Environmental Justice and Space, Place, & Identity

President Clinton issued Executive Order 12898 on February 11,1994, titled "Federal Actions To Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations."

The cover letter (Presidential Memorandum) that accompanied this order declared that "In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, each Federal agency shall ensure that all programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance that affect human health or the environment do not directly, or through contractual or other arrangements, use criteria, methods, or practices that discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin."

The Presidential Memorandum also included guidance on environmental impact analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act: "Each Federal agency shall analyze the environmental effects, including human health, economic and social effects, of Federal actions, including effects on minority communities and low-income communities, when such analysis is required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. section #321 et seq. Mitigation measures outlined or analyzed in an environmental assessment, environmental impact statement, or record of decision, whenever feasible, should address significant and adverse environmental effects of proposed Federal actions on minority communities and low-income communities."

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U.S. Federal Government Documents and Organizations

 

• Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations

• Presidential Memorandum on EO 12898

• National Environmental Justice Advisory Council Meeting 

• Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice

• Guidance on EJ and NEPA (Federal environmental impacts)

• List of Federal Agencies' Environmental Justice Strategies

 

State and Local

 

• Examples of State and Local EJ Legislation (c. 2019, National Caucus of Environmental Legislators)

• Some local environmental justice initiatives (2019, Tischman Center, The New School)

• An early (1995) Survey of Environmental Justice Legislation in the States

 

International

 

A list of environmental justice governance around the world is beyond the scope of this guide. Here are some links for information outside the United States:

• List of worldwide organizations supporting the research project EnvJustice.org.

• European Environmental Bureau's environmental justice staffer