EJ Scorecard and EPA
In January 2021, President Biden’s Executive Order 14008 – Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad stating agencies must make achieving environmental justice (EJ) part of their missions by developing programs, policies, and activities to address the disproportionately high and adverse human health, environmental, climate-related, and other cumulative impacts on disadvantaged communities, as well as the accompanying economic challenges of such impacts.
As outlined in the Executive Order, the Environmental Justice Scorecard has been developed in collaboration with the Executive Office of the President and with the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council (IAC) and guided by recommendations by the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC), with input by environmental justice stakeholders.
On this page:
Overview
The Environmental Justice Scorecard is the first government-wide assessment of Federal agencies' efforts to advance environmental justice. The Environmental Justice Scorecard will evolve over time, with the goal of creating a robust and comprehensive assessment of the Federal Government's efforts to secure environmental justice for all.
The first version of the Scorecard, known as Phase One, establishes a baseline for the federal government's efforts to secure environmental justice. This baseline includes efforts to advance the Justice40 Initiative. Over time, it will show how the Administration’s actions are making meaningful changes in communities.
EJ Scorecard for EPA
The EJ Scorecard for EPA is a snapshot that provides transparency and accountability as the Agency continues to advance equity and justice efforts, over time, as a central focus for EPA’s mission. This Phase One scorecard focused on the following three areas:
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Environmental and Civil Rights Protection
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Institutionalizing Environmental Justice
This Phase One Scorecard is not comprehensive of all of EPA’s efforts but rather provides an introduction to the Agency’s ongoing work and commitment to advance equity and justice.
Resources
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Sign up for EPA EJ Listserv by sending a blank email to: join-epa-ej@lists.epa.gov
Environmental Justice at EPA
EPA’s efforts on environmental justice go beyond Justice40. Examples of how we continue to advance environmental justice include:
- In 2021, Administrator Regan issued agency-wide guidance directing all offices and regions to prioritize the advancement of environmental justice. The agency has followed through by taking action to protect overburdened communities, strengthening the role of enforcement, and directing $100 million from the American Rescue Plan funding toward environmental justice priorities including air monitoring, community grants, and children’s health efforts
- Administrator Regan also embarked on a first-of-its-kind “Journey to Justice” tour in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas to spotlight longstanding environmental justice concerns and hear firsthand from residents dealing with the severe impacts of pollution in these areas.
- For the first time, EPA’s final Strategic Plan includes a new strategic goal focused solely on addressing climate change and an unprecedented goal to advance environmental justice and external civil rights compliance. EPA’s Strategic Plan deepens the agency's commitment to protecting human health and the environment for all people, with an emphasis on historically overburdened and underserved communities. Through all of these environmental justice efforts, we will continue working with our federal, state, tribal, local and community partners to deliver more benefits to communities that need them the most.
- EPA’s Equity Action Plan fulfills President Biden’s Executive Order 13985 directing EPA, along with other federal agencies, to assess whether underserved communities and their members face systemic barriers in accessing benefits and opportunities through the federal government.