Essay On Environmental Justice

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The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines environmental justice as "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” More specifically in regards to transportation, the Department of Transpiration, Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration outline environmental justice as the need to minimize the disproportionate amount of health and environmental effects (both social and economic) on minority and low-income populations. Make sure that the affected communities have full and fair participation in the decision-making process of the public project. Lastly, prevent the reduction or delay of benefits for the low-income and minority populations in the area affected. Two pieces of legislation set the groundwork for basis of environmental justice policy in the United States; these are National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and Executive Order 12898.
The National E...

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