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Environmental Justice

Recent Developments

Listed below are recent developments pertinent to environmental justice from the past six months.  If you would like to suggest a recent development on this topic, please submit a short description to AASHTO (including any pertinent links) on the Share Info with AASHTO form.

• Series Highlights Inclusion, Diversity and Equity in Transportation

  A webinar series focused on Transparency, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (TIDE) in transportation, has been launched by the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC). The series is intended to provide a greater understanding of the Black experience in transportation and provide ways in which the CUTC community can make the profession a more open and inclusive place for Black students and professionals. For more information, link to the Feb. 22 webinar recording. (3-2-21)

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• EPA Updates Environmental Justice Mapping Tool

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released an update of EJSCREEN, the agency's publicly available environmental justice screening and mapping tool. EJSCREEN is used to identify environmental burdens on vulnerable populations. The update refreshes data and adds new functionality, including climate change indicators. Users can now add flood and sea level rise data for the first time. For more information, link to the tool. (2-9-21)

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• President Biden Signs Order on Climate Change, Environmental Justice

  President Biden has issued a broad executive order on actions to address climate change in both foreign and domestic policy. The order includes a “whole of government” approach to address climate change, including measures to coordinate federal agency actions, direct federal agencies to institute science and evidence-based decision-making, prioritize federal procurement of clean, domestic-made fleets, and center climate in foreign policy. The order also calls for government-wide actions to address environmental justice. For more information, link to the order. (1-27-21)

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• Policies to Advance Equity, EJ Compiled by Northeast, Mid-Atlantic States

  A compilation of transportation policies to advance goals of equity and environmental justice has been issued by the bipartisan group of Northeast and Mid-Atlantic jurisdictions that make up the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI). The compilation, discussed during a Sept. 29 webinar, includes policies and actions being implemented in the 12 jurisdictions as well as multi-state policies. Jurisdictions include Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia. The webinar discussed equity-related elements that may be included in a final regional agreement to cap global warming pollution from transportation fuels and achieve additional benefits through reduced emissions, cleaner transportation, healthier communities, and more resilient infrastructure. For more information, link to the Compilation of Complementary Transportation Policies in TCI Jurisdictions and Sept. 29 webinar information. (9-29-20)

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• Council Issues Coordination Plan to Improve Access to Transportation

  Federal agencies will better coordinate transportation services to enhance access for people with disabilities, older adults, and individuals of low income, according to a Report to the President from the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM). The report identifies a range of challenges and describes the council’s strategic plan, including goals to: improve access to community through transportation; enhance cost-effectiveness of coordinated transportation; strengthen interagency partnerships and collaboration with state, local, and industry groups; and demonstrate innovative coordinated transportation. For more information, access the report. (10-1-20)

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• AASHTO Virtual EJ Peer Exchange Materials Available

  The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO held an Environmental Justice Virtual Peer Exchange on July 10, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations. The event included two panel discussions, one on integrating health into transportation planning, and another on EJ considerations for planning and environmental linkages (PEL). Access materials here. (8-4-20)

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• Georgetown Climate Center Issues Toolkit on Equitable Adaptation to Climate Impacts

  A toolkit to aid in achieving equitable approaches for addressing climate impacts has been developed by the Georgetown Climate Center. The Equitable Adaptation Legal & Policy Toolkit features emerging practices, legal and policy tools, and more than 100 case studies. The toolkit explores concepts of procedural equity, including community-driven engagement; governance and budgeting; and data, metrics, and monitoring tools. The toolkit then provides in-depth exploration of eight specific subjects to help guide community-driven planning processes and implementation of solutions. These include: economic resilience; resilient affordable housing, anti-displacement and gentrification; natural resilience and green space; resilient energy and utility industry measures; resilient water; equitable disaster preparedness, response and recovery; public health; and funding and financing tools. For more information, link to the toolkit. (7-29-20)

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• July 10: AASHTO To Host Virtual EJ Peer Exchange

  The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO is holding an Environmental Justice Virtual Peer Exchange in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations. The two-hour virtual peer exchange will be broken up into two panel discussions, one focused on the connection between health and transportation and the other on Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL). The event will include interactive components including question and answer portions after each panel discussion and audience polling. For more information and registration, link here. (6-18-20)

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• Webinar Materials Available: Environmental Justice Analysis Strategies

