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A. Overview
Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority
Populations and Low-income Populations (February 11, 1994), requires each Federal agency to
achieve environmental justice as part of its mission by identifying and addressing, as appropriate,
disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs,
policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income populations (hereinafter
"environmental justice communities"). At the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
environmental justice refers to meeting the needs of these underserved communities by reducing
disparate environmental burdens, removing barriers to participation in decisionmaking, and
increasing access to environmental benefits that help make all communities safe, vibrant, and
healthy places to live and work. (See page 14 for definitions of commonly used terms.)
The Executive Order required each Federal agency to prepare a strategy for environmental
justice. In the latter part of 1994, USDA formulated an environmental justice strategy to ensure
that environmental justice principles and initiatives were incorporated into Departmental
programs, policies, planning, public participation processes, enforcement, and rulemaking. The
USDA strategy guided each USDA agency in addressing environmental justice in the areas of
research, data collection, analysis, interagency coordination, and development of model projects
as well as broader public participation, planning, outreach, communication, partnerships, sharing
of information, education, and training.
The strategy outlined three goals to achieve environmental justice within the Department. The
first goal was to issue a Departmental Regulation establishing USDA's environmental justice
plan. The second was to incorporate environmental justice principles and objectives into all
relevant USDA programs, policies, and systems. The third goal was to ensure effective
implementation of USDA's environmental justice strategy. This approach helped to ensure that
environmental justice principles and objectives were part of the day-to-day activities of USDA
operations.
By integrating environmental justice into Departmental programs rather than creating new and
costly programs and systems, USDA was able to effectively and efficiently meet many of the
principles and objectives of environmental justice. Key accomplishments since 1994 include
establishment of the USDA Civil Rights Assessment and Implementation teams, development of
the Environmental Justice Department Regulation, and the making of a host of environmental
justice investments through USDA program and loan activities. Still, USDA recognizes that
further work in support of environmental justice remains.
In August 2011, the Department joined with other Federal agency members in signing the
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Charter for the Interagency Working Group on
Environmental Justice under Executive Order 12898. This MOU reaffirms the Federal
Government's commitment to environmental justice. A part of the MOU calls on each Federal
agency to review and update existing environmental justice strategic plans where applicable and
as appropriate. This document outlines the steps to be taken for future environmental justice
activities at USDA.
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