Environmental Justice

The concept of environmental justice (EJ) is not new—the federal government has been working to define and address EJ and related human health and environmental effects since the 1980s. The reality that communities of minority, low-income, and underrepresented neighborhoods have been disproportionately impacted by environmental effects has been generally understood to be an existing and growing risk since the inception of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, aka, Superfund). 

What is new, however, is the intense national focus on advancing EJ and, more recently, civil rights in the context of environmental permitting. ​Furthermore, public opinion and shareholder expectations and demands are pushing for EJ in the context of regulatory compliance, permitting, and monitoring. ​

Another Risk to Your Business

The growing focus on EJ will have real-world impacts on capital expansion, regulatory permitting and permit renewals, violation negotiation, and due diligence in mergers and acquisitions. Given the changing political, regulatory, investor, and public expectations, EJ and community engagement have become material to business operations. It could mean additional costs, more time, and more stringent permit conditions. The bottom line: EJ is a business risk you can’t afford to ignore.

We Help You Develop an Effective Plan

Despite the inherent risks, the good news is companies can turn potential EJ risks into opportunities for positive, proactive engagement.​ And EHS Support can help. We understand the complex EJ regulations and work closely with you to develop comprehensive solutions. Our team of professionals brings premium consulting services in the areas of:

  • Proactive Review of Facility and Portfolio EJ Risks
  • Strategic Planning for Capital Deployment
  • Air and Stormwater Permitting
  • Stakeholder and Community Engagement
  • Process Safety Management
  • TOXIC RELEASE INVENTORY (TRI) analysis and reporting
  • Due Diligence

Effective risk management and communication are key to understanding and mitigating EJ-related risks to better position your business and its relationship with the community.

From EJ screening tools to state-by-state guidance and communication strategies, we’ll partner with you to identify immediate actions your business can implement.

To learn more about environmental justice and how EHS Support can help you stay in compliance and achieve your goals, contact any member of our team:

Bruce MartinKatie Milk, Liz Hoerning

Our Project Experience