EJ Action Plan: Phase 1 Activities
Overview | Public Meetings | Staff Recommendations | Public Comments | Pilot Projects
| Overview |
Cal/EPA's Boards, Departments and Office (BDOs) are implementing an EJ Action Plan (.pdf format) to:
- Develop guidance on precautionary approaches;
- Develop guidance on cumulative impacts analysis;
- Improve tools for public participation and community capacity building; and
- Ensure EJ considerations within the Governor’s Environmental Action Plan.
These priorities will provide the foundation for Cal/EPA's EJ Program, establishing the framework for integrating key environmental justice concepts into our regulatory functions. Additional background information is available on the Action Plan page.
Cal/EPA BDOs have completed Phase 1 activities in the EJ Action Plan. These activities include:
- Developing working definition for “precautionary approach”
- Developing working definition for “multi-media cumulative impacts”
- Inventory current public participation efforts and developing draft policy
- Developing pilot project proposals
Public Meetings | Staff Recommendations | Public Comments | Pilot Projects
| Public Meetings |
June 2 & 3, 2005: CEJAC held a 2-day public meeting to hear, discuss, comment, and make recommendations on the remaining SWRCB EJ Action Plan pilot projects and draft public participation document; discuss the role of the CEJAC; hear updates on cumulative impacts and precautionary approach efforts, the Midway Village Site, and the ARB Air Quality Landuse Handbook. The CEJAC also approved for recommendation to the Secretary, suggested language on the role of the CEJAC and goals for the EJ Action Plan Pilot Projects.
April 5, 2005: The Cal/EPA Environmental Justice Advisory Committee (CEJAC) held an all-day public meeting to receive public input, discuss, comment, and make recommendations to the Cal/EPA Boards, Departments, and Office (BDOs) regarding the ARB, DTSC, and DPR EJ Action Plan pilot projects. The CEJAC heard testimony from the public and discussed EJ goals to recommend to the IWG in the implementation of the pilot projects.
February 16, 2005: The Cal/EPA Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice (IWG) held an all-day public meeting to consider and take action on staff recommendations for Phase 1 activities in the EJ Action Plan. At the meeting, the IWG received testimonies from the public and recommendations from the Cal/EPA EJ Advisory Committee (CEJAC), particularly regarding the proposed working definitions for ‘multi-media cumulative impacts’ and ‘precautionary approach’. After consideration and discussion, the IWG used the Advisory Committee’s recommended working definitions as the basis for their approved pilot project working definitions. The IWG also approved all six proposed pilot projects with consideration of CEJAC’s comments for Phase 2 implementation.
Verbal comments at the IWG meeting received are documented within the following 2/16/2005 IWG meeting transcripts and 2/15/2005 CEJAC meeting notes. Written comments received from January 3, 2005 through February 16, 2005, are provided below in the Public Comments section.
February 15, 2005: Members of the CEJAC met to receive public input and discuss staff recommendations to the IWG for Phase 1 activities in the EJ Action Plan. At the all-day CEJAC meeting, the CEJAC heard public testimony and developed working definitions for the proposed EJ Action Plan pilot projects to recommend to the IWG on 2/16/2005, the following day.
| Pilot Projects |
On February 16, 2005, the Interagency Working Group (IWG) approved all six staff proposed pilot projects with consideration of comments received from CEJAC for Phase 2 implementation.
June 2 & 3, 2005: Staff will present the remaining SWRCB pilot projects and draft public participation document to the CEJAC on June 2 & 3, 2005, for comments and recommendations. The ARB, DPR, and DTSC pilot projects were presented to the CEJAC by staff on April 5, 2005, for comments and recommendations. Due to time constraints, the SWRCB pilot projects and draft public participation document were held over to the June 2 & 3, 2005, meeting.
Each of the BDOs has incorporated the IWG’s approved working definitions into their pilot projects to address the complex issues of cumulative impacts and precautionary approach. Also, some of the BDOs have modified their project summaries since the April 5, 2005, meeting.
- Addressing the Issues of Cumulative Impacts and Precautionary Approach (.pdf format)
- ARB Pilot Project – March 25, 2005, “Reduction of Air Pollution Exposure in Urban Communities in Southern California”
- DPR Pilot Project – May 18, 2005, “Air Monitoring in a Central Valley Community”
- DTSC (Drug Lab) Pilot Project – May 18, 2005, “Illegal Drug Lab Risk Reduction”
- DTSC (Forum) Pilot Project – May 18, 2005, “West Oakland Forum”
- Water Board (Calexico) Pilot Project – May 18, 2005, “The New River”
- Water Board (Klamath) Pilot Project – May 18, 2005, “Community Capacity Building – Klamath”
- May 18, 2005, Draft Public Participation document (.pdf format)
- February 4, 2005, Public participation inventory (.pdf format)
| Staff Recommendations |
February 4, 2005: Staff developed the following recommendations and proposals to present to the IWG on February 16, 2005, for approval, modification or other action deemed appropriate by the IWG. Staff also prepared presentations to CEJAC to gain their input on the recommendations and proposals. Staff responses to public comments received through February 2, 2005, are also provided below. All documents are in PDF format.
