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Environmental Equity
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Environmental Equity
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Records of the Council on Environmental Quality (Clinton Administration)
Kathleen McGinty's Files
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FOIA Number: 2012-0769-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Group:
Clinton Presidential Records
Subgroup/Office of Origin:
Council on Environmental Quality
Series/Staff Member:
Kathleen (Katie) McGinty
Subseries:
OA/ID Number:
4299
FolderID:
Folder Title:
Environmental Equity
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
S
61
7
1
3
BRIEFING PAPER ON ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY
I.
Topic: Environmental Equity.
In recent years, it has become increasingly apparent that
environmental problems disproportionately affect racial minority
and low income communities. These severe impacts, whether
resulting from lead paint residues, high urban carbon monoxide
and smog levels, toxic emissions from industrial plants, the
siting of solid and hazardous waste landfills in or near low
income communities, or other sources, may help explain clear
differences between racial groups in disease and death rates.
The issues involved in addressing these impacts collectively have
come to be known as environmental equity.
The Clinton-Gore campaign has already made it clear that
environmental protection and economic growth are not contra-
dictory, but go hand-in-hand. Nowhere is this more true than in
the need to achieve environmental equity. Environmental problems
in poor communities should be addressed like other environmental
problems: as matters of public health. Improving the quality of
life and reducing the adverse health impacts associated with
environmental problems in low income communities will contribute
to greater productivity and economic growth.
II. History of Problem.
Factories and waste facilities have long been sited in areas
where land is relatively inexpensive. Poor people, often
minority poor people, live in or near these areas. Studies now
show that they have suffered higher exposures to pollutants, and
therefore more adverse health effects, than other populations.
In addition, as the interstate highway system was expanded in the
1960s and 1970s, routing went through the center of many minority
communities, creating automotive-based pollution and breaking the
communities apart. As environmental laws became more prevalent
in the 1970's and 1980's, industry portrayed compliance as so
expensive that it forced the closing of plants, particularly
older, inner-city plants. The jobs that were lost were often
those held by people of color, who consequently came to regard
the environmental laws as at odds with their interests.
Minorities therefore suffer the inequities of poor health from
location near plants and hazardous waste facilities, and perceive
that they have lost jobs because of environmental laws.
III. Current Status/Recent Developments.
Attention is finally being paid to issues of environmental
equity. On July 22, 1992, EPA issued a report entitled Reducing
Risk: Setting Priorities and Strategies for Environmental
Protection. EPA Administrator Reilly established an
Environmental Equity Cluster and an Environmental Equity Office
to elevate the importance of the issue.
As part of its Centennial Celebration in May, 1992, the
Sierra Club stressed a focus on how minority interests will be
incorporated into the environmental movement. A Committee of the
American Bar Association held a conference in May, 1992 on the
role of the organized bar in issues of environmental racism and
equity. The National Lawyers Committee For Civil Rights Under
Law has initiated a program on environmental equity, to address
the intersection of civil rights and environmental laws. In
1991, the First People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit
was held.
The issue of environmental equity and racism is referred to
in Vice-Presidential candidate Gore's book, Earth in the Balance
(p. 179-80, and 290-91). Senator Gore has also sponsored (along
with Representative John Lewis in the House) the Environmental
Justice Act of 1992, intended primarily to collect data on the
inequitable impacts of environmental pollution, and to begin to
address those impacts.
IV. Major Predictable Events in Next Few Weeks/Months.
As a result of the above-noted EPA Report, the Administra-
tion may begin to publicize its concerns about environmental
equity. EPA announced, at the time the report was issued, that
it is establishing an Environmental Equity Cluster of senior
staff people to develop agency policies to address differential
risk and a long-term agenda for action; forming an Environmental
Equity Office to deal with environmental impacts on racial
minority and low income communities; and continuing to run a
Minority Academic Institutions program. In certain places, the
potential of these programs will be stressed.
The Lawyers' Committee will over the next two months hire a
director to form and press its program. That program may begin
to catalyze action throughout the country.
V.
Key Issues and Analysis.
The general problem of environmental equity has now been
identified. The key issues are to develop specific approaches to
address the concerns, such as considering the problems in the
permitting process for building new landfills and factories. At
the same time, concerns of both the majority and minority com-
munities that environmentalism means loss of jobs need to be
addressed. In addition, the use of important national resources
like National Parks, and the importance of the environment to the
world community, should be included in the definition of the
issue.
The issues can most effectively be addressed with specific
ideas for a program. Importantly, Clinton/Gore are far more
credible, both on environmental issues, and on concern about
people of color and the poor, than the current EPA. An effective
- 3 -
program to achieve environmental equity and justice, and
eliminate environmental racism, can include:
- Specific support for the Environmental Justice Act of
1992, co-sponsored by Senator Gore.
- Helping minority and poor persons to become politically
empowered so that we will "empower new environmental stewards in
areas where they are needed the most. (Gore, Earth in the
Balance, at 179-80). Steps include making available technical
support and lawyers to enable citizens to evaluate and
participate in decision-making affecting their health and
environment; providing education to citizens about environment
and health; and developing non-adversary approaches to
environmental protection.
- Implementing environmental protection programs so that
they create jobs, and filling such jobs with persons from low
income communities.
- Cooperating with state and local communities to develop
guidelines for and approaches to siting of hazardous waste and
similar facilities outside of minority communities, and to move
or close those facilities that create nuisances and health
hazards. This goal can be achieved in part by pollution
prevention to reduce and eliminate environmental hazards.
- Developing strict standards, and giving special attention
to enforcing those standards, for pollution problems that
particularly affect people of color and the poor, such as lead
emissions.
- Incorporating environmental equity in risk assessment
activities undertaken pursuant to every environmental statute
(Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation
and Liability Act, etc.).
- Emphasizing the environmental interrelatedness of the
world community, including developing nations.
- Including people of color in appointments to environmental
agencies.
VI. Administration Policy.
EPA has issued a report identifying problems of
environmental equity, and established two staff working groups to
seek solutions (see above, Par. IV). However, no specific steps
are proposed to address the recognized problems. Moreover, even
if there were such proposals, the Competitiveness Council has
- 4 -
blocked regulations that could benefit people in low income
communities, such as rules restricting lead emissions.
Administrator Reilly's statement of concern is also seriously
weakened by the Administration's generally poor performance in
the areas of the environment and civil rights.
VII. Likely Questions and Draft Answers.
Q. People of color need jobs. Won't an emphasis on
environmental regulations eliminate jobs?
A. Environmental protection creates many new jobs, as, for
example, development and manufacture of pollution control
equipment. In addition, we may seek to develop a modern version
of the Civilian Conservation Corps, that sent our young people
into the National Parks to maintain the parks and build trails
and other facilities there.
Q.
Hazardous waste sites have to go somewhere. If you
move them from minority communities, where will they
go?
A. The obligation to address environmental problems must
be shared by all our people. Moreover, reducing waste, and the
need for sites, is a component of a sound environmental program.
Through pollution prevention programs, the need for such
facilities may be reduced and we all benefit.
Q. Since the Administration has recognized the problem,
what additional efforts can Clinton-Gore make to
solving it, and at what cost?
A. Recognition of the problem has been extremely slow, and
no affirmative steps have been proposed to address it. Senator
Gore has already demonstrated his commitment to this issue
through the introduction of his legislation. A greater
involvement of minorities in environmental protection -- both in
private organizations and the government -- will help to bring a
higher profile to this issue. There are no government costs in
elevating this issue to the importance it deserves -- as a
component of all decisions affecting the environment.