EXECUTIVE
ORDER
EO 12898
Effective Date: February 11, 1994

Responsible Office: Office of Mission to Planet Earth
Subject: FEDERAL ACTIONS TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN MINORITY POPULATIONS AND LOW-INCOME POPULATIONS

				TEXT

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution
and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby
ordered as follows:

Section 1-1. IMPLEMENTATION.

     1-101. Agency Responsibilities.  To the greatest extent
practicable and permitted by law, and consistent with the
principles set forth in the report on the National Performance
Review, each Federal agency shall make achieving environmental
justice part of its mission by identifying and addressing, as
appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse human health or
environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities
on monitoring populations and low-income populations in the
United States and its territories and possessions, the District
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the
Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands.

     1-102. Creation of an Interagency Working Group on
Environmental Justice (a) Within 3 months of the date of this
order, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
("Administrator") or the Administrator's designee shall convene
an interagency Federal Working Group on Environmental Justice
("Working Group").  The Working Group shall comprise the heads of
the following executive agencies and offices, or their designees: 
(a) Department of Defense; (b) Department of Health and Human
Services; (c) Department of Housing and Urban Development; (d)
Department of Labor; (e) Department of Agriculture; (f)
Department of Transportation; (g) Department of Justice; (h)
Department of the Interior; (i) Department of Commerce; (j)
Department of Energy; (k) Environmental Protection Agency; (l)
Office of Management and Budget; (m) Office of Science and
Technology Policy; (n) Office of the Deputy Assistant to the
President for Environmental Policy; (o) Office of the Assistant
to the President for Domestic Policy; (p) National Economic
Council; (q) Council of Economic Advisers; and (r) such other
Government officials as the President may designate.  The Working
Group shall report to the President through the Deputy Assistant
to the President for Environmental Policy and the Assistant to
the President for Domestic Policy.

     (b) The Working Group shall: (1) provide guidance to Federal
agencies on criteria for identifying disproportionately high and
adverse human health or environmental effects on minority
populations and low-income populations;

     (2)  coordinate with, provide guidance to, and serve as a
clearinghouse for, each Federal agency as it develops an
environmental justice strategy as required by section 1-103 of
this order, in order to ensure that the administration,
interpretation and enforcement of programs, activities and
policies are undertaken in a consistent manner;

     (3)  assist in coordinating research by, and stimulating
cooperation among, the Environmental Protection Agency, the
Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of
Housing and Urban Development, and other agencies conducting
research or other activities in accordance with section 3-3 of
this order.

     (4)  assist in coordinating data collection, required by
this order;

     (5)  examine existing data and studies on environmental
justice;

     (6)  hold public meetings as required in section 5-502(d) of
this order; and

     (7)  develop interagency model projects on environmental
justice that evidence cooperation among Federal agencies.

     1-103. Development of Agency Strategies. (a) Except as
provided in section 6-605 of this order, each Federal agency
shall develop an agency-wide environmental justice strategy, as
set forth in subsections (b)-(e) of this section that identifies
and addresses disproportionately high and adverse human health or
environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities
on minority populations and low-income populations.  The
environmental justice strategy shall list programs, policies,
planning and public participation processes, enforcement, and/or
rulemakings related to human health or the environment that
should be revised to, at a minimum: (1) promote enforcement of
all health and environmental statutes in areas with minority
populations and low-income populations; (2) ensure greater public
participation; (3) improve research and data collection relating
to the health of and environment of minority populations and low-
income populations; and (4) identify differential patterns of
consumption of natural resources among minority populations and
low-income populations.  In addition, the environmental justice
strategy shall include, where appropriate, a timetable for
undertaking identified revisions and consideration of economic
and social implications of the revisions.

     (b)  Within 4 months of the date of this order, each Federal
agency shall identify an internal administrative process for
developing its environmental justice strategy, and shall inform
the Working Group of the process.

