ grants program continues to provide flexibility and responsiveness to the needs of grantees as
they implement their projects. More than half of all active EJ grantees requested and/or received an extension
of their project period. EPA staff also worked directly with many EJ grantees to restructure community
outreach and training activities to maintain social distance. This included relocating community events to
open-air environments, hosting small training groups, and using virtual meetings.
"Environmental justice grants aim to support public education, training, and emergency planning
for communities across the country impacted by COVID-19, regardless of their zip code," said
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "These grants are part of EPA's effort to actively fight the
COVID-19 pandemic that is having a disproportionate impact on low-income and minority
communities."
EPA also revived the State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement (SEJCA) program, which provides
funding to support eligible entities (state, tribal, local, and territorial governments) to work collaboratively
with underserved communities to understand, promote and integrate approaches to provide meaningful and
measurable improvements to public health and/or the environment in underserved communities. To support
the nationwide effort against the COVID-19 pandemic, EPA gave special consideration to applications
proposing actions to address the impacts of COVID-19 on communities with environmental justice concerns,
including adding an additional $1 million to support more grant proposals focused on partners' efforts to
combat the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people of color, low-income and indigenous communities.
In FY 2020, the EJ program awarded $4.46 million in grant funding through:
10 SEJCA Grants. All levels of government must be responsive to the impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic on underserved communities. EPA competed our SEJCA grant for the first time in ten
years and additionally expanded eligibility to include state governments, tribal governments, local
governments, and US territories. These grants are for up to $200,000 over a two-year period. 90% of
the awarded projects address COVID-19 concerns
through a range of project activities, including
public education, training, emergency planning,
investigations, home inspections, and wastewater
treatment. Read the descriptions of the COVID-19
projects here. This program received $1 million in
funding from other EPA resources in addition to
the $1 million allocated through the EJ program
budget.
18
Collaborative
Problem-
Solving Grants
EJ Grants
12 more
Environmental
Justice Small
Grants
'
in FY 2020
1 0 State
Environmental
Justice
Cooperative
Agreements
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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18 Collaborative Problem-Solving Grants (CPS). EPA used expanded appropriations to support
an additional 8 grantees to the traditional 10 awarded $120,000 every two years. These grants help
community-based organizations build collaborative partnerships with other local stakeholders to
improve local environmental and public health issues. Each EJCPS grantee is required to use elements
of EPA's Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model in their project. Read the
descriptions of the new CPS projects here.
12 additional Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG). Over 200 community-based organizations
applied to the 2019 EPA Environmental Justice Small Grant (EJSG) opportunity, the most in years.
These grants are for up to $30,000 for a one-year project to help communities understand and address
exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks. Last year, 50 small grants were awarded and in FY
2020 an additional 12 were awarded due to the additional appropriation. Read the descriptions of the
additional EJSG projects here.
COVID-19 Impacts on EJ Grants
There were more than 70 active environmental justice grants when the pandemic struck. The majority of all
EJ grantees are small, grassroots organizations who fight on the frontlines to address the needs of those who
have the least. These grassroots organizations are critical in alerting local governments and authorities to the
needs of local communities, even more so during COVID-19. Many EJ grantees have realigned resources,
reimagined outreach methods, and changed daily protocols to better respond to the needs of the people
they serve. In turn, the EJ grants program continues to provide flexibility and responsiveness to the needs of
grantees as they implement their projects. More than half of all active EJ grantees requested and/or received
an extension of their project period. EPA staff also worked directly with many EJ grantees to restructure
community outreach and training activities to maintain social distance. This included relocating community
events to open-air environments, hosting small training groups, and using virtual meetings.
Clean Water Project for the Winchester Heights Community in Southeast Arizona
In FY2020 work under a two-year EJCPS grant to the Southeast Arizona Area Health Education Center
(SEAHEC) for Proyecto Agua Limpia (Project Clean Water) was brought to a successful completion. In May
2018, EPA awarded a two-year EJCPS grant to SEAHEC for Proyecto Agua Limpia (Project Clean Water).
This project focused on Winchester Heights, a colonia in Cochise County served by a small community
water system and lacks basic public infrastructure, such as safe housing, transportation, streetlights and
paved roads. The grant supported SEAHEC establishing a cadre of community health workers to help the
Winchester Heights community address their environmental health concerns. The grant allowed SEAHEC to
establish a strong collaboration with project partners and support the development of the Winchester Heights
Health Organization (WHHO).
Through this effort, SEAHEC partnered with the University of Arizona to assess community members' risk
perception of their water. They used a community-based participatory approach to quantify bacteria and
heavy metal concentrations in household drinking water. They trained community health workers to collect,
analyze, and interpret bacteria and trace metal results from drinking water sources, and then present the
results back to the community. Community members worked with SEAHEC public health interns to develop
a strategic plan for addressing water quality issues identified. EPA provided technical guidance on the
project including the development of a Quality Assurance Project Plan to ensure reliable data was produced.
SEAHEC and the WHHO will inform on future success on the completed EJCPS project.
EJ Small Grant Helps Yield Results for Espanola Community in New Mexico
Growing your own food without access to irrigation is not an option for many area residents in Espanola. EPA
awarded Tewa Women United5 (TWU) an EJ Small Grant to support a demonstration garden project planted
in Valdez Park on a hillside behind Espanola City Hall in 2015. What was once a barren slope with erosion
5 TWU is a New Mexico-based non-profit founded and led by Native women focused on ending all forms of violence against Native women and girls, Mother Earth
and promoting peace in New Mexico.
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EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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problems is now a thriving garden with more than 200
varieties of medicinal and companion plants. The EJ grant
supported TWU's development of the Healing Foods
Oasis, an outdoor classroom that supports native food
traditions and languages, and educates visitors about
water conservation, small-scale farming and the value of
cooperation between people from different backgrounds.
Using traditional dry-land farming techniques and
permaculture principles, this fruit tree terrace garden
provides many benefits for the community. It solves erosion
problems on the hillside, while also capturing and harvesting precious rainwater. The garden is accessible
to Espanola residents and the surrounding tricultural communities of the northern Rio Grande Valley. Since
breaking ground in 2016 through FY 2020, TWU has leveraged their EPA EJ Small Grant into over $222,000
in grants from city, corporate, and non-profit sponsors, $45,000 in volunteer hours, and $16,000 in in-kind
donations.
Landscape before project After - Rose of Amaranth,
development. indigenous grain staple.
Helping Communities Access Federal Funding
Environmental justice nonprofit and community organizations often do not have the capacity to compete for
much-needed grant funding. To respond to that need, EPA Region 7 hosted an annual workshop on grant
writing and grants management in FY 2020. One hundred-twenty participants representing all the states in
Region 7 and 2 tribes learned how to apply for an EPA brownfield, EJ, pollution prevention, environmental
education and the Department of Housing and Urban Development grants. Participants learned how to
create project descriptions, develop a budget, complete proposal requirements, and engage communities
and partners. As a result of this support, EPA and HUD are receiving more and stronger grant applications.
This workshop was co-sponsored by Kansas State University's Technical Assistance to Brownfields Program;
EPA Region 7's Brownfields and Environmental Justice Programs, and Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, & Nebraska
Brownfields Cleanup Programs. EPA Region 7 also hosted a Grants Management Workshop for all the current
EJ Small Grant and EJ Collaborative Problem-Solving cooperative agreements recipients. It focused on
federal grants management regulations, quality assurance, best practices, success stories and FAQs.
Treka Henry talks about HUD resources at the
October 2019 EPA R7 4-state region grants
workshop.
Jacob Burney, EJ Grants Program Manager,
talks about EPA environmental justice grants
at the Oct 2019 EPA R7 4-state region grants
workshop.
Region 7 Administrator Jim Gulliford welcomes
everyone to the grants management
workshop.
Technical Assistance Services to Communities Enhances Community Participation
Communities often need technical assistance, training and environmental education to better understand
the science, regulations and policies of environmental issues and EPA actions. EPA's Technical Assistance
Services for Communities (TASC) program provides this independent assistance at no cost to vulnerable
communities. Through TASC, scientists, engineers and other professionals explain technical findings
to a community and answer their questions. These efforts promote a key principle of EJ - being able to
meaningfully participate in environmental decision-making with government agencies and other stakeholders.
