Accomplishments Report Fact Sheet

The Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) "Waste Programs Environmental Justice Accomplishments Report" describes the progress made by the waste programs in implementing environmental justice initiatives. The report describes over 250 accomplishments submitted by Headquarters and Regional offices.

ACCOMPLISHMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights of the Accomplishments Report are presented in the companion document "Waste Pro grams Environmental Justice Accomplishments Report Executive Summary". A brief summary of accomplishments in five major areas are listed below.

HEALTH INITIATIVE

EPA, in partnership with the Public Health Service (PHS), has begun pilot projects in four (4) communities with potential exposure to hazardous substances. This initiative, known as the Medical Assistance Plan, is designed to improve delivery of existing medical services and to build environmental health care expertise through physician training and placement.

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

Superfund has begun Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) pilots at fourteen (14) sites. These pilots enhance public participation by increasing the numbers of community open -houses, public meetings, multi-lingual publications and other outreach methods.

EPA and the Department of Defense (DOD) are working jointly to establish Restoration Advisory Boards (RABs) to ensure that environmental justice issues are addressed. DOE is establishing Site Specific Advisory Boards (SSABs) at all major DOE facilities that, like RABs, place an emphasis on environmental justice and stakeholder involvement in the cleanup decision-making process.

ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT, JOBS, and WORKER TRAINING

OSWER expanded its emphasis on community involvement in environmental justice commu nities through the Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative. Specific items in the Brownfields Initiative's Action Agenda includes awarding fifty Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Pilots during 1995 and 1996, working with Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZ/EC), and building partnerships with key stakeholders to gain their input and advice.

Under EPA's Superfund removal program, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers subcontractor hired 19 local workers out of a total of 26 that live in the community near the Bunker Hill Superfund site in Idaho.

EPA worked with NIEHS to solicit grant applications for partnerships in establishing a new minority worker training program. The program will focus on supporting the inclusion of young people of color in environmental restoration activities. Applications are cur rently being reviewed.

EPA funded and organized the EPA-Morgan State University Summer Environmental Teacher's Institute to recruit and inform teachers about environmental issues and concerns. At the second Teacher's Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, EPA's special recruit ment efforts resulted in over half of the participating teachers being people of color. Furthermore, EPA has established partnerships with community colleges in Cleveland, Ohio; Bridgeport, Connecticut; and Richmond, Virginia.

CONTRACTS and GRANTS

EPA has awarded more than 12 million dollars in contracts to minority business enterprises in one Region alone.

EPA piloted a seminar in New Orleans which brought together several Federal agencies, EPA prime contractors, and training vendors/providers in one room and made them directly available to potential disadvantaged and minority contractors. Several subcontracts were awarded as a result of the seminar.

EPA conducted an environmental grants writing workshop for 200 Chicago Public School faculty members so that community organizations conducting environmental justice related activities can learn how to compete for funds.

EPA awarded a grant of $100,000 to the National Association of Minority Contractors to train and certify minority contractors in the removal, installation, monitoring and leak detection of underground storage tanks.

PARTNERSHIPS

Building cooperative partnerships is integral to addressing environmental issues. EPA has entered into inter-governmental, business, nonprofit, and academic partnerships.

EPA has initiated a large interagency effort called the Federal Field Workgroup (FFW) to identify and solve severe sanitation issues of minorities in rural Alaska. The interagency group is composed of representatives from many Federal and State agencies

FOR INFORMATION

Copies of the Accomplishments Report (EPA540/R-95/057) and its Executive Sum mary (EPA540/R-95/058) will be available, when printed, through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) at (703) 487-4650. Please, use the appropriate document number when ordering. If you have questions, please contact the RCRA/Superfund Hotline at 1 -800-424-9346 or 703-412-9810.