  Materials and a recording are now available from a webinar on the Environmental Justice Analysis Strategies Peer Exchange held at the 2019 AMPO Annual Conference. The session, sponsored by AASHTO’s Center for Environmental Excellence, in collaboration with FHWA and AMPO, provided an opportunity for participants from state DOTs and MPOs to discuss challenges associated with environmental justice analyses. It included discussions of inter-agency collaboration, training, technical assistance, and capacity building needs. This webinar features highlights and updates from the session from FHWA, AMPO, and AASHTO, as well as presentations from a state DOT and MPO on their peer exchange takeaways and EJ efforts. For more information, link to the webinar and infographic. (3-24-20)

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• Study Evaluates Shared-Use Mobility Services in Rural Areas

  A study by UC Davis found that shared-use mobility services have the potential to improve access and reduce costs in rural disadvantaged communities. The study compared the cost-effectiveness of existing inter-city transit service in rural disadvantaged communities in California’s San Joaquin Valley to hypothetical ridesharing and carsharing services. It also reviewed existing shared-use mobility pilots and consulted with experts to develop concepts for future shared mobility pilot programs in the San Joaquin Valley. For more information, link to the study. (3-25-20)

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• Recording Available: AASHTO Webinar on Data and Environmental Justice

  AASHTO’s Center for Environmental Excellence held a webinar on data and environmental justice analysis on Jan. 27. Presenters discussed AASHTO’s Census Transportation Planning Products Program (CTPP), a State DOT-funded, cooperative program that produces special tabulations of American Community Survey data that have enhanced value for transportation planning, analysis, and strategic direction. In addition, presenters discussed an upcoming equity module that is currently under development and a case study on how the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission is using an application for analysis. For the recording and presentation, link here. (2-20-20)

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• AASHTO’s Center for Environmental Excellence to Hold Webinar on Data and Environmental Justice

  AASHTO’s Center for Environmental Excellence will hold a webinar on data and environmental justice analysis on Monday, Jan. 27 at 3PM ET. In this webinar, attendees will learn about AASHTO’s Census Transportation Planning Products Program (CTPP), a State DOT-funded, cooperative program that produces special tabulations of American Community Survey (ACS) data that have enhanced value for transportation planning, analysis, and strategic direction. In addition, presenters will discuss an upcoming equity module that is currently under development, and will present a case study on how the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission is using an application it made for analysis. Registration and additional information can be found here.

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• Group Identifies Barriers, Strategies for Transportation and Health Equity

  A field scan of the current state of affairs regarding health equity in the national transportation system, along with recommendations for addressing the challenges, has been issued by Smart Growth America. The report identifies key barriers to creating a more healthy and equitable transportation system, one that would be focused on getting people where they need to go safely and affordably. The report also provides strategies in six critical areas. The group will host a webinar Jan. 23, 2020, to discuss the findings. For more information, link to The State of Transportation and Health Equity. (12-17-19)

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• EPA Issues 2019 Report on Environmental Justice Efforts

  The Environmental Protection Agency has issued its fiscal year 2019 progress report on achievements made to enhance environmental justice. The EPA’s efforts include providing approximately $50 million under the Diesel Emission Reduction Act grant program to applicants with a proven ability to reduce diesel emissions in communities facing environmental justice concerns. The agency also says it delivered $64.6 million in brownfields grants to 149 communities to assess, clean up, and reuse contaminated properties, and deleted all or part of 27 sites from the Superfund National Priorities List. The report also catalogs various training and outreach efforts. These include reaching more than 4,000 people from government agencies in all 50 states with online training on how to integrate environmental justice into state programs, training approximately 12,350 community residents, and conducting approximately 300 workshops and community forum activities. For more information, link to the report. (11-20-19)

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• Dec. 4 AASHTO Webinar: Environmental Justice Analysis Strategies at the 2019 AMPO Annual Conference

  AASHTO’s Center for Environmental Excellence, in collaboration with FHWA and AMPO, recently held a peer exchange on Environmental Justice Analysis Strategies at the 2019 AMPO Annual Conference. The session provided an opportunity for participants from state DOTs and MPOs to discuss challenges associated with environmental justice analyses; including inter-agency collaboration, training, technical assistance, and capacity building needs. This webinar will feature highlights and updates from the session from FHWA, AMPO, and AASHTO, as well as presentations from a state DOT and MPO on their peer exchange takeaways and EJ efforts. For more information, link here. (11-20-19)

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• Group Issues Report on Equity and Smart Mobility

  A new report addresses the need for greater social equity in connection with newer “smart mobility” options, such as expanded transit, transportation network companies including Uber and Lyft, and car and bike sharing. The report from the Center for Neighborhood Technology discusses how mobility links people to employment, goods and services, health care, education, social activities, recreation, and cultural activities, but that access to these transportation options in the U.S. is not always equitable. The report says that communities of color, especially those of limited means, struggle to get reliable and affordable transportation, and that smart mobility may be maintaining, or even increasing, existing inequities. The report is based on national data and local insights. For more information, link to the report. (9-13-19)

