MEETING SUMMARY of the EXECUTIVE COUNCIL of The
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MEETING SUMMARY of the EXECUTIVE COUNCIL of the NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COUNCIL December 11, 12, and 14, 2000 Arlington, Virginia Meeting Summary Accepted By: Charles Lee Peggy Shepard Office of Environmental Justice Acting Chair U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Designated Federal Official CHAPTER ONE MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 1.0 INTRODUCTION Exhibit 1-1 The sixteenth meeting of the Executive Council of EXECUTIVE COUNCIL the National Environmental Justice Advisory Members Council (NEJAC) took place on December 11 Who Attended the Meeting through 14, 2000 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City December 11 through 14, 2000 Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. Mr. Haywood Turrentine, Birmingham Urban Impact Board, Mr. Haywood Turrentine, Chair continues to serve as the chair of the NEJAC. Ms. Ms. Peggy M. Shepard, Vice-Chair Peggy M. Shepard, Executive Director, West Mr. Charles Lee, DFO Harlem Environmental Action, Inc. and member of the Health and Research Subcommittee, continues Mr. Don J. Aragon to serve as the vice-chair of the NEJAC. Mr. Ms. Rose Augustine Charles Lee, Associate Director for Policy and Mr. Luke Cole Interagency Liaison, Office of Environmental Dr. Michel Gelobter Justice (OEJ), U.S. Environmental Protection Mr. Tom Goldtooth Agency (EPA), continues to serve as the Ms. Jennifer Hill-Kelley Designated Federal Official (DFO) for the Ms. Patrica K. Wood Executive Council. Exhibit 1-1 presents a list of Ms. Annabelle Jaramillo members of the Executive Council who were Ms. Vernice Miller-Travis present and identifies those members who were Mr. Harold Mitchell unable to attend. More than 465 people attended Dr. Marinelle Payton the meeting. Ms. Rosa Hilda Ramos Mr. Alberto Saldamando * On December 13, 2000, each member of the Ms. Jane Stahl Executive Council participated in the deliberations Mr. Gerald Torres of one of the six subcommittees of the NEJAC. Ms. Jana Walker Chapters three through eight of this meeting Mr. Damon Whitehead summary describe those deliberations. Mr. Tseming Yang In addition, the Executive Council hosted two Members public comment periods, a Focused Public Who Were Unable to Attend Comment Period on the evening of December 11, 2000 on the integration of environmental justice Mr. Fernando Cuevas issues into the programs and policies on Federal Mr. Arnoldo Garcia agencies, a General Environmental Justice Issues Mr. Carlos Padin Public Comment Period on the evening of Mr. Robert W. Varney December 12, 2000. Approximately 36 people offered comments during those sessions. Chapter * Mr. Saldamando served as a proxy for Mr. Garcia Two presents a summary of the comments offered during the two public comment periods. This chapter, which provides a summary of the panelists made presentations that were designed deliberations of the Executive Council, is organized to provide insight into issues identified and in six sections, including this Introduction. Section concerns voiced with respect to implementation of 2.0, Remarks, presents summaries of the remarks environmental justice throughout the Federal offered by various speakers. Section 3.0, Panel government. Section 4.0, Reports and Sessions on Integrated Environmental Justice Presentations, provides summaries of reports and Implementation in the Federal Government, presentations made to the Executive Council on provides summaries of the panel sessions various topics. Section 5.0, Reports of the presented by representatives of various Federal Subcommittees, summarizes reports submitted to agencies and other stakeholder groups. The the Executive Council about the deliberations of Arlington, Virginia, December 11, 12, and 14, 2000 1-1 Executive Council National Environmental Justice Advisory Council each of the six subcommittees during their 2.2 Remarks of the Deputy Administrator, U.S. meetings on December 13, 2000. Section 6.0, Environmental Protection Agency Miscellaneous Business, presents summaries of discussions by the Council of other items before Mr. McCabe expressed to the members of the the Council, including a recognition of those NEJAC his appreciation for the time and effort they members whose terms were due to expire. had devoted to important issues related to Appendix A presents the full text of each resolution environmental justice. He then recognized the that was approved by the Executive Council. leadership of Mr. Turrentine during his tenure as Appendix B presents a list of the members of the chair of the Council, stating that, under Mr. NEJAC. Appendix C provides a list of the Turrentine’s leadership, the NEJAC had participants in the meeting. Appendix D provides a established priorities among the issues on its