     (c)   Within 6 months of the date of this order, each
Federal agency shall provide the Working Group with an outline of
its proposed environmental justice strategy.

     (d)  Within 10 months of the date of this order, each
Federal agency shall provide the Working Group with its proposed
environmental justice strategy.

     (e)  Within 12 months of the date of this order, each
Federal agency shall finalize its environmental justice strategy
and provide a copy and written description of its strategy to the
Working Group.  During the 12 month period from the date of this
order, each Federal agency, as part of its environmental justice
strategy, shall identify several specific projects that can be
promptly undertaken to address particular concerns identified
during the development of the proposed environmental justice
strategy, and a schedule for implementing those projects.

     (f)  Within 24 months of the date of this order, each
Federal agency shall report to the Working Group on its
implementing its agency-wide environmental justice strategy.

     (g)  Federal agencies shall provide additional periodic
reports to the Working Group as requested by the Working Group.

     1-104.  Reports to the President.  Within 14 months of the
date of this order, the Working Group shall submit to the
President, through the Office of the Deputy Assistant to the
President for Environmental Policy and the Office of the
Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, a report that
describes the implementation of this order, and includes the
final environmental justice strategies described in section    
1-103(e) of this order.

Sec. 2-2. FEDERAL AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR FEDERAL PROGRAMS. 
Each Federal agency shall conduct its programs, policies, and
activities that substantially affect human health or the
environment, in a manner that ensures that such programs,
policies, and activities do not have the effect of excluding
persons (including populations) from participation in, denying
persons (including populations) the benefits of, or subjecting
persons (including populations) to discrimination under, such
programs, policies, and activities, because of their race, color,
or national origin.

Sec. 3-3. RESEARCH, DATA COLLECTION, AND ANALYSIS.

     3-301. Human Health and Environmental Research and Analysis. 
(a) Environmental human health research, whenever practicable and
appropriate, shall include diverse segments of the population in
epidemiological and clinical studies, including segments at high
risk from environmental hazards, such as minority populations,
low-income populations and workers who may be exposed to
substantial environmental hazards.

     (b)  Environmental human health analyses, whenever
practicable and appropriate, shall identify multiple and
cumulative exposures.

     (c)  Federal agencies shall provide minority populations and
low-income populations the opportunity to comment on the
development and design of research strategies undertaken pursuant
to this order.

     3-302. Human Health and Environmental Data Collection and
Analysis.  To the extent permitted by existing law, including the
Privacy Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. section 552a): (a) each Federal
agency, whenever practicable and appropriate, shall collect,
maintain, and analyze information assessing and comparing
environmental and human health risks borne by populations
identified by race, national origin, or income.  To the extent
practical and appropriate.  Federal agencies shall use this
information to determine whether their programs, policies, and
activities have disproportionately high and adverse human health
or environmental effects on minority populations and low-income
populations;

     (b)  In connection with the development and implementation
of agency strategies in section 1-103 of this order, each Federal
agency, whenever practicable and appropriate, shall collect,
maintain and analyze information on the race, national origin,
income level, and other readily accessible and appropriate
information for areas surrounding facilities or sites expected to
have a substantial environmental, human health, or economic
effect on the surrounding populations, when such facilities or
sites become the subject of a substantial Federal environmental
administrative or judicial action.  Such information shall be
made available to the public, unless prohibited by law; and

     (c)  Each Federal agency, whenever practicable and
appropriate, shall collect, maintain, and analyze information on
the race, national origin, income level, and other readily
accessible and appropriate information for areas surrounding
Federal facilities that are: (1) subject to the reporting
requirements under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-
Know Act, 42 U.S.C. section 11001-11050 as mandated in Executive
Order No. 12856; and (2) expected to have a substantial
environmental, human health, or economic effect on surrounding
populations.  Such information shall be made available to the
public, unless prohibited by law.

     (d)  In carrying out the responsibilities in this section,
each Federal agency, whenever practicable and appropriate, shall
share information and eliminate unnecessary duplication of
efforts through the use of existing data systems and cooperative
agreements among Federal agencies and with State, local, and
tribal governments.

