ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

Stewards of Justice
Article by John McCasin, Washington Times, August 16, 2001

Photo Caption: – Christie Whitman wants to expand her agency’s reach to include ‘environmental justice’

 

The environment is expanding beyond the great outdoors under the watch of Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman.

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Mrs. Whitman has issued a memo to her staff calling attention to “environmental justice,” which she wants integrated into all of the EPA’s programs, policies and activities.

The agency defines environmental justice to mean the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws and policies, and their meaningful involvement in the decision-making processes of the government,” says the EPA chief.

The Chamber has participated in numerous EPA-related activities and programs in an effort to develop the critical tools that allow the people to have meaningful involvement in the decision-making processes of the government with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws and policies.

These programs, tools and activities include ACCESS-Mexico, “7 Principles of Environmental Stewardship for the 21st Century”, “Wiring the Border”, Enviro-Risk Management, the Advisory Committee for the Southwest Center for Environmental Research and Development (IJTEP), the Center for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) in Tijuana, U.S. and Mexican federal agencies and the private sector and EPA Information Dissemination along the Border.

The Chamber’s Environmental Programs Provide A Platform for Sustainable Development – The United States – Mexico Chamber of Commerce has developed several programs and projects that implement the policies recently enunciated by Administrator Christie Todd Whitman. These programs provide fair treatment to all communities and stakeholders including colonias, Indian Tribes, non-government organizations (NGO’s) and small-to-medium sized enterprises (SME’s). The result of implementing these programs has created an framework of partnerships that in turn has developed a vehicle through which the opportunity for meaningful participation in the decision-making process on environmental issues affecting the communities can be provided.