TASC services are provided in response to a community's request and are determined on a project-specific
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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basis. In FY 2020, EPA provided approximately $150,000 in funding to support technical assistance to
support four communities. This work included efforts that took place in the colonias in El Paso County,
Texas, the community of Laguna Nueva, California, the Confederated Tribe of Warm Springs, Oregon,
and the neighborhoods located near the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (formerly Sunoco) in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.
The neighborhoods surrounding the former Sunoco Philadelphia Refinery, now known as the Philadelphia
Energy Solutions Refining Marketing (PES) LLC Complex (Site), have faced EJ issues related to air emissions
from the refinery. Philadelphia residents have concerns about the impact that remaining contamination
may have on public health and the environment. The population within the 3-mile radius of the site is 60%
minority as compared to 23% for the state, and 45% low-income as compared to 30% for the state. After a
production unit explosion in June 2019, PES stopped operations. Since the refinery has stopped operating,
the area's air quality is expected to improve significantly.
In FY 2020, TASC support focused on helping the community better understand the information in various
technical remedial investigation reports and if there are specific areas or issues the community/adjacent to the
site should be concerned about. TASC presented a user-friendly report to community members and answered
questions at a virtual meeting in August 2020. The report covered the contaminants of concern, future land
use scenarios, and state non-residential standards for soil and groundwater. It also shared key findings and
discussed common cleanup methods at refinery sites. As a result of this technical assistance, community
members received information about the site in a clear, understandable way. EPA Region 3, the state, and
the city have been working with Sunoco and Evergreen Resources Group, LLC (Evergreen) on remedial
investigations of the areas of interest at the site. Community members now have the foundation to participate
more fully in the future cleanup decision-making process.
Superfund Technical Assistance
The Superfund remedial program provides independent technical assistance services and programs to
communities to help people better understand technical issues related to cleanup and key considerations for
a site's future use. With this assistance, communities are then in a better position to share their concerns and
priorities with EPA.
In FY 2020, EPA awarded a total of $85,000 in Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) to 3 communities,
which provide funding for non-profit organizations to hire technical advisors to help communities interpret and
understand technical information about their site.
In FY 2020, EPA provided support through the Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC)
Program to 30 Superfund site communities, 7 additional Navajo Nation sites. The TASC Program provides
scientists, engineers and other professionals to communities to explain and review technical information
related to Superfund work so that they may meaningfully participate in the cleanup decision-making process.
Office of Community Revitalization Technical Assistance
In FY 2020, the Office of Community Revitalization (OCR) - along with governmental, community-based
organizations and private sector partners - delivered technical assistance to more than 30 communities
across the United States. This work included developing action plans and identifying strategies to support
reinvestment and reuse of existing community assets (brownfields, open space, main streets, etc.) and
infrastructure (water, sewer, road). These efforts supported inclusive economic growth and protecting
environmental quality. Three examples of this work are shared below.
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes
In FY 2020, OCR worked with EPA Region 10 OAR's Heat Island Reduction program to provide
environmentally sustainable design assistance to the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in southern Idaho. The
tribes selected a site in front of the casino/hotel that is currently a dirt lot with a former gas station. The
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EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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site is located across the highway from the Tribal Museum and serves as an entrance to the community
from Interstate 15. The goals for redesigning this site included: improving water quality; adding plants arid
reducing heat island impacts with removal of impervious surfaces. The tribe also wanted to provide a safe
and comfortable walking and gathering spaces for visitors, tourists, and local residents, including a safe
connection to the Tribal Museum. In addition, they wanted to create a landscape design reflective of the
Shoshone-Bannock culture.
In FY 2020, EPA brought together the tribes' Departments of Energy, Planning, and Transportation. Using
the Tribes' Facebook Live, a virtual design charette included 35 tribal members participating and providing
feedback, in addition, a video of the design presentation has been viewed over 1,300 times and included
additional comments from tribal members. Feedback included adding a fire pit for traditional cooking
demonstrations, an amphitheater for performances, and specific ideas for indigenous plants to include in the
landscape design. EPA will finalize the designs in a report for the tribe in October 2020 and provide support
for implementing the preferred design option.
Figure 1 This plan view design, called Snake
River, shows the preferred option selected by
the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes to create a new
park in front of the casino-hotel.
Figure 2: This drawing shows features of the
Snake River design, including interpretive
signage, a fire pit for community gathering,
play spaces for kids, and native plants for
restoring grasslands.
Figure 3 These images show how the Snake
River design could be implemented to reflect
the tribes' culture, e.g., indigenous plants and
local art, community gathering spaces and
renewable energy options.
St. Louis, Missouri
The Opportunity Zone Tax Incentive promotes private sector investment in economically distressed
communities. In FY 2020, OCR partnered with the St. Louis Development Corporation and the North
Star Community Partners in St. Louis, Missouri, to develop strategies to attract investment in North Side
communities and its Opportunity Zones. The North Star Community Partners are comprised of representatives
from community development corporations, faith-based organizations, and a nonprofit organization that
supports minority-owned small businesses. The technical assistance built on the community's past planning
and current redevelopment projects underway to revitalize neighborhoods to include more housing options
and amenities for community residents. In FY 2020, EPA and the North Star Community Partners convened
city, state, and federal partners to address community needs, such as site preparation and cleanup barriers,
as well as navigate and access public funds and incentives. All of these efforts will help the St. Louis
community plan for a thriving and equitable future.
Douglas, Arizona
Douglas, Arizona is a predominately Hispanic port community that has experienced disinvestment. In FY
2020, OCR partnered with the U.S. General Services Administration, to work with residents and local officials
to develop strategies to advance reinvestment in downtown Douglas. The goal is to attract more amenities,
housing, tourism and cultural experiences. Through a series of virtual community work sessions, OCR
advanced state and local efforts to explore options to modernize the existing Raul H. Castro Port of Entry
and redirect commercial crossings to a new facility four miles west of the city. Collectively, these efforts will
help alleviate the high volume of commercial traffic and the constant flow of oversize and overweight trucks
through the heart of downtown Douglas (and neighboring city, Agua Prieta). As a result of this effort, the
existing downtown port will support a safer and more comfortable pedestrian experience, while the new
commercial port will accommodate heavier commercial and freight traffic.
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Recreation Economy for Rural Communities
In FY 2020, EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Northern Border Regional Commission
sponsored Recreation Economy for Rural Communities. This program helps cities and towns across the
country protect the environment and human health by engaging with local partners to reinvest in existing
neighborhoods and Main Streets through outdoor recreation. Small towns can boost air quality and water
quality and focus development downtown by conserving forests and other natural lands and making
them available for outdoor recreation. Promoting outdoor recreation can also create jobs and offer new
opportunities for people to connect with the natural world. In FY 2020, Recreation Economy for Rural
Communities worked with 10 partner communities, including Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
Glenwood Springs is a small, diverse, rural community located on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains
that is close to the White River National Forest and other recreation assets. Approximately 30% of the
population of Glenwood Springs are of Hispanic descent. The community approached EPA to help identify
opportunities to boost employment opportunities for town residents, protect the area's scenic assets, and
address the shortage of affordable housing in the community. EPA staff and consultants worked closely with
local stakeholders to convene a series of workshops to develop an action plan to strengthen community
revitalization through the recreation economy. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, workshops were held
virtually. EPA made a point to minimize the digital divide and engage the Latinx community in forming
solutions to achieve community goals and objectives.
Community-Driven Solutions
Community Driven Solutions (CDS) focuses on continuous improvement of EPA's internal coordination of
Agency activities that are regularly implemented at the community level to more regularly achieve beneficial
outcomes in those communities. The CDS workgroup, co-led by OEJ and OCR, is set up to build on and
continuously improve the way the Agency achieves improved environmental and human health outcomes
at the community level by enhancing communication, coordination and collaboration across EPA programs
operating at the community level. CDS is focused on refining the practice of working at the community level
by breaking down EPA silos and taking advantage of our ability to convene multiple external partners, such as
other federal agencies, local government, tribes, philanthropic foundations, etc.
To that end, CDS emphasizes making EPA's community-based work more effective and efficient and on
integrating the experience and resources of EPA's community-based programs with the vast number of
problems and opportunities that present themselves when our regulatory programs engage in community-
based work. CDS helps to foster cross-program collaboration to support the Agency's mission achievement
as well as our ability to take advantage of new programs such as Opportunity Zones and to better respond to
community needs, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. CDS presents an opportunity to strengthen EPA's
ability to use community-based work to meet agency commitments, now and for decades to come.
