5/30/2023 0 Comments Smart notes a long walk to water![]() ![]() In other words, all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, or economic status, should have the opportunity to enjoy the positive outcomes of environmentally related decisions and actions, such as cleaner air and water, improved health, and economic vitality. EPA and environmental justice organizations have expanded the concept of fair treatment to consider not only how burdens are distributed, but also how environmental and health benefits are shared. ![]() “Fair treatment” means that no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental, or commercial operations and policies. ![]() Low-income, minority, tribal, and overburdened communities across the country are using these strategies, along with environmental justice and equitable development approaches, to design and build healthy, sustainable, and inclusive neighborhoods.ĮPA defines 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." Improving access to jobs and services by creating development that is walkable and transit-accessible.Offering transportation options that are affordable, reduce air pollution and associated health impacts, and give residents who do not drive more mobility.Providing housing choices for people of all income levels, household sizes, and stages of life.Cleaning up and reinvesting in existing neighborhoods.Many of these challenges are related to how communities and regions are planned and built. These communities face an array of challenges, including proximity to polluting facilities, barriers to participating in decision-making processes, disproportionate levels of chronic disease, neighborhood disinvestment, and poor or no access to jobs and services. Smart growth approaches to development can help address long-standing environmental, health, and economic disparities in low-income, minority, and tribal communities. Photo courtesy of Mercy Housing California. It provides affordable apartments for seniors using green building techniques and materials. The Mission Creek Senior Community Project in San Francisco transformed a brownfield into an attractive, mixed-use community. ![]()
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