Environmental Justice and Transportation Decisionmaking

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Environmental Justice and Transportation
Decisionmaking

• Wendell Stills
• Federal Highway Administration

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Contact Information

• Wendell Stills
• FHWA
• Office of Human Environment
• 400 7th Street, S.W. Room 3301
• Washington, DC 20590
• 202-366-2052
• wendell.stills_at_fhwa.dot.gov
• http//www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/ej2.htm

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Environmental Justice
Title VI
Gender
Age
Race
National Origin
Low-Income
Minority
Color
Religion
Disability
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1964 Civil Rights Act Title VI

• No person in the United States shall, on the
  basis of race, color, or national origin, be
  excluded from participation in, be denied the
  benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination
  under any program or activity receiving Federal
  financial assistance.

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Executive Order 12898

• Signed February 11, 1994
• What is an Executive Order?
• Who is responsible for complying?

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Environmental Justice

• Executive Order 12898
• Does not change the legal thresholds and
  statutory interpretations for USDOT
• Consistent with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
• Disproportionate impacts - Can programs and
  projects move forward?
• No Specific format for analysis
• Integrate analysis in appropriate manner
• EJ low-income

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Environmental Justice

• Avoid, minimize or mitigate disproportionately
  high and adverse effects on minority
  populations and low income populations
• Ensure the full and fair participation
• Prevent the denial of benefits by minority
  populations and low income populations

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Environmental Justice

• Principles
• Consider
• the composition of the region or 2affected area
• the potential for multiple or cumulative exposure
• the interrelated cultural, social, occupational,
  historical, and economic factors
• Develop effective public participation
• Assure meaningful community representation

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Why Title VI/EJ?

• It makes sense
• It is democratic
• It is the law