In addition to improving the alignment of EPA's programs and resources, CDS better leverages resources
from our federal, state, tribal, local and other partners to advance the goals of communities. In FY 2020, OEJ
and OCR facilitated headquarters and regional office coordination and enhance community-facing priorities
including Opportunity Zones, the Agency's Lead Action Plan and compliance assistance for small drinking
water systems.
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SECTION 2 - More Effective Partnerships
Having more effective partnerships is the second goal of EPA's strategic pian. Collaborating with stakeholders
and communities in a spirit of trust and collaboration yields better environmental and health outcomes.
EPA collaborates with federal, state, tribal and local governments; indigenous peoples; communities and
community-based organizations; and academia on various EJ efforts. These diverse partnerships create a
more coordinated, holistic and effective approach in achieving EJ for vulnerable communities.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice
The Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice (EJ IWG) is chaired by the EPA
Administrator and consists of 17 federal agencies and White House offices. The EJ IWG facilitates the active
involvement of all federal agencies to implement the 1994 Executive
Order 12898 and provides a forum for agencies to collectively advance
EJ principles. The EJ IWG also works to increase community capacity
to implement innovative and comprehensive solutions that address EJ
issues. Highlights of these FY 2020 interagency efforts, among others,6
included:
Working on recommendations from the 2019 GAP Report on
Environmental Justice to enhance federal agencies' planning and
coordination on EJ.
Conducting a NEPA Webinar on Best Practices for Meaningful
Engagement for EJ Without Public Meetings with over 1,940
participants. Panelists included representatives from the
Department of Energy, Federal Highway Administration and EPA.
Click here to watch the webinar and view the slides.
6 For more information on FY 2020 EJ IWG progress, iook for the forthcoming EJ IWG FY 2020 Report here.
Chip Hughes, NIEHS, Mayor Connie Thomas
of Orange Park, FL, and NEJAC Chairperson
Richard Moore attending the EJ IWG
focus group discussion on EJ concerns of
underserved communities in natural disaster
preparedness, response and recovery.
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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Partnering with other agencies and health care organizations to leverage resources, expertise and
supplies for preventing complications from diabetes before, during and following hurricanes in Puerto
Rico.
Hosting a Listening Session on Natural Disasters with National Institute of Environmental Health
Services and Mayor Connie Thomas of Orange Park, Florida. Over 40 participants attended this session
that was held at the February 2020 NEJAC meeting. It focused on how to enhance EJ integration into
the natural disaster recovery framework.
Recruiting and selecting students for the Educate Motivate Innovate Program, who will present at
a future National Environmental Justice Conference. The goal of this effort is to engage the next
generation of EJ leaders and expand partnerships with Minority Serving Institutions.
The EPA-HUD Memorandum of Understanding
Under a 2017 Memorandum of Understanding between the Superfund program and the Office of
Housing and Urban Development's Office of Environment and Energy, both offices share information and
discuss issues related to HUD public housing and multifamily project-based rental assistance housing
near Superfund sites. This work has benefited residents living in HUD-housing around the United
States and facilitated EPA and HUD coordination. For example, after the flooding in Midland, Michigan, in
May 2020 due to a dam failure, EPA met with HUD to inform them about potential contamination related
to the Tittabawasee River, Saginaw River & Bay Superfund site. The information shared helped HUD make
informed decisions about the suitability of sites for HUD funding and in their engagement with local housing
authorities.
Over the past year, EPA has also facilitated training of HUD headquarters and regional staff on Superfund
topics, coordinated on site-specific concerns at multiple sites, and shared site locations, contamination, site
remedy, human exposure, site reuse, and other site-specific information. EPA and HUD continue to coordinate
on updating policy to share information on liability and public health concerns of communities living on or
near Superfund sites. EPA and HUD continue to consult with other offices within our respective agencies as
well as the interagency on an as-needed basis to ensure we are addressing shared concerns.
Federal Interagency Interfaith Collaboration for Vulnerable Communities (IIC) Pilot in Shamokin,
Pennsylvania
Since 2019, the Interagency Interfaith Collaboration for Vulnerable Communities (IIC) has worked with the
Faith Alliance for Revitalization (FAR), an interfaith and multi-stakeholder collaborative partnership to rebuild
and revitalize Shamokin, Pennsylvania. For over 70 years, the city has experienced economic and social
decline due to the loss of mining and textile industries, leading to state receivership and development of a
City Recovery Plan in 2015. In 2018. approximately 29.6% of the population was below the poverty line, many
living in the city's Opportunity Zone. Some of the city's key environmental and public health issues include
acid mine drainage, brownfields, the need for green space/beautification, and flood control. In FY 2020 the
IIC, which includes representatives from EPA, USDA/FS, Department of Labor, and Department of the Interior
coordinated and hosted trainings, workshops and other activities to help the Shamokin community build a
brighter future:
In November 2019, EPA conducted an Energy Star for Congregations workshop for houses of worship
and faith-based organizations in and around the city. Representatives from six houses of worship
attended the one and a half dav workshop. Topics included the Energy Star Action Workbook for
Congregations, no-cost/low-cost actions for savings, using the Treasure Map for Worship Facilities,
and an overview of the EPA Supporting Healthy Houses of Worship document. An "Interfaith Energy
Star Team" formed and conducted an assessment before pausing operations due to the COVID-19
pandemic. The Team is planning to restart after the pandemic to help identify energy, water and waste
savings in other houses of worship in the city.
Approximately 165 residents attended the EPA facilitated Shamokin Community Rebuilding Workshop
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in February 2020. which led to a set of community priority goals and implementation actions. Workshop
sessions included a youth session at the local high school, a community tour, an evening kick-off
session, and sessions to refine the community's goals, action steps/activities, and identification
of community assets. In the following months, EPA also assisted with developing the Shamokin
Community Rebuilding Action Plan.
In April 2020, the community used an EPA digitized map, a tool from the Workshop, to post an online
map on a local community nonprofit's Facebook page to help Shamokin residents facing challenges
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The map showed the locations of faith-based organizations, non-profit
organizations and local businesses that could provide help to residents with food, clothing and other
essentials.
"It has been inspiring to see the citizens, faith communities, businesses, and government
agencies come together in support of this revitalization plan. Even though COVID-19 interrupted
implementation, the working groups continued to meet and now, as restrictions are lifting, the
pace to implement the action plan is increasing. The enthusiasm for the revitalization effort,
especially at EPA and SEDA-COG, never flagged. It is a wonderful partnership that continues to
strive for a better tomorrow for Shamokin."
- Friar Rich Rome, SEDA-COG Press Release
Interagency Interfaith Collaboration for Vulnerable Communities - Webinar Series
In FY 2020, EPA Region 7 created the St. Louis Interagency Interfaith Collaboration for Vulnerable
Communities. This team of faith leaders from St. Louis and local community representatives was formed in
response to a 2019 meeting with EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Regional Administrator Jim Gulliford,
and St. Louis faith leaders. Faith leaders shared their challenges associated with economic strain of keeping
their doors open aggravated by high utility bills, maintenance and upkeep in aging structures, concerns
regarding healthy buildings, and aspirations of building renovations. After a series of monthly meetings, the
group developed a training for houses of worship focused on cost-saving energy conservation, information
regarding resources and technical assistance, and healthy church best practices. Due to the COVID-19
pandemic, the training was presented virtually in September 2020.
STATE GOVERNMENTS
"Virtual" Air Permit Training for Low-income/Rural community in North Carolina hosted by NCDEQ in
Partnership with EPA
EPA Region 4 partnered with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) to address a
complaint that emerged from a small, self-identified EJ community in rural North Carolina. The citizens were
concerned about the proposed air permits for two asphalt plants planned to be constructed in their county.
The Anderson community members indicated that local elderly residents have pre-existing health conditions
that may be exacerbated by the potential additional air emissions. The initial complaint investigation revealed
the need for innovative and proactive outreach. A working group, comprised of EPA offices and NCDEQ, was
formed to raise community awareness of the Clean Air Act, NCDEQ's minor source air permitting program,
and the public participation processes.
As a result, the NCDEQ determined they would pivot from the pre-existing air permit guidance for industry
to a new focus on communities. The state took the lead in championing a first-time air permitting virtual
workshop for citizens that was posted online. In less than three weeks, a planning team prepared and
delivered a successful community-based virtual training. The educational presentation targeted approximately
a dozen local community leaders and stakeholder organizations, with a question and answer session to
address the state's permitting process, the role of the state and federal government in that process, and
tips for effective public participation. This custom outreach included a number of EPA programs and North
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Carolina state offices. As a result, the rural citizen leaders and community-based organizations are much
better prepared to publicly participate in shared environmental decision-making on local air permits. This
multi-government approach may be a useful model to assist other states support communities with EJ
concerns. In addition, NCDEQ denied the local draft permits based on modeling analysis that NAAQS would
not be met.
