EPA's Region 6 Office
Serving: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and 66 Tribal Nations
Environmental Justice Program
The guiding principle of the Office of Environmental Justice is that everyone, regardless of race or income, is entitled to share equally in the benefits of environmental protection.
The goal of our Environmental Justice Team is to ensure that all people are protected from disproportionate impacts of environmental hazards. Environmental Justice is about real people facing real problems and designing practical solutions to address challenging environmental issues. The environmental justice movement advocates programs that promote environmental protection within the context of sustainable development.
Frequently Asked Questions about Environmental Justice
EPA Announces $1 Million in EJ Grants
EPA is seeking applicants for $1 million in Environmental Justice Small Grants expected to be awarded in 2012. The grants enable non-profit organizations to conduct research, provide education, and develop solutions to local health and environmental issues in communities overburdened by harmful pollution. Applications are due by February 29, 2012.
Apply for a 2012 EJ Small Grant
Resources for EJ Communities
The Community-Based Federal Environmental Justice Resource Guide identifies federal programs, projects and other efforts that can help communities with technical or financial assistance. The Environmental Justice Federal Interagency Directory provides the public with contact information to better engage agencies on EJ/community-based matters.
Community-Based Federal Environmental Justice Resource Guide
Environmental Justice Federal Interagency Directory
Port Arthur Showcase Community Project
Port Arthur, Texas, is one of 10 locations for the Environmental Protection Agency’s national initiative to address environmental justice challenges. The selected Environmental Justice Showcase Communities will use collaborative, community-based approaches to improve public health and the environment.
Showcase Project Update (4pp, 157KB, About PDF)
Summary of Port Arthur Community Input (2pp, 36KB, About PDF)
More on EJ Showcase Communities
EJView Mapping Tool Now Available
EPA’s mapping tool, EJView, is now publicly available. EJView is designed to allow users to choose and map demographic, environmental, and health data. EJView is an upgrade to the Environmental Justice Geographic Assessment Tool (EJGAT). It includes the same functionality as EJGAT, but is now faster and easier to use.
EPA Provides Spanish and Chinese Language Sites
EPA has launched a new consolidated Chinese-language Web site as part of its ongoing effort to provide environmental information in English, Spanish and Chinese. The new site compiles EPA Chinese-language materials on a wide variety of issues from lead poisoning prevention, energy efficiency, and clean water to proper management of pesticides. The site also serves as a valuable tool in delivering important health and environmental information to the Chinese-speaking community, both here in the U.S. and worldwide, to help protect local communities as well as the global environment. Chinese is the third most widely-spoken language in the U.S., after English and Spanish.
To view EPA’s Chinese site, visit: http://www.epa.gov/chinese.
To view EPA’s Spanish portal, visit: www.epa.gov/espanol.
Supplemental Environmental Projects
SEPs are environmentally beneficial projects that a violator voluntarily agrees to undertake during settlement of an enforcement action. The purpose of a SEP is to secure significant environmental or public health protection improvements beyond those achieved by bringing the violator into compliance.
Click here to learn more about SEPs in Region 6.