Environmental Justice

• Purpose
• Tribal & Indigenous Peoples Environmental Justice (TIPEJ) Work Group Members
• Focus Areas
• Comments

Purpose

In order to more effectively work with federally-recognized tribes and indigenous stakeholders to address their environmental justice concerns, EPA has begun the process of developing a set of tribal and indigenous peoples environmental justice guiding principles and policy. 

To develop this policy, EPA has formed two work groups, one to advise EPA, consisting of external stakeholders, and the other to develop the guiding principles/policy, consisting of EPA employees:

• EPA Tribal and Indigenous Peoples Environmental Justice Work Group - comprised of EPA staff tasked with developing the guiding principles/policy, and
  
  
• National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC)/Indigenous People Work Group - comprised of tribal and indigenous EJ stakeholder representatives tasked with providing advice and recommendations to EPA on how to work effectively with federally-recognized tribes and indigenous stakeholders to address their environmental justice issues. The NEJAC is a federal advisory committee to the EPA.

Top of Page

Tribal & Indigenous Peoples Environmental Justice (TIPEJ) Work Group Members

Office	Name
Region 1	Mike Stover
Region 2	Grant Jonathan
Region 3	Terry Gallagher
Region 5	Margaret Millard
Region 6	Jeannine Hale & Mark Allen
Region 8	Gregory Phillips
Region 10	Tami Fordham & Kristie Carre
Office of Environmental Information	Beth Jackson
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance	Jonathan Binder
Office of Air and Radiation	Angel McCormack
Office of General Counsel	Jessica Scott
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response	Andrew Baca
Office of Research and Development	Gelena Constantine & Allison Martin
Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention	Caren Robinson & Brian Davidson
Office of International and Tribal Affairs	Dianne Briggs
Office of Water	Felicia Wright
American Indian Environmental Office	Dona Harris, Co-Chair
Office of Environmental Justice	Danny Gogal, Co-Chair

Top of Page

Focus Areas

EPA is considering addressing four focus areas in the guiding principles/policy:

1. How EPA is to incorporate EJ into its environmental capacity building and implementation policies and programs for federally-recognized tribes;
   
   
2. How EPA is to incorporate EJ into its direct implementation of federal environmental programs in Indian country;
   
   
3. How EPA is to effectively work with tribal community-based organizations, state-recognized tribes, tribal members, and other indigenous peoples to address their EJ concerns, within or outside Indian country; and
   
   
4. How EPA is to work with other federal agencies to address federally-recognized tribes, state-recognized tribes, tribal community-based organizations, tribal members, or non-members on reservations environmental justice issues.

Top of Page

Comments

The initial tribal consultation and public comments periods are over. After reviewing and incorporating comments, we anticipate releasing a draft document for another round of public comment and tribal consultation in July. Responses to comments will be posted once they are developed.

• Tribal Consultation & Coordination Letter (PDF) (4 pp, 495K) - March 5, 2012
  
  
• Indigenous Stakeholder Outreach Letter (PDF) (3 pp, 355K) - March 20, 2012

Top of Page

"Expanding the conversation on environmentalism and working for environmental justice are among my top priorities… All too often, low-income, minority and tribal Americans live in the shadows of the worst pollution, facing disproportionate health impacts and greater obstacles to economic growth in communities that cannot attract businesses and new jobs." - EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson