[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36167-36168]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12357]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7926-1]


Environmental Justice Strategic Plan Framework and Outline

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Public comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Environmental Justice seeks public comment on: 
(1) The draft ``Framework for Integrating Environmental Justice''; and 
(2) ``Environmental Justice Strategic Plan Outline,'' which includes 
proposed Environmental Justice Priorities (EJ Priorities). These two 
draft documents will be the foundation for the Environmental Justice 
Strategic Plan for 2006-2011. EPA is drafting the Environmental Justice 
Strategic Plan to integrate its environmental justice

[[Page 36168]]

efforts into the Agency's planning and budgeting processes.

DATES: The Agency must receive written comments on or before July 15, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Barry E. Hill, Director, 
Office of Environmental Justice, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Mail Code 2201A, Ariel Rios South 
Building, Room 2226, Washington, DC 20460-0001. You may also email 
comments to [email protected]. Please identify e-mailed comments with 
the words ``EJ Strategic Plan Comments'' in the subject line

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Danny Gogal, Senior Environmental 
Protection Specialist, EPA Office of Environmental Justice, (202) 564-
2576, [email protected] or Delleane McKenzie, Senior Program Analyst, 
EPA Office of Environmental Justice, (202) 564-6358, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The draft Framework identifies the proposed 
key elements of the EJ Strategic Plan that will help the Agency track 
progress and benchmark its environmental justice objectives. The draft 
Framework also describes the proposed link between the Environmental 
Justice Action Plans of the Agency's 10 regional offices and the 
substantive program offices (e.g., Office of Air and Radiation, Office 
of Solid Waste and Emergency Response) and the priorities and targets 
established in the EJ Strategic Plan.
    The draft Outline identifies the ``mission'' and ``vision'' that 
will guide the EJ Strategic Plan and identifies where specific 
Environmental Justice Strategic Targets will be included, once they are 
developed. The Outline also includes 12 potential EJ Priorities, which 
would help focus attention on critical human health and environmental 
issues faced by communities with disproportionate impacts (e.g., asthma 
reduction, healthy schools, safe drinking water). While we will 
continue to take action on a wide range of environmental justice 
issues, using a spectrum of strategies including cross-cutting 
approaches (e.g., community capacity building, grants, training), we 
would like to select 5-7 priorities for heightened attention. 
Therefore, in addition to providing comments on the overall Outline, we 
ask that you rank the potential priorities (1 = highest priority, 12 = 
lowest priority) and submit your ranking with your other comments. If 
you have additional suggested priorities, please include those as well.
    The draft ``Framework for Integrating Environmental Justice'' and 
``Environmental Justice Strategic Plan Outline,'' along with responses 
to anticipated questions, are available online at: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/reports/ej.html. A hardcopy of this document is 
available upon request.

    Dated: June 16, 2005.
Barry E. Hill,
Director, Office of Environmental Justice.
[FR Doc. 05-12357 Filed 6-21-05; 8:45 am]
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