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Environmental Justice

National Environmental Justice Advisory Council Current Charges

A key priority of EPA is to expand the conversation on environmentalism and work for environmental justice. The NEJAC's work focuses on evaluating a broad range of strategic, scientific, technological, regulatory, community engagement, and economic issues related to environmental justice.

In Fiscal Years 2018-2021, the NEJAC will respond to request for advice and recommendations:

  • Superfund Remediation and Redevelopment for EJ Communities: The NEJAC will undertake the task of preparing a report of formal consensus advice and recommendations related to long-term stewardship and risk communication at Superfund sites. Additional stakeholder and partner engagement processes will be used to seek feedback from targeted stakeholders, including engaging other EPA federal advisory committees to inform them about what EPA is doing. In addition to using this mechanism to elicit individual feedback from advisory committee members, consideration is being given (in accordance with FACA obligations to hold open meetings) to seek additional stakeholder and partner input related to long-term stewardship and risk communication at Superfund sites.

In Fiscal Years 2017/2018, the NEJAC responded to several requests for advice and recommendations:

  • The NEJAC Youth Perspectives on Climate Change Work Group convened over two years beginning March 2016, to assist the NEJAC with providing recommendations to the Agency in developing best practices for addressing climate change concerns, as highlighted from a youth perspective. Read about the NEJAC Recommendations from the Youth Perspectives on Climate Change Work Group.
  • The NEJAC Environmental Justice and Water Infrastructure Finance and Capacity Work Group will convene October 2016, to assist the NEJAC in developing advice and recommendations for the EPA on how the Agency can work with states to more effectively identify priority needs, develop tools for building community capacity, engage and educate communities, and build partnerships to address infrastructure challenges for safe and clean water.

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