Chesapeake Bay Program Releases Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Strategy
The Chesapeake Bay Program includes the six bay states, the District of Columbia, EPA, other federal
agencies and partner organizations. In FY 2020, their Diversity Workgroup finalized its Diversity. Equity.
Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) Strategy with the help of an independent consultant. The DEIJ Statement was
announced at the annual Chesapeake Executive Council meeting. This statement reaffirmed the commitment
to embrace diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in all areas of the Chesapeake Bay Program. To accompany
this statement, the Principals' Staff Committee announced a DEIJ Action Statement with actionable and
timebound commitments to implement the recommendations in the DEIJ Strategy. Recommendations in the
strategy included:
Building relationships with the federally recognized tribes and underrepresented groups, including but
not limited to communities of color and low-income neighborhoods.
Incorporating community leaders' input into decision-making and implementation.
Advancing DEIJ in implementation of restoration activities and grantmaking.
Elevating and prioritizing DEIJ in watershed restoration outreach, materials, activities and events.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Building Capacity and Raising Awareness Among the Local Workforce and Overburdened
Communities in Puerto Rico
Many residents are still unemployed or under-employed since Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated Puerto
Rico in the fall of 2017. In December 2019, EPA co-hosted Lead-Mold-Asbestos Awareness Seminars and
grant training workshops across six municipalities: San Juan, Ponce, Humacao, Arecibo, Mayaguez, and
San Sebastian. These seminars and workshops were coordinated by EPA's Healthy Buildings Long-Term
Disaster Recovery Collaborative (HBLDRC) in the Caribbean and the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce.
About 500 representatives from municipalities, universities, local agencies, NGOs, industry, trade associations
and the general public attended. The awareness seminars provided an overview of the Lead-Mold-Asbestos
regulations/guidance, remediation/abatement best practices, and addressed the increased need for trained
and certified workers and their training requirements. Information on current training assets that exist
in Puerto Rico were provided. A key component of the HBLDRC is to raise awareness among the local
unemployed and underemployed workforce and train them for environmental skilled trades, including,
promoting job placement strategies such as Community Benefit Agreements within the municipalities and
local governments. The grant training workshops provided a two-hour hands-on-training on Grants.Gov by
focusing on key tips to search for appropriate grant opportunities and how to submit successful federal grant
applications.
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TRIBAL AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
Region 8 Focuses on Improving Environment and Health in Overburdened Communities in Indian
Country Through Compliance and Enforcement
There are 28 Tribal Nations in Region 8, encompassing over 22.8 million acres. Many communities in Indian
country are overburdened and underserved. Region 8 made significant progress during FY 2020 in protecting
public health and the environment through its focused compliance and technical assistance and enforcement
activities. Some examples include:
Region 8 staff gave several pesticide presentations at the annual Wyoming Pesticides Applicator
Certification and Recertification Course in January 2020. EPA presentation topics included updates on
FIFRA Worker Protection Standards, the application of pesticides on the Wind River Reservation, and
e-commerce.
In October 2018 new Underground Storage Tank (UST) regulations became effective in Indian
country. Region 8 inspectors identified significant non-compliance with these regulations during the
FY 2019 inspection season. As a result, EPA sent informal Notices of Violation to 49 UST facilities
in overburdened communities in Indian country in FY 2019/FY 2020. The UST Program worked
collaboratively over the past year to return 24 of those facilities to compliance resulting in better
protection of human health and the environment.
Region 8 collaborated successfully with Anadarko Minerals Inc. to clean up and remediate an area
impacted by a discharge of 55,000 barrels of produced water into an unnamed tributary of Little
Porcupine Creek on the Fort Peck Reservation and complete necessary revisions to their spill
prevention plan. This successful resolution will help facilitate negotiations between Anadarko Minerals,
Inc. and the Fort Peck Tribe to transfer ownership of the entire oil field to the tribe.
Region 8 successfully resolved violations of waste management regulations at two salvage yards
located in overburdened communities on the Rosebud Sioux and Fort Peck Reservations. The consent
agreements included spent lead acid battery management activities that will ensure protection from
potential lead exposure from improper management of batteries.
In August 2020, Region 8 issued a Consent Agreement with penalties to correct noncompliance with
the Safe Drinking Water Act at the Blackfeet Community Hospital Public Water System. This action
incorporated input from the Blackfeet Tribe and resulted in the system providing safe drinking water to
individuals served by the Hospital.
Region 8 collaborated with tribal stakeholders and Indian Health Service personnel to provide technical
assistance and training to resolve numerous public health concerns on the Crow reservation. For
example, Region 8 helped address multiple sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) from manholes, pipes, and
lift stations that have exposed residents to untreated wastewater in public spaces and worked with the
Crow Tribe to address noncompliance at its three Public Water Systems.
Region 8 issued an Emergency Order in response to a potential imminent and substantial
endangerment at the tribally owned Rocky Boy Rural Water System located on the Rocky Boy
Reservation in Montana. The Order required measures to address and prevent future entry of a bacterial
vector into the water supply and required the System to distribute a boil water advisory and provide
bottled water to the impacted community.
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and EPA Revitalize Contaminated Housing Complex to
Address Disproportionate Impacts Faced by Residents
The Turtle Mountain Reservation (pop. 8,565) is located near the Canadian border in north central North
Dakota in geographic and economic isolation. In part due to its location, the Tribe suffers from chronically high
unemployment (59.45% in 2016 according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs) and over 40% of families live below
the poverty line. Among other challenges, the Tribe has hundreds of families on a waiting list to move into
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its insufficient and dilapidated housing stock. One such neighborhood is L'BelCour, which is a 21-structure
residential complex built in the 1960's in Belcourt, North Dakota. In various states of disrepair, many of these
multifamily housing units have become vacant and some have burned. According to the Tribe, these partially
abandoned homes, although boarded up, are being broken into and being used to conduct illegal activities
related to drug activity, theft and vandalism. These sites pose a danger by attracting the attention and
curiosity of children.
L'BelCour is representative of the disproportionate environmental impacts faced by Turtle Mountain residents
more broadly. Abandoned structures dot the Reservation and many residents live in dilapidated housing that
pose threats related to lead, asbestos and mold exposure, as well as exposure to open dumps and a poorly
funded solid waste management program. In partnership with the Tribe, EPA began assessing L'BelCour
units under its Targeted Brownfields Assessment Program in 2017 and subsequently awarded $1,200,000
in competitive cleanup grants between 2018-2020 to abate 12 of the 21 structures. Going beyond cleanup
to address the underlying need for healthy housing; in 2019 EPA began convening monthly coordination
meetings between EPA, HUD and the Tribe to plan for the systematic demolition and replacement of
L'BelCour residences. Thanks in part to this coordination, a $3,000,000 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic
Security (CARES) Act grant from HUD was secured in July 2020.
"The impact on the community is multifaceted... such as the safety factor addressed by the
removal of dangerous structures and the construction of replacement units to assist in alleviating
the overcrowded conditions in the Turtle Mountain Reservation," stated Becky Phelps, Turtle
Mountain Housing Authority Director. Current and future efforts to safely rebuild all 21 structures
remain the central objective for the L'BelCour community. We are excited about the recent
progress and look forward to continuing cleanup work on this large housing project. Cleanup and
redevelopment of L'BelCour is one of our top tribal priorities,"
said Ray Reed, Turtle Mountain Brownfields Coordinator.
Seldovia, Alaska: "You Survived a Natural Disaster, Now Grab Your EPB"
In FY 2020, EPA awarded the Seldovia Village Tribe an EJ Small Grant to educate and prepare the residents
of Seldovia Village and the city of Seldovia for potential natural disasters. In July 2020, a magnitude 7.8
earthquake struck the Alaska Peninsula threatening small rural towns like Seldovia. Accessible only by
boat and small plane the predominantly Alaska Native and Caucasian community is highly vulnerable to
earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Through an EJ Small grant, the community is better prepared
for natural disasters by developing emergency plans and receiving emergency preparedness buckets (EPB) in
their "Ready Set Go" training.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergency preparedness training
continued and accomplished its goals. In person participants were
issued N-95 masks while others were able to participate online. The
community developed a Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan in October
2019. Training participants were educated on Epidemics-Pandemics,
Household Emergency Plans, Geologic Hazards, Fire Hazards,
Emergency Responses, Generators, and Disaster Planning. Participants
also sampled emergency rations meals and developed emergency plans
for families and pets. Over 120 residents attended the training, with 90%
of the participants expressing increased knowledge of threats to their
community, through their "Ready Set Go" feedback cards.
