Environmental Justice (EJ)

Region 5 EJ Contact

Alan Walts
Environmental Justice Program Manager
312-353-8894
Fax: 312-886-0747

Other EPA Contacts for Environmental Justice

Region 5 Enforcement

National Information

EJ Resources

EPA's Office of Environmental Justice

Information Resources

Grants

EJ grant programs
Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) grants - a competitive grant program that offers an innovative way for a community to organize and take action to reduce toxic pollution in its local environment.

EPA defines Environmental Justice (EJ) as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

Fair treatment means that no group of people, including racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups, should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, municipal, and commercial operations or the execution of federal, state, local, and tribal environmental programs and policies.

Meaningful involvement means that:

potentially affected community residents have an appropriate opportunity to participate in decisions about a proposed activity that will affect their environment and/or health;
the public's contribution can influence the regulatory agency's decision;
the concerns of all participants involved will be considered in the decision-making process;
the decisionmakers seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected.

Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance | Office of Regional Counsel