Sec. 4-4. SUBSISTENCE CONSUMPTION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.

     4-401.    Consumption Patterns.  In order to assist in
identifying the need for ensuring protection of populations with
differential patterns of subsistence consumption of fish and
wildlife, Federal agencies, whenever practicable and appropriate,
shall collect, maintain, and analyze information on the
consumption patterns of populations who principally rely on fish
and/or wildlife for subsistence.  Federal agencies shall
communicate to the public the risks of those consumption
patterns.

     4-402. Guidance.  Federal agencies, whenever practicable and
appropriate, shall work in a coordinated manner to publish
guidance reflecting the latest scientific information available
concerning methods for evaluating the human health risks
associated with the consumption of pollutant-bearing fish or
wildlife.  Agencies shall consider such guidance in developing
their policies and rules.

Sec. 5-5.  PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION.     
(a) The public may submit recommendations to Federal agencies
relating to the incorporation of environmental justice principles
into Federal agency programs or policies.  Each Federal agency
shall convey such recommendations to the Working Group.

     (b)  Each Federal agency may, whenever practicable and
appropriate, translate crucial public documents, notices, and
hearings relating to human health or the environmental for
limited English speaking populations.

     (c)  Each Federal agency shall work to ensure that public
documents, notices, and hearings relating to human health or the
environment are concise, understandable, and readily accessible
to the public.

     (d)  The Working Group shall hold public meetings, as
appropriate, for the purpose of fact-finding, receiving public
comments, and conducting inquiries concerning environmental
justice.  The Working Group shall prepare for public review a
summary of the comments and recommendations discussed at the
public meetings.

Sec. 6-6 GENERAL PROVISIONS.

     6-601. Responsibility for Agency Implementation.  The head
of each Federal agency shall be responsible for ensuring
compliance with this order.  Each Federal agency shall conduct
internal reviews and take such other steps as may be necessary to
monitor compliance with this order.

     6-602. Executive Order No. 12250.  This Executive order is
intended to supplement but not supersede Executive Order No.
12250, which requires consistent and effective implementation of
various laws prohibiting discriminatory practices in programs
receiving Federal financial assistance.  Nothing herein shall
limit the effect or mandate of Executive Order No. 12250.

     6-603. Executive Order No. 12875.  This Executive order is
not intended to limit the effect or mandate of Executive Order
No. 12875.

     6-604. Scope.  For purposes of this order, Federal agency
means any agency on the Working Group, and such other agencies as
may be designated by the President, that conducts any Federal
program or activity that substantially affects human health or
the environment.  Independent agencies are requested to comply
with the provisions of this order.

     6-605. Petitions for Exemptions.  The head of a Federal
agency may petition the President for an exemption from the
requirements of this order on the grounds that all or some of the
petitioning agency's programs or activities should not be subject
to the requirements of this order.

     6-606. Native American Programs.  Each Federal agency
responsibility set forth under this order shall apply equally to
Native American programs.  In addition, the Department of the
Interior, in coordination with the Working Group, and, after
consultation with tribal leaders, shall coordinate steps to be
taken pursuant to this order that address Federally-recognized
Indian Tribes.

     6-607. Costs. Unless otherwise provided by law, Federal
agencies shall assume the financial costs of complying with this
order.

     6-608. General. Federal agencies shall implement this order
consistent with, and to the extent permitted by, existing law.

     6-609. Judicial Review. This order is intended only to
improve the internal management of the executive branch and is
not intended to, nor does it create any right, benefit, or trust
responsibility, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or
equity by a party against the United States, it agencies, its
officers, or any person.  This order shall not be construed to
create any right to judicial review involving the compliance or
noncompliance of the United States, its agencies, its officers,
or any other person with this order.

                         /s/William J. Clinton


THE WHITE HOUSE,
February 11, 1994.

			

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