The success of this project was in large part due to the partners involved
including EMT's, Medivac flight companies, local fire and local police
Stacking boxes of Emergency Preparedness
Material.
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departments, and FEMA. In addition, Ground Truth Alaska for Geologic Hazards and the University of
Alaska Fairbanks educated participants on inundation mapping and the risk and impact of earthquakes. The
July 2020 earthquake gave partners the opportunity to implement plans developed in the training and has
increased the community's ability to respond to future natural disasters.
Partnering to Advance the American Recycling System
In November 2019, EPA convened EPA's second Recycling Summit on America Recycles Day to address
the major challenges facing the U.S. recycling system. Recycling provides significant environmental and
economic benefits. It conserves natural resources, strengthens our economy, and creates jobs. These
benefits are critically important to communities, including those with EJ concerns. The Summit engaged
executives and leaders from across the recycling value chain to build on their success over the last year and
commit to continuing to work together through implementation of a national framework to advance domestic
recycling. Representatives from the National Tribal Operations Council were among the government, non-
profit, and private sector executives and leaders who convened and committed to undertake actions to
improve the recycling system. The 2019 Summit was a chance to highlight the successes of this work and to
announce new initiatives.
Since signing the America Recycles Pledge in November 2018, EPA and participating organizations
met regularly to undertake actions to promote education and outreach, enhance materials management
infrastructure, strengthen secondary materials markets, and improve measurement. The work of this
ongoing collaboration, including future activities, is described in the National Framework to Advance the U.S.
Recycling System, which was released at the Summit. Videos highlighting recycling programs of three tribal
nations, were aired to Summit attendees and convey the importance and impact of recycling:
Muscogee (Creek) Nation Recycling Program
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Recycling Program
The Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma Recycling Program
EPA Hosts EJ Session at Tribal Lands Environmental Forum
Several EPA staff served on panels to advance environmental and public health protection for tribal
communities during the virtual 2020 Tribal Lands Environmental Forum. EPA held a session on "Meaningful
Involvement in Tribal Environmental Programs - Building EJ Capacity." EPA discussed the core principles
of the Agency's Tribal and Indigenous EJ Policy and how EPA applied some of these principles to work
collaboratively with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe on a Brownfields redevelopment project. The project
included getting meaningful input from elders, children, tribal council, educational institutions, and the
economic development association. This session helped tribes to consider the ways they can enhance or
expand their meaningful engagement and public participation processes in their environmental decision-
making. Over 900 individuals participated in the conference and all sessions were recorded and are available
through the conference website.
COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
EPA and Partners Help Colonias Near Alamo, Texas, Find Funding for a Wastewater Treatment
Plant
In 2015, EPA met with a group of civic organizations to discuss environmental challenges in the South Tower
colonias in Hidalgo County, near Alamo. There were 15 colonias with more than 3,000 people situated around
the city of Alamo's open wastewater lagoon. These communities commonly lack of the most basic living
necessities, live in impoverished conditions and have limited access to resources. Colonias often depend on
collaboration from civic and government entities for assistance. A youth group representing these colonias
began raising awareness of the dilapidated and foul-smelling wastewater lagoon that was very close to
residences. They voiced their concerns through radio, television, and social media looking for options to solve
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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the problem. These activities lead to meaningful public engagement and accomplished community-driven
solutions. Because of the location of colonias and their governmental jurisdiction, it was especially important
to facilitate collaboration among the different stakeholders. EPA facilitated a successful project in these
colonias in coordination with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Texas Water
Development Board (TWDB). Working in concert with the city of Alamo, TCEQ and TWDB, EJ staff listened
to residents and discussed alternative solutions, which made project funding possible. After securing over
11 million dollars from the TWDB, the city of Alamo began construction of a new 2.5 million of gallons daily
mechanical wastewater treatment plant in September 2020.
Community Outreach Tied to Oasis Mobile Home Park Water Issue (near Thermal, California)
Oasis Mobile Home Park, located within the Torres-Martinez Tribe reservation, is home to about 1,900
residents. Oasis residents are primarily from the central region of Mexico and speak P'urhepecha, a distinct
language, and face extreme poverty rates, in 2019, EPA found the Mobile Home Park's privately owned
drinking water system to have unacceptable levels of arsenic, which is a health risk. EPA ordered Oasis to fix
its drinking water system and provide bottled water to the residents while it upgraded its system. From the
outset, Region 9 prioritized community outreach tailored to the residents' needs as a key component of the
response. In FY 2020, Region 9:
Assembled a cross-program team to ensure Oasis supplied ciean water and to heip residents
understand where they could get clean water.
Learned about the community and its needs through wide-ranging research and conversations with the
tribe and local officials.
Created a plain-language fact sheet in English and Spanish.
Issued a press release in Spanish announcing the order, establishing a Spanish-speaking EPA contact
for the public, and broadcasting a stream of TV and radio interviews conducted in Spanish.
EPA Region 9 also hosted two bilingual "Mobile Information Center" events in a location easily accessible
by the community to provide residents an opportunity to speak with EPA staff, ask questions and get critical
water information. A local resident was enlisted to provide P'urhepecha translation services, and participating
EPA staff were fluent in Spanish. After learning that most residents were unable to attend the second day
of the event, EPA Region 9 provided individual outreach to residents during their work breaks and at their
homes. EPA also worked with nearby municipal organizations and congressional offices to coordinate arid
promote the mobile events and share information.
Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training - Zender Inc. Program Provides
Opportunities for Rural Alaskan Residents
Zender Environmental Health and
Research Group (Zender) is a five-
time grant recipient of the EPA's
Brownfield Environmental Workforce
Development and Job Training
program. During these five years,
they have trained and placed over
115 participants in jobs with an
average of over $18 in hourly wages.
Zender is a non-profit organization
that provides environmental program
services for underserved tribal and
isolated-rural populations in Alaska.
Zender's Rural Alaska Community
Environmental Job Training Program
Distance Learning Model due to Covid-19
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The photo shows five of the nine graduating students donning their HAZW0PER decon
equipment for the 40 hours certifying course. All nine completed session one of RACEJT
2020 and when safe to travel, will fly in and complete the hands-on portion of the remaining
courses to complete their UAF, Occupational Endorsement.
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EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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(RACEJT) was designed to train local residents for local job opportunities, while recognizing the needs of
those who live a subsistence lifestyle. Their partnerships with employers have been successful with an 85%
retention rate and 95% job placement rate.
RACEJT participants remained committed to the program, despite the challenges faced during FY 2020,
including shortfalls in funding that resulted in lower worker wages. Without primary care access, all RACEJT-
served communities are officially high risk, so that the normal residential style training for which participants
applied switched to distance training overnight. Rural broadband did not allow for live video. Over a period
of 12 weeks and one to four hours daily, their classes were conducted via phone - using printed materials
and supplies that were regularly posted and delivered via small plane. Courses such as HAZWOPER were
completed ail while under quarantine conditions, taking care of family and subsistence activities. In FY 2020,
nine students received several national certifications, which will help them obtain meaningful work. The 2020
graduates are now working as spill responders, landfill operators, collectors and laborers, utility clerks and
wastewater plant staff.
Proctor Creek Story Map: The Intersection of Green
Infrastructure and Health
EPA Region 4, Office of Research and Development, and the
Proctor Creek community in Atlanta, Georgia, developed a
Story Map that provides resources and informs future decisions
around the expansion of green infrastructure in the watershed.
EPA assisted the community in creating a plan that will protect
Proctor Creek and its community members, as well as engage
stewards for the watershed. Proctor Creek is an impaired
waterway that experiences frequent flooding, stormwater runoff,
pollution from illegal dumping, and has dozens of brownfields
in the surrounding area. Residents and stakeholders are taking
action to turn around decades of neglect and disinvestment to
restore the watershed. The Story Map provides information on
the following for the Proctor Creek watershed:
Areas of proposed expansion of green infrastructure and
its positive public health impacts.
