About the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council

The National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC), a federal advisory committee to EPA was established September 30, 1993. The Council provides advice and recommendations about broad, cross-cutting issues related to environmental justice, from all stakeholders involved in the environmental justice dialogue. In addition, the NEJAC provides a valuable forum for discussions about integrating environmental justice with other EPA priorities and initiatives. 

The NEJAC provides independent advice and recommendations to the EPA Administrator. The Council’s efforts include the evaluation of a broad range of strategic, scientific, technological, regulatory, community engagement, and economic issues related to environmental justice.

The Council’s major objectives are to provide advice and recommendations about EPA efforts to:

1. Integrate environmental justice considerations into Agency programs, policies and activities.
2. Improve the environment or public health in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms and risks.
3. Address environmental justice by ensuring meaningful involvement in EPA decision-making, building capacity in disproportionately burdened communities, and promoting collaborative problem-solving for issues involving environmental justice.
4. Strengthen its partnerships with other governmental agencies, such as other Federal agencies and State, Tribal, or local governments, regarding environmental justice issues.
5. Enhance research and assessment approaches related to environmental justice.

You can read more about the history of the Advisory Council by reading the NEJAC 20 Year Retrospective Report (pdf) (1.56 MB) .

The NEJAC often uses subgroups (such as Work Groups) to develop initial advice which is reviewed, discussed and approved by the NEJAC. Such subgroups are formed to deal with a specific topic and to facilitate the conduct of the business of NEJAC. Each is chaired by a NEJAC member and managed by a Designated Federal Officer (DFO). Subgroups of the NEJAC meet independently of the full NEJAC and present their findings to the NEJAC for review. Subgroups cannot make recommendations independently to EPA.

Public Involvement in Advisory Committee Activities

The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) provides for public involvement in committee activities primarily through open access to meetings and records and by providing the public an opportunity to submit comments to the committee. As such, members of the public are encouraged to attend and observe NEJAC public meetings and teleconferences, review materials used by committee members in their deliberations, and review minutes of committee meeting and deliberations.

Public comment for consideration by EPA's federal advisory committees has a different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices. Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a federal advisory committee is different as well. Members of the public can:

• Submit written comments for the NEJAC to consider as it develops advice for EPA;
• Present oral statements for consideration by committee members at public meetings during time periods set aside for that purpose.

Public comments should be sent directly to the DFO, Paula Flores-Gregg (Flores.paula@epa.gov), with a subject line: "NEJAC Public Comment."

NEJAC Charter

The NEJAC charter renews the NEJAC in accordance with the requirements of the FACA, 5 U.S.C. App. § 9 (c).

• National Environmental Justice Advisory Council Charter 2024 (pdf) (162.8 KB)

Previous NEJAC Charters

• National Environmental Justice Advisory Council Charter 2022 (pdf) (pdf) (1.93 MB)
• National Environmental Justice Advisory Council Charter 2020 (pdf) (140.19 KB)
• National Environmental Justice Advisory Council Charter 2018 (pdf) (474.8 KB)

More Information

• The NEJAC Factsheet contains information about membership, stakeholder engagement, and recommendations.
• Questions? Contact: Paula Flores-Gregg (Flores.paula@epa.gov), DFO
• 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: join-epa-ej@lists.epa.gov.