Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice (EJ) is defined by The White House as “the just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability, in agency decision-making and other Federal activities that affect human health and the environment” (Executive Order 14096 of April 21, 2023).

EJ initiatives stem from the observation that low-income, disadvantaged communities may be disproportionately at risk from adverse environmental impacts due to a variety of factors.  As such, EJ is becoming increasingly integrated into traditional human health risk assessments.

Legal requirements for the application of EJ policies at both the federal and state level have come in the form of setting environmental standards, developing permit requirements for new or existing facilities, and meeting additional obligations under proposed rules and laws.  Gradient has experience applying EJ principles on proposed infrastructure projects and has advanced the science around the intersection between EJ issues and human health risk assessment.

See Gradient’s EJ Services

Links:

Recent Executive Order Expands Focus of Federal Environmental Justice Approach

“Recent US EPA Actions Related to Environmental Justice” from Gradient news