Community-identified concerns, e.g., flooding and
water quality, urban heat islands, mosquitoes, health,
brownfields, and illegal dumping of trash and tires.
Resources about demographics and health in Proctor Creek.
The community is also using the Story Map as a communication
mechanism for the "trash catchment" system recently installed
in Proctor Creek. This is a community-driven litter reduction
project that has collected and removed more than 1,200 pounds
of trash and debris from the Proctor Creek watershed and has
educated 75 students on litter abatement. The trash catchment
system improves water quality and stream habitat by removing
significant volumes of trash from a creek where subsistence
fishing continues. Data is collected on the amounts arid types
of trash. The trash is disposed of properly, including recycled
or reused, as appropriate. This project engaged the public on
the importance of recycling and properly disposing of trash and
created local green jobs for the community. Click here to visit
the Story Map.
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Water Qua I ity
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Proctor Creek Watershed Story Map:
The Intersection of Green Infrastructure and Health
Proctor Creek Story Map
Proctor Creek Watershed Story
Map: The Intersection of Green
Infrastructure and Health
Welcome to the story of Atlanta's Proctor Creek
watershed. This Story Map was completed in 2020 by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in
collaboration with Proctor Creek residents and
stakeholders, to provide resources and inform future
decisions around green infrastructure in the
watershed.
Trash catchment system at Proctor Creek.
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Community Engagement to Advance Environmental Justice in Region 5
EPA Region 5's EJ program engages with state and local government and community leaders in response
to concerns about disproportionate environmental and public health impacts. Working with relevant internal
and external partners, we invest in local capacity through EJ grants, tool provision (EJSCREEN, AHEAD),
and convening or joining in collaborative problem-solving efforts as needed. Over the long term, these
investments facilitate a whole-government approach to community priorities and needs. Examples of this
community-focused work during FY 2020 include:
Cincinnati, Ohio: In Fall 2019, the EJ program met in person with community leaders to listen and talk with
residents affected by decade-long recurring sewer backups and overland flooding. Since then, Region 5's EJ
program and Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, along with Ohio EPA, have helped to improve
and strengthen the community's understanding of the current consent decrees, including the wet weather
improvement program and Sewer Backup Programs. By increasing our communication with the Cincinnati
community, the EJ program has built trust and openness in our ongoing relationship.
Peoria, Illinois: The EJ program met with community leaders to listen to concerns about cumulative air
quality impacts on health. The EJ program subsequently met with Region 5's Air and Radiation Division and
Children's Health programs to identify possible resources and approaches that might assist the community
to better understand and address local issues. Information has been provided about resources cumulative
impact strategies and availability of community air sensors. Additionally, webinars were held about energy
efficiency and environmentally friendly renovation, operation, and maintenance practices in houses of
worship. Region 5 wiii continue to provide assistance that wiii result in improved relationships among
stakeholders and tangible environmental improvements.
Seattle, King County: "Lower Duwamish Waterway/Seafood Consumption Institutional Controls
Implementation and Assurance Plan"
In FY 2020, EPA finalized the Lower Duwamish Waterway
(LDW)/Seafood Consumption Institutional Controls
Implementation and Assurance Pian in partnership with
Public Health - Seattle & King County and Community Health
Advocates. Community Health Advocates (CHA) and Public
Health Seattle King County (PHSKC) worked directly with
the Lower Duwamish Waterway fisher communities and their
families to develop tools and training to educate fishers and
those eating fish about the contaminated Duwamish River
Superfund site. The project goals are to promote healthy
actions around fishing for and eating oniy salmon on the LDW
and avoid the contaminated resident fish and seafood. In FY 2020 this diverse partnership:
Developed training materials in collaboration with three fisher communitiesLatino, Cambodian and
Vietnamese.
Updated CHA Training Curriculum (curriculum version 2.0) for capacity building.
Led outreach events (in-person and virtual since March 2020).
Completed community tools (e.g., Duwamish Fish Advisory pocket cards, youth activity coloring book,
and "Healthy Fishing on the Duwamish - Let's Catch Salmon" fishing videos in collaboration with
partners.in four languages (English, Khmer, Spanish and Vietnamese).
Planned strategies for a Moms/Caregiver's Workshop and a Duwamish Fishing Club.
All of the Public Health and CHA work moved online in March 2020 and the tool development, outreach and
education has continued. While the fisher communities, culturally depend on sharing meals and stories in
person to learn and stay connected, they have adapted to the on-line format very well.
EPA booth at a community outreach event to help educate
families about healthy fishing eating practices near the
Duwamish River Superfund site.
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OTHER PARTNERS
EPA Research Grantees Provide Practical Solution for North Carolina EJ Community (OSAPE)
An EPA research grantee from the University of North Carolina (UNC) - Duke has helped deliver a practical
environmental solution to a community in North Carolina. In 2018, EPA issued a Request for Applications
through the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program seeking research for "Using a Total Environment
Framework (Built. Natural. Social Environments) to Assess Life-long Health Effects of Chemical Exposures."
The UNC-Duke collaboration, "Building Water Infrastructure to Improve Childhood Outcomes: Interventions
to Decrease Childhood Lead Exposure from Private Wells." tested the well water quality in its EJ community
partner, Irongate Drive Community in North Carolina, which relied upon private wells rather than a municipal
system for its water supply. The research revealed evidence of well water contamination and its potential
adverse impacts on children's health and academic performance in the community. The research team
worked with the community leaders to successfully petition connection to the municipal water supply for the
Irongate Drive Community. The project and corresponding success story has been published in the journal
New Solutions, "Impacts of Exclusion From Municipal Water Service on Water Availability: A Case Study."
EPA Region 3 Collaborates with Developer in North Philadelphia
In FY 2020, EPA Region 3 collaborated with a developer in North Philadelphia to redevelop sites adjacent to
the Temple University Health Sciences Campus in North Philadelphia. This community has been identified
as an area of EJ concern based on data from EJSCREEN and its location in a designated opportunity zone.
The developer's vision includes developing a "Healthy Town" that will address the needs of this community,
e.g., affordable housing, collaborations with academic institutions, a smart technology incubator, gateway
improvements for the community, food justice issues, job creation and training. EPA Region 3 participated
in the community dialogue sponsored by the developer, which included community residents and local
community organizations, academic institutions, local businesses and medical institutions. Region 3
provided the developer with an EJSCREEN analysis, the benefits of developing in opportunity zones, and
environmental and public health information specific to the census tracts to be developed. The developer
used this information to bring additional investors on board to help implement the Healthy Town vision. The
Region also convened a meeting with the developer and federal agencies with available resources targeted
for projects in opportunity zones.
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COUNCIL
EPA partners with the National Environmental
Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC), an external
group of EJ stakeholders that provide
independent advice and recommendations to
the EPA Administrator on matters related to EJ.
The NEJAC has 31 members who come from
a diverse background, including academia,
community groups, industry and business,
non-government organizations, state and local
governments, tribal governments and indigenous
groups. Together they evaluate a broad range
of strategic, scientific, technological, regulatory,
community engagement, and economic policy
issues. The NEJAC also generally holds two to
four public meetings each year.
At in-person NEJAC public meetings, there are panel sessions for local community organizations to present
their EJ efforts and challenges. There is also a public comment session that enables individuals to share their
concerns and experiences with environmental injustice in person and/or in writing. These valuable dialogues
February 2020 Public Meeting
in Jacksonville, FL
-i- 234
Individuals attended
10 -Federal agencies
16 -State agencies
18 -Members of
the public shared
their EJ concerns
August 2020
Public
Teleconference
Meeting
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
~ ~~
& 200
It
m
Individuals attended
10 -Federal agencies
19 -State agencies
19 -Members of
the public shared
their EJ concerns
Superfund Task Force Superfund Remediation and Redevelopment for
|^=| I Work Group Report Environmental Justice Communities February2020
Highlights of FY20 NEJAC public meetings.
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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directly connect vulnerable communities with the NEJAC and EPA and help raise awareness of EJ issues
across the country. In FY 2020, the NEJAC:
Held a February 2020 public meeting in Jacksonville, Florida, where three EPA Regional Administrators
attended, two of whom presented to the NEJAC. Representatives from 10 federal agencies and 16
state agencies attended. A total of 234 individuals attended in-person or via phone, and 18 members of
their public shared their EJ concerns.
Held an August 2020 public teleconference meeting where a total of 200 individuals attended via
phone, and 37 members of the public shared their EJ concerns.
Redevelopment
for EJ
Communities.