copy of the written statements submitted to the agenda. Currently, he continued, the NEJAC NEJAC during the two public comment periods. focuses on a wide range of specific policy issues – policy issues that are important to the communities 2.0 REMARKS that the members of the NEJAC represent. This section summarizes the remarks of the Referring to the Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of pending change Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), in administration, Mr. McCabe the Deputy Administrator of EPA, the Regional remarked that Administrator of EPA Region 3, and the Director of both EPA and OEJ. the NEJAC would undergo a 2.1 Remarks of the Assistant Administrator, “changing of the Office of Enforcement and Compliance guard.” The Assurance, U.S. Environmental Protection change, he said, Agency represents an opportunity to On behalf of OECA, Mr. Steven Herman, Assistant celebrate Administrator, OECA, welcomed the members of successes, the Executive Council and all the participants in the solidify gains, sixteenth meeting of the NEJAC. Noting that the and reaffirm meeting marked the last NEJAC meeting of the commitments. It Clinton administration under which the NEJAC had also presents an been conceived, Mr. Herman commented that, for opportunity to all the persons who had created and worked with chart a new the NEJAC over the preceding seven years, this blueprint for the effort had been one of the areas that had brought future, he said. great joy and great satisfaction – in the nature of Mr. Michael McCabe the work and the people that the effort had brought The Clinton- together, in the very difficult issues that the NEJAC Gore administration, said Mr. McCabe, had been had taken on, and in the victories and the committed to implementing programs, policies, frustrations all involved had experienced together. and activities that ensure that “the health of a Mr. Herman observed that the NEJAC had community does not depend on the wealth of the provided crucial and important advice to the EPA community” or on the race of the families of that Administrator over those seven years and as a community. While the administration may not result had direct influence on many of the Agency’s always have moved as rapidly or acted as initiatives. comprehensively as some may have wished, its commitment to the cause never wavered, he said. Introducing Mr. Michael McCabe, Deputy Staff of EPA take that responsibility very seriously, Administrator of EPA, Mr. Herman stated that one he continued. In keeping with that commitment to of the areas, both inside and outside the Agency, fairness and equal opportunity, he stated, one about which Mr. McCabe had been “absolutely guiding principle has been that all citizens, passionate,” is environmental justice and that Mr. regardless of race, color, or national origin, are McCabe’s commitment to environmental justice is entitled to a safe and healthy environment. “second to none.” Continuing, Mr. Herman stated Further, said Mr. McCabe, EPA recognizes that that Mr. McCabe’s commitment had helped to meaningful participation in the Agency’s “move the ball” on environmental justice within decisionmaking process is essential to the EPA and within the entire Federal government. accomplishment of that mission. 1-2 Arlington, Virginia, December 11, 12, and 14, 2000 National Environmental Justice Advisory Council Executive Council Mr. McCabe stated that EPA would continue to debate at environmental justice forums and review and revise its administrative procedures conferences across the country, he said. During related to public involvement in policymaking. He the time frame of those debates, he explained, announced that EPA soon was to release for exposure to lead among young children had been comment its draft policy on public involvement. reduced dramatically through a concerted effort by The policy, he said, would strengthen EPA's Federal, state, and local government agencies, commitment to early and meaningful public along with voluntary actions in the private sector. involvement. The policy also would ensure an In high-risk urban areas, he noted, EPA sponsors understanding of the interests and concerns of programs like the Lead-Safe Babies Project, which peoples and entities affected and would include employs outreach workers to visit new parents to them in the environmental decisionmaking, he teach the parents how to take preventive added. Mr. McCabe then stated that he intended measures to protect their newborns. But much to request that the NEJAC review the document remains to be done, Mr. McCabe stated. and provide comment on it. Mr. McCabe acknowledged that maintaining Commenting on the progress made during the momentum under a new administration would be preceding six years, Mr. McCabe stated that challenging. He stated, however, that both he and interagency integration