Can Regulation Promote Environmental Justice?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with protecting human health and the environment. Some advocates argue, however, that not everyone is protected equally. Low-income communities and communities of color often face disproportionate environmental pollution. In recognition of such disparities, EPA created an Office of Environmental Justice over 25 years ago. EPA recognizes environmental justice as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” Community activists argue, though, that the Office of Environmental Justice is more about publicity than concrete action. Disasters such as the Flint water crisis and Hurricane Katrina bring to light the reality of unequal environmental harms based on class and race. Community advocates and grassroots networks of environmental justice activists are established around the nation to address this problem that is still continuing today. How can policymakers better address the disparate environmental impacts suffered by low-income communities and communities of color? This week’s Saturday Seminar highlights various scholarly critiques of past injustices as well as suggestions for ways to address this problem more effectively in the future. Environmental Justice Policies and Their Impacts Public Health Disasters and the La