Environmental justice is defined as equal and fair access to a healthy environment, protecting underrepresented and poorer communities from disproportionate environmental impacts. The SCAG region is demographically and economically diverse, with extremes in household income and public health outcomes caused by numerous social, economic and geographic factors. The region includes heavily urban and entirely rural areas, each with their own unique environmental risks, as well as terrain that creates obstacles for achieving environmental goals, such as air quality improvements.
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) pursues environmental justice by implementing improved planning practices and meeting the federal and state requirements. Tracing roots back to the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s and the environmental movement of the 1960s and 1970s, the environmental justice movement in the United States responds to discriminatory environmental practices, including toxic dumping, municipal waste facility siting and land use and transportation decisions that negatively affected communities of color. Several grassroots organizations founded during the early days of this movement in the SCAG region continue to advocate for a cleaner environment to protect all communities.
The federal government defines environmental justice (EJ) as “the just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability, in agency decision-making and other Federal activities that affect human health and the environment so that people: (i) are fully protected from disproportionate and adverse human health and environmental effects (including risks) and hazards, including those related to climate change, the cumulative impacts of environmental and other burdens, and the legacy of racism or other structural or systemic barriers; and (ii) have equitable access to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient environment in which to live, play, work, learn, grow, worship, and engage in cultural and subsistence practices.” (Executive Order 14096)
SCAG’s ongoing equity efforts directly inform and intersect with the environmental justice program. For more information on SCAG’s equity efforts, visit the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Awareness (IDEA) webpage.
Contact
Help us keep our contact information updated. If you have any questions, or comments, please contact:
Ms. Anita Au
(213) 236-1874
environmentaljustice@scag.ca.gov
Ms. Annaleigh Ekman
(213) 630-1427
environmentaljustice@scag.ca.gov
Current Information
Every four years, SCAG updates its visionary plan for the future of the region, Connect SoCal. The strategies outlined in this plan affect how everyone in Southern California lives, works and plays. For information and updates for Connect SoCal, including the environmental justice analysis documented in the Equity Analysis Technical Report where environmental justice analysis is included, please visit: https://scag.ca.gov/connect-socal
The currently adopted Connect SoCal 2020, including the Environmental Justice Technical Report, is available here: https://scag.ca.gov/read-plan-adopted-final-connect-socal-2020
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