Produced a
report entitled
Phase One
Report:
Suoerfund
Remediation and
Redevelopment
for Environmental
Justice
Communities
February 2020.
Left photo: Community voices panel discussion, Ms. Linda Lee of Apopka, FL, sharing her experiences as
an agricultural worker directly affected by pesticides. Right photo: EPA Disaster Recovery and Community
Resilience in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands panel discussion, including Region 2 Regional Administrator,
Pete Lopez; Juan Rosario, Alliance for Sustainable Resource Management; Dr. Cecilio Ortiz Garcia, University.
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council Superfund Working Group
In 2018, the NEJAC received a charge from the EPA Superfund Task Force to help integrate EJ into the
cleanup and redevelopment of Superfund and other contaminated sites. The overall goal of the charge is to
provide recommendations to the EPA Administrator that will identify barriers, solutions, and best practices
for improving our ability to achieve clean-ups of Superfund sites more quickly and with better outcomes for
local communities. The charge takes the unique burdens and vulnerabilities of EJ populations living in and
around Superfund sites into central consideration while maintaining our focus on protecting human health arid
the environment. To address this charge, NEJAC established the Superfund Working Group. The Superfund
Working Group has met regularly since it was created, including three in-person meetings. The Working
Group established an extensive and systematic working process in the development of recommendations.
This included reviews of past Superfund efforts, examining and developing case studies, and talking to
communities impacted by Superfund cleanups. An interim report was issued by the Working Group in
February 2020.
RCRA Corrective Action Vision, Mission and Goals
In FY 2020, the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) initiated a series of outreach activities
to gather input from a wide range of stakeholders into the development of a high-level vision, mission and
goal(s) for the RCRA Corrective Action program over the next 5-10 years. The purpose of this stakeholder
outreach was to promote transparency, inclusion, and meaningful stakeholder engagement in developing
the overall direction for the future of the program. Corrective action is a requirement under the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) stipulating that facilities that treat, store or dispose of hazardous
wastes investigate and clean up releases of hazardous waste or constituents into soil, ground water, surface
water, and air. EPA states and territories are currently working on more than 3,779 priority cleanups across the
country.
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
Managed the Superfund Task Force Working Group activities
on Superfund
Remediation and
based on a Charge to the NEJAC
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In developing a new Vision. Mission, and Goals for the Corrective Action program, OLEM and ORCR hosted
individual discussions with stakeholder groups including members of the National Environmental Justice
Advisory Council (NEJAC), community organizers, local governments through the Revitalizing Communities
Workgroup of EPA's Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC), facility owner/operators, tribal partners,
and state partners, including the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials
(ASTSWMO). EPA incorporated the input gathered through the individual stakeholder discussions and then
hosted a multi-stakeholder roundtable at which all stakeholders involved in the initial discussions were invited
to share their reactions and suggestions to the revised vision, mission, and goals. EPA took this feedback into
account in making final revisions and announced the final vision, mission, and goals for the program at the
ASTSWMO Virtual Corrective Action Conference on September 1, 2020.
INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS
EPA Work Included in United States Universal Periodic Review Report on Human Rights
In August 2020, the State Department submitted the United States Universal Period Review (UPR) report
to the United Nations Human Rights Council in preparation for the US JPR Review in November 2020.
Federal agencies contribute to the U.S. international human rights reports, such as the UPR, by sharing how
their work advances human rights within the United States. For EPA, this includes work on environmental
justice. As recommended by EPA, the UPR report includes a reference to the Agency's work to address
the environmental and public health concerns of minority, low-income, tribal and indigenous communities.
Examples include EPA efforts to reduce blood lead levels in children, clean up contaminated sites, expand
access to safe drinking water, and implement the EPA Policy on Environmental Justice for Working with
Federally Recognized Tribes and Indigenous Peoples. The report also notes the work of the Federal
Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice. The US report was posted to the UN website in
November 2020. Past US reports are currently available on the UN UPR US website.
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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SECTION 3 - Greater Certainty, Compliance and
Effectiveness
EPA's third strategic goal is to increase certainty, compliance and effectiveness in how the Agency does
its work. Ensuring EJ not only means protecting human health and the environment for everyone, but
also ensuring that all people are given the opportunity to participate meaningfully in the development,
implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Everyone in the United
States - regardless of race, color, national origin or income - should have equal access to the decision-making
process to have a healthy environment.
EPA prioritizes risk communication, which helps promote meaningful engagement for vulnerable communities.
To foster productive relationships based on mutual trust between EPA and communities, the Agency
exchanges information and facilitates community participation in the decision-making process. This
communication can include EJ trainings and tools that communities can use to better understand policies
and processes, as well as access data on environmental and demographic indicators (e.g., EJSCREEN).
This effort also involves improving communication of risk around toxic sites or during a crisis, including the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as noted in section 1. This section shows how EPA is working to support
vulnerable communities during these unprecedented times.
COORDINATION BETWEEN EJ & CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAMS
EPA's External Civil Rights Compliance Office (ECRCO) is responsible for enforcing several federal civil rights
laws that together prohibit discrimination on the bases of race, color, national origin (including limited English
proficiency LEP), disability, sex, and age, in programs or activities that apply for or receive financial assistance
from the Agency. ECRCO does this primarily through complaint investigations, but also through proactive
reviews and technical assistance and policy formulation. EPA has a multi-pronged effort on coordination
between ECRCO and EJ that includes:
1. Investigation of complaints filed with EPA pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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federal nondiscrimination laws enforced by EPA.
2. Training and technical assistance to state agencies and local agencies and tribes, across EPA on
proactively addressing their civil rights obligations.
3. Coordinated community engagement with OEJ at the national and regional level to assist in
relationship building with EPA recipients and to provide timely and accurate information about civil
rights and the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regarding the development,
implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
in FY 2020, ECRCO worked to ensure that LEP communities had meaningful access to vital information
related to the COVID-19 pandemic in 11 different languages. Similarly, ECRCO has worked with EPA
programs and offices to ensure that policies and initiatives, such as those related to virtual public hearings
and meetings, the EPA order on disaster mitigation and recovery activities and others, incorporate important
civil rights obligations, like the obligation to provide meaningful access for persons with limited English
proficiency and persons with disabilities. In FY 2020, ECRCO also coordinated with OEJ on EJ and civil rights
trainings.
EJSCREEN
EJ-SCREEN is EPA's EJ tool that allows viewers to see high resolution
demographic and environmental information for a location in the United
States. This online tool is mobile-friendiv and uses nationally consistent data
to compare locations across the United States into easy-to-use maps and
reports. It also improves governments' ability to use data to guide programs
and policies, including EPA's approach to addressing EJ. The Agency has
used EJSCREEN since 2012 to look for areas that may be candidates for
additional EJ consideration, analysis or outreach. This includes the review of
civil enforcement cases, community involvement around Superfund sites, and
other mission critical work.
Following its public released in 2015, EJSCREEN quickly became a
resource for all levels of government, private sector, and communities to
identify potential areas with EJ concerns and other environmental issues. It
consistently ranks as one of EPA's most used tools.
In FY 2020, the EJ Program trained 1,676 individuals, representing a wide
range of government and nongovernment organizations. This work included:
Empowering federal partners to consider EJ in their work through
EJSCREEN trainings. Agencies included the Department of Justice,
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Supporting local and state governments' efforts to build their own state-based EJ tools through
EJSCREEN trainings, resources, and technical assistance. As a result, many states, including Michigan,
North Carolina, and New Jersey have built or are building state specific EJ tools.
Piloting a training to help teachers develop EJ lesson plans using EJSCREEN. EPA plans to expand
resources for educators.
Helping communities with EJ concerns provide better environmental and demographic data in their
grant applications by sharing EJSCREEN information during grant application calls.
Redlining in the Mid-Atlantic Region: Mapping the Environmental Legacy
Redlining refers to discriminatory geographic zoning practices that took place in the United States during
the 20th century. Redlining discouraged mortgage investments in minority communities based on race and
ethnicity and fostered the systemic racism that persists today. The program recorded its demographic biases
IGTON
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across the country in publicly available maps that identified minority communities by outlining them in red -
or, in other words, by redlining them.
