Federal Attention To Environmental Justice To Increase

John S. Irving is Senior Counsel in our Washington D.C. office
Nicholas Targ is a partner in our San Francisco office

Environmental justice – a mix of environmental and civil rights law and policy – is receiving increased attention in the Obama Administration, bringing with it challenges and opportunities for municipalities, facilities and others operating in low-income and minority communities. Now is the right time to take stock of your environmental justice situation and take any prudent proactive steps.

What Is Environmental Justice – And What Are The Implications For The Obama Administration?

Federal agencies, including the Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency, have concluded that low-income and minority communities bear a greater environmental risk than the general population. Environmental Justice advocates also point out that members of these communities frequently do not have comparable, meaningful access to the decision-making