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• Social Equity the Focus of GIS in Transportation Newsletter

  Using geographic information systems (GIS) to map environmental justice populations and examine social equity impacts is the topic of the August issue of the Federal Highway Administration’s GIS in Transportation newsletter. The newsletter includes articles about a mapping tool developed by the USDOT’s Volpe Center, the use of data and methods for identifying protected populations, and equity analysis as part of a transportation improvement program, from the perspective of a metropolitan planning organization. The newsletter also highlights news and events relevant to the GIS community. For more information, link to the newsletter. (8-14-19)

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• Environmental Justice CoP Survey: Webinar and Materials Available

  The results of a survey of state transportation agencies’ environmental justice training needs were outlined in an AASHTO webinar held July 8, 2019. The survey focused on the frequency of trainings, information, resource gaps, emerging and innovative issues, and members' familiarity with existing resources. For more information, link to the webinar and presentation. (7-17-19)

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• Northeast, Mid-Atlantic States Hold Equity Workshop

  A workshop on advancing equity and opportunities for communities was held on May 15, 2019, by the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states that participate in the Transportation & Climate Initiative. States discussed regional policy issues and a cap-and-invest approach to reducing emissions from transportation. Presentations also highlighted economic and health disparities in areas that face pollution and that are underserved by transportation systems. For more information and a workshop recording, link here. (6-4-19)

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• Climate Group Developing an Equitable Adaptation Toolkit

  The Georgetown Climate Center has announced work on developing a toolkit to help public agencies and policymakers build social and economic equity into climate resilience planning. The Equitable Adaptation Toolkit will feature best practices and substantive policy solutions for achieving equitable outcomes through city resilience initiatives to provide examples that communities and community-based organizations can use. It also will provide case study examples of planning initiatives, legal, and policy solutions that have been advanced through community planning, and best practice examples. The toolkit is due for release in 2020. For more information, link to the announcement. (4-1-19)

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• EPA Launches Environmental Justice Training for States

  The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a national environmental justice training program. The program consists of five training webinars, which will be accessible through a publicly available website, aimed at building capacity in the states to integrate environmental justice into decision making and develop environmental justice knowledge and expertise. Planned topics include identifying and prioritizing environmentally impacted and vulnerable communities, enhancing community involvement in the regulatory process, using an area-wide planning approach to promote equitable development, and applying EJ to state environmental impact assessments. In addition, the EPA Regions will conduct training for their respective states. For more information, link to the announcement. (3-15-19)

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• FHWA Issues Two EJ State of the Practice Reports

  The Federal Highway Administration has issued two new reviews of the state of the practice concerning environmental justice in highway programs. Environmental Justice Analysis in Transportation Planning and Programming: State of the Practice describes how state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations are considering and addressing environmental justice concerns, based on a review of all 52 DOTs and a sample of 100 MPOs. The report addresses commonly applied techniques and new EJ approaches, including identifying and engaging with EJ populations; understanding the needs of EJ populations; assessing the benefits and costs of proposed plans; determining disproportionately high and adverse effects on EJ populations; and strategies to address such effects. Addressing Changing Demographics in Environmental Justice Analysis: State of the Practice documents how MPOs and DOTs are adapting EJ analysis to understand communities undergoing rapid demographic change. The report discusses trends in the size and location of low-income and minority households. The report also highlights strategies for addressing changing demographics in EJ analysis and provides five case studies. (3-21-19)

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• Study Describes Use of Zoning, Land Use Policies for Environmental Justice

  A report from the Tishman Environment and Design Center describes ways communities are using local zoning and land-use policies to address environmental justice concerns. The report, Local Policies for Environmental Justice: A National Scan, compiles 40 policies from across the U.S. Types of policies include bans on specific types of facilities, incorporation of environmental justice goals into municipal activities, and application of environmental review processes to new or expanded developments. Other policy types include proactive planning targeted at future development, targeted land use measures that address sources of pollution, and enhanced public health codes. For more information, link to the report. (2-21-19)

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• Webinar Outlines Process for Title VI Complaints

  An overview of the process for filing complaints under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act was provided in a webinar hosted by the Federal Highway Administration. The webinar covered laws, regulations, and guidance; information on filing and processing of complaints; and investigation processes and outcomes. For more information, link to the webinar and related resources. (2-5-19)

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