Many redlined areas continue to endure financial, social, and environmental inequities linked to redline-related
discrimination from public and private sectors. Communities in many of these areas still face considerable
impacts from hazardous materials and industry given these disadvantages. To advance federal strategies
for addressing environmental impacts of redlining in Region 3, the Region 3 EJ Program provided redlining
trainings in Region-wide presentations on fundamentals and applications of EJ in FY 2020. Region 3 also
developed a mapping system that clarifies the environmental legacy of redlining by plotting 1930s maps of
redlined areas beneath current EJSCREEN EJ map data. These mapping results are intended to identify links
from redlining to current EJ challenges. Region 3 will continue to direct trainings on redlining and this mapping
project in 2021.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND RECOVERY
Supporting EJ Community Recovery Efforts Following Hurricane Michael
Region 4 partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other state, federal
and university partners to support recovery efforts in the Florida Panhandle following Hurricane Michael.
Through EPA's support of FEMA's Recovery and Resiliency Partnership Project (R2P2). several North Florida
communities, including Quincy, Springfield, Chattahoochee, Marianna, Parker and Mexico Beach, received
technical assistance to develop strategies and design concepts that bolster resiliency to stormwater
impacts, improve quality of life and support sustainable redevelopment. These efforts will help advance each
city's vision for long-term economic recovery by developing design concepts and strategies that integrate
recreation, stormwater management, community connectivity, and downtown development.
In collaboration with FEMA, EPA's College/Underserved Communities Partnership Program (CUPP) engaged
several university partners in support of coastal recovery efforts. Florida A&M University and Florida State
University completed an engineering design for the Tyndall Corridor water and wastewater design for new
systems installed. The Drexel Engineering School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, completed an engineering
design for the Dupont Bridge at the entrance to the Tyndall Corridor. In FY 2020, EPA Region 4 and OEJ
partnered with Region 4 FEMA to conduct a virtual EJ training for over 75 attendees of the regional and
national Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation office. The training focused on EPA operations,
federal agency responsibilities under Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice, and potential
environmental and social impacts to communities.
EPA also trained partners on how to use EJSCREEN. This training builds on R4's ongoing partnership
with FEMA supporting their overall Disaster Recovery efforts by increasing FEMA's early identification of
disadvantaged communities that may need additional support. These efforts also build upon EPA's priority of
having a collaborative approach to working with communities after a disaster by utilizing tools like EJSCREEN
during preparedness operations alongside integrating sustainability into long-term recovery efforts.
Collaborating with state and federal agencies to address the critical needs of communities is a priority for
both agencies.
Enhancing Environmental Justice in Emergency Response Efforts
EPA continues to make progress to ensure its emergency response functions are inclusive in addressing
community concerns about environment and public health. EPA's disaster and emergency response role
focuses on responding to threats and impacts from the release of hazardous materials and addressing the
impacts on community water and wastewater systems. In recent years, EPA has recognized the need for
more proactive consideration of the concerns of EJ communities during response operations. During FY
2020, OEJ and the Office of Emergency Management developed training to enhance EJ efforts in emergency
responses. More than 100 Region 6 Incident Command team staff and other appropriate response and
recovery personnel were trained on specific ways to enhance EJ during response activities. Region 6 added
its EJ office to its Regional Incident Command Team, which enhanced opportunities to facilitate stakeholder
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EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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engagement and better understand how EJ fits into recovery efforts. In the aftermath of Hurricane Laura, EJ
staff used alternative communication channels to reach EJ stakeholders, as well as helped coordinate daily
distribution of information about recovery efforts to those stakeholders. EJ staff also solicited and reported
concerns about property damage, unusual odors, and personal wellness up to the incident command team
for action. In one response, EPA deployed air monitoring staff and equipment to the Southeast Texas area to
assess community concerns about heavy chemical odors.
EPA's National Environmental Justice
Hotline offers communities an
accessible way to inform the Agency
of environmental and public health
concerns. It serves as a mechanism
to promote the fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of communities
who experience or have the potential to
experience adverse environmental and
public health impacts in their residence
and communities. The Hotline is
responsive to community members who
call or email to share their concerns.
In FY 2020, EPA achieved a 99.5%
ticket closure rate for the 630 inquiries
received.
Veda Reed is the face and voice of EJ Hotline, a service that helps individuals obtain
information for their environmental and public health concerns.
In FY 2020, EPA sent over 30 listserv announcements covering a range of EJ-
related resources, funding and training opportunities to over 6,000
EJ listserv members. To sign up, go to
https://lists.epa.gov/read/all forums/subscribe?name=epa-ei ^
Figure 4 EJ Listserv highlights and how to sign up for the EJ Listserv.information for their
environmental and public health concerns.
The Hotline responds to numerous
concerns on various issues including
radon, lead paint in housing, destruction
of wetlands, storm drainage issues,
pollution, sewage leakage concerns,
mold, gas emission, and other issues.
If a topic is not related to environmental
justice, the goal is to point the individual to a resource that could potentially help them. Because of the
assistance EPA provides through the EJ Hotline, callers have expressed their appreciation for the excellent
customer service. A recent distressed EJ Hotline caller expressed her gratitude for the excellent customer
service. She had seeking assistance on a mold issue in her house but was unable to get the information she
needed. Through the EJ Hotline, she was kindly and patiently provided the information she needed.
EJ HOTLINE AND EJ LISTSERV
EDUCATION, TRAININGS AND TOOLS
Community Involvement Coordinators and Community Involvement Training Program
The Superfund program has developed a series of community involvement tools arid techniques as well as
a Community Involvement Handbook and other resources to train EPA community involvement staff on best
practices for risk communication. The Superfund program and Region 5 hosted the national 2020 Superfund
Community Involvement Training Program delivering training in the areas of risk communication, EJ and
various innovative tools and programs whiie at the same time providing opportunity for sharing and improving
how we effectively engage the communities we serve. EPA also has a Community Involvement University, a
training platform to support Superfund site cleanups by providing EPA community involvement coordinators,
Superfund site teams and other EPA staff relevant courses to learn, build and improve the necessary skills,
techniques, arid practices to engage the community in the Superfund process.
Moreover, the Superfund program holds monthly calls with Community involvement Coordinators (CICs)
EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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to share information and best practices for community involvement work These calls have served double
duty since March 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic, as community involvement staff continue their work
to engage Superfund communities and find innovative ways to provide opportunities for communities to
participate in the Superfund process. In FY 2020, EPA CICs:
Held or participated in 570 public meetings and conducted more than 1,200 interviews with community
members living near Superfund sites.
Distributed more than 750 factsheets, mailings, postcards, advertisements, or newsletters that reached
more than 259,000 people living near Superfund sites.
RCRA Public Participation Toolkit
Public participation is a key component to the success of EPA's Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA) program. Involvement and engagement of impacted communities leads to safer and healthier
outcomes and improves RCRA program cleanups and permit activities. In FY 2020, the Office of Resource
Conservation and Recovery launched an online Public Participation Toolkit to empower communities to
become more actively involved in the permit and cleanup decision-making processes for hazardous waste
facilities from generation to transportation, treatment, storage and disposal.
The RCRA Public Participation Toolkit was developed with advice and input from the Regions and the
Office of General Counsel and should be used in conjunction with the 2016 edition of the RCRA Public
Participation Manual to implement public involvement activities at RCRA sites. The toolkit presents a broad
range of activities that RCRA site teams, community involvement staff, permitting agencies, public interest
groups, community leaders, and facility owners/operators can use to design and promote public participation.
Each tool describes an activity or resource to involve and inform the community and explains how it can be
used. Under each tool, the toolkit provides a brief overview and description of why the activity is important
(including whether it is voluntary or required by law or regulation). The toolkit then moves into implementation
and discussion about how and when that activity or resource can be used in the RCRA process.
Looking Forward
EPA remains committed to protecting
the health and environment of everyone
in the United States. In this past year,
a pandemic has underscored the
disparities that low-income, minority,
tribal and indigenous communities
experience. The FY 2020 Environmental
Justice Progress Report highlights
how EPA is helping vulnerable and
overburdened communities address the
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,
as well as address disproportionate
environmental impacts, health disparities
and economic distress. EPA will build on this progress to continue helping vulnerable communities have
cleaner and healthier land, air and water.
The Agency will continue expand its effective partnerships with federal, states, tribes, local governments,
indigenous peoples, community-based organizations and academia to advance EJ. EPA will continue to
provide tools, trainings and meaningful engagement opportunities for communities to help address EJ
concerns. By working together with communities, partners and EJ stakeholders, communities across the
United States will continue to become healthier, cleaner and more prosperous places to live, work, learn and
play.
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EPA ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT FY 2020
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