- Working definition for “precautionary approach” to be used in the EJ pilot projects
- Working definition for “multi-media cumulative impacts” to be used in the EJ pilot projects
- Public participation recommendation based on an inventory of current efforts and needs
- Air Resources Board’s “Reduction of Air Pollution Exposure in Urban Communities in Southern California” pilot project
- Department of Pesticide Regulation’s “Air Monitoring in a Central Valley Community” pilot project
- Department of Toxic Substances Control’s pilot project
- State Water Resources Control Board’s pilot project
January 14, 2005: Below are DRAFT staff recommendations and proposals for Phase 1 activities in the EJ Action Plan. All are in Adobe PDF format.
- Working definition for "precautionary approach" to be used in the EJ pilot projects
- Working definition for "cumulative impacts" to be used in the EJ pilot projects
- Public participation policy based on an inventory of current efforts and needs
- Air Resources Board's pilot project in Southern California
- Department of Pesticide Regulation's pilot project in the Central Valley
- Two proposals for consideration as Department of Toxic Substances Control's pilot project
- Two proposals for consideration as the State Water Resources Control Board's pilot project
All significant revisions of the staff recommendations and additional information or clarification were made available at least ten days before February 15, 2005. Cal/EPA continues to encourage members of the public to comment on activities of the EJ Action Plan.
| Public Comments |
Written comments received from January 3, 2005 through February 16, 2005, are provided below:
- California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance (pilot project, cumulative impacts, precautionary approach)
- Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment (cumulative impacts, precautionary approach, pilot project, public participation)
- Consumer Specialty Products Association (precautionary approach)
- Partnership for Sound Science in Environmental Policy (cumulative impacts, precautionary approach)
- Western Plant Health Association (pilot project)
| Public Comments from 2004 Phase 1 Workshop |
Cal/EPA hosted a series of workshops in October and November 2004, to discuss issues and gather input for Phase 1 activities. Below are the notes from these workshops and written comments received during the subsequent public comment period, which closed on January 3, 2005:
Verbal Comments
Notes from the four Environmental Justice Workshops conducted in October and November 2004 have been compiled into this document.
Written Comments
Written comments submitted on the Department of Pesticide Regulation's (DPR's) pilot project are available on the DPR website at http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/envjust/com_rec.htm.
The following organizations provided comments during the period from October 1, 2004, through January 3, 2005, addressing the topics of cumulative impacts (CI), precautionary approach (PA), and/or pilot projects by the Air Resources Board (ARB), Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB):
- American Chemistry Council (precautionary approach)
- California Business Properties Association (cumulative impacts, precautionary approach)
- California Chamber of Commerce (cumulative impacts, precautionary approach)
- California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance (pilot project, cumulative impacts, precautionary approach)
- California Environmental Rights Alliance (various projects)
- California Farm Bureau Federation (precautionary approach)
- California Independent Petroleum Association (cumulative impacts, precautionary approach)
- California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (pilot projects)
- California Seed Association (various projects)
- Chemical Industry Council of California (cumulative impacts, precautionary approach)
- Consumer Specialty Products Association (cumulative impacts, precautionary approach)
- Environmental Justice Coalition for Water (various projects)
- Industrial Environmental Association (cumulative impacts, precautionary approach)
- International Indian Treaty Council (pilot projects)
- Karuk Tribe of California (pilot projects)
- San Diego County Air Pollution Control District (various projects)
- San Francisco Community Power (pilot projects)
- Self-Help Enterprises (pilot projects)
- Public Trust Alliance (various projects)
- Western Growers (cumulative impacts 1, cumulative impacts 2, precautionary approach)
- Western Plant Health Association (cumulative impacts, precautionary approach, various projects)
- Western States Petroleum Association (cumulative impacts, precautionary approach)
The following comments were submitted prior to October 2004 (during earlier phases of the EJ Action Plan development process) but are directed at Phase 1 activities:
- 6/30/04: Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment (.pdformat) (.pdf format)
- 7/1/04: Dr. Amy Kyle of the School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley (.pdf format)
- 8/21/04: People for Children's Health & Environmental Justice (.pdf format)
Environmental Justice Program, http://www.calepa.ca.gov/EnvJustice/
Contact, EnvJustice@calepa.ca.gov (916) 445-9480