HOME Environmental Justice Environmental justice is defined by AAEA as the fair treatment of all people regardless of race or income with respect to enviromental issues. Is the environmental justice movement imitating the traditional environmental movement and contaminating itself with the evil elixir of elitism?
Environmental Justice 'The Second Generation' & The EJ Elite A Second Generation of environmental justice activists recently met to discuss the environmental justice movement. Some of these activists are affiliated with 'old school' environmental justice individuals and organizations and others are simply looking to the future. Will they reinvent the wheel or willl they aggressively address injustice issues through the application of practical environmental solutions? Will there be a split between the Second Generation of environmental justice activists and the traditional environmental justice elite? Or is this the initiation of an inspired second coming of the environmental justice movement? Let's hope it is the latter. Maybe they will just work with EJ journeymen who are only interested in promoting EJ improvements.  Unfortunately, 2nd Geners must have noticed that certain individuals have appointed themselves as the 'gatekeepers' of environmental justice. Although such EJ narcissism is delusional at best, it appears to have generated a reaction from those who do not choose to kneel at the alter of illusions. Hopefully, 2nd Geners will not end up kneeling in front of their own mirrors. Where is the environmental justice movement heading? Will it take the same path of the now defunct Washington Office On Environmental Justice, which imploded from the weight of the egos involved? Will it organize to provide a relevant presence before the U.S. Congress and the Executive Branch? Will it challenge and compete in the private sector? Will it litigate to protect vulnerable communities of color when needed? Will it work to pass a national environmental justice act? Or will it mimic a cycle of individuals jockeying to be EJ messiahs and EJ elite disciples? It was such a shame when Washington's powerful realized that the EJ movement was impotent due to self-destructive competition, back-biting and glory seeking. It dismissed the movement with some 'success stories' and a Presidential Executive Order that has no teeth in protecting vulnerable communities. And having another EJ conference in Washington, DC, although helpful, is not a history-making event. The No Fear Act is history! Check the home page of virtually every Federal agency and you will see NO FEAR. Traditional environmental organizations have gone through this process and not for the better. Their elitism has corrupted and blinded them. In their arrogance they ignore dissent, rational solutions, African Americans, dogmaticallly push a capitalist-fueled anti-capitalist, no-growth, socialist-communist, segregationist, dictatorial agenda and generally oppose the American way of life (not all but many). The EJ movement could also be perverted by elistist tendencies. I remember when traditional environmental groups were small, righteous, efficient and effective advocates for the environment. I also watched them become powerful K Street players where you cannot tell the difference between their offices and the offices of the powerful they once opposed. Now that the traditional environmental movement is a $6 billion per year industry, they have lost their soul (not all but many). Let's hope the EJ Elite will let go of their elitism, that the 2nd Gen will work efficiently and effectively with the old school and that the fusion will result in the protection of vulnerable communities. In support of AAEA organization goal #4: Increase African American participation in the environmental movement.
Congressman Clyburn Issues Environmental Justice Report  Congressman James E. Clyburn
Issued the Congressional Black Caucus Environmental Justice Braintrust Environmental Justice Final Report at the September 28, 2003 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference. The report, authored by the National Environmental Policy Commission, includes the following recomendations: - Congress should launch a specific initiative to eliminate disparities in health care and health outcomes according to race and income.
- Congress should leverage the resources newly being devoted to Homeland Security to provide improved health information and services to communities of concern.
- Congress should pursue avenues for federal, state, loacl and tribal governments to work together to expand the safety net of environmental control to all sources of pollution.
- Congress, EPA and other federal agencies must find better mechanisms to involve communities in environmental decision making at all levels.
- Congress should exercise its oversight and funding authorities to fully and accurately characterize and control the ipacts of transportation projects on health and environment.
- Congress should create clear guidelines to correct federally owned facilities' failure to involve surrounding communities in their evaluation of environmental impacts and failure to make timely progress on remedial obligations
- Congress, EPA and other federal agencies should facilitate consideration of workable mechanisms to incorporate Environmental Justice into land-use planning.
- Congress should highlight and support government and private sector gains in workplace diversity and inclusion.
- Congress should act to assure that transportation and economic development projects do not impair sacred sites.
- Congress should address the need for resources to support environmental infrastructure on tribal lands.
- Congress should address the need for environmental infrastructure in the U.S. territories.
- Congress should expand the collaborative model of the Interagency Working Group to new demonstration projects and additional governmental programs.
- Congress should provide suppot for community-based, faith-based, and tribal organizations that have initiated important projects to protect community health, provide environmental and health information, and facilitate community revitalization.
Congressman Clyburn initiated the National Environmental Policy Commission in response to recommendations by the CBCF Environmental Justice Braintrust that he chairs.
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