Environmental Justice

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Environmental Justice
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Justice 1. being righteous, fair 2. reward or
penalty, as deserved
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Key Principles of Justice Equality and
distributive justice people receive (rewards and
penalties) in proportion to what they deserve.
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Key Principles of Justice Equality and
distributive justice people receive (rewards and
penalties) in proportion to what they
deserve. Adequacy and creative justice
continual development of the rules governing
claims of justice.
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In the relations of humans with the animals, with
the flowers, with the objects of creation, there
is a whole great ethic scarcely seen as yet, but
which will eventually break through into the
light and be the corollary and the complement to
human ethics. It is necessary to civilize humans
in relation to nature. There, everything remains
to be done. Victor Hugo, 1843
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Fundamental problem of justice How to define the
basic structure of the political institutions in
liberal democracy to assure justice.
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The Big Ten Environmental Organizations Natural
Resources Defense Council Environmental Policy
Institute Natural Wildlife Federation Environmenta
l Defense Fund Sierra Club National Audubon
society Nature Conservancy Wilderness
Society Friends of the Earth National Parks and
Conservation Association
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Because of the Indians great care and regard for
natures resources, Indians are the logical
people to care for nuclear waste. Radioactive
materials have half-lives of thousands of years
and it is the Native American culture and
perspective that is best designed to correctly
consider and balance the benefits and the
burdens.
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What is environmental racism? Racial
discrimination in environmental policy making an
unequal enforcement of environmental laws and
regulations. - Chavis 1993
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What is environmental racism? Racial
discrimination in environmental policy making an
unequal enforcement of environmental laws and
regulations. - Chavis 1993 The unequal
protection against toxic and hazardous exposure
and the systematic exclusion of people of color
from environmental decisions affecting their
communities. - Bryant 1995
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What is environmental racism? Racial
discrimination in environmental policy making an
unequal enforcement of environmental laws and
regulations. - Chavis 1993 The unequal
protection against toxic and hazardous exposure
and the systematic exclusion of people of color
from environmental decisions affecting their
communities. - Bryant 1995
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14th Amendment (1868) Equal Protection
Clause No state shall deny to any person within
its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws
(i.e. all men are created equal).
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Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI Prohibits
discrimination on the basis of race, color and
national origin in programs and activities
receiving federal assistance (e.g., EPA funding
to state environmental agencies).
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What is environmental racism? Racial
discrimination in environmental policy making an
unequal enforcement of environmental laws and
regulations. - Chavis 1993 The unequal
protection against toxic and hazardous exposure
and the systematic exclusion of people of color
from environmental decisions affecting their
communities. - Bryant 1995 any policy,
practice or directive that differentially affects
or disadvantages (whether intended or unintended)
individuals, groups or communities based on race
or color. - Bullard 1996
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Key Principles of Justice Equality and
distributive justice people receive (rewards and
penalties) in proportion to what they
deserve. Adequacy and creative justice
continual development of the rules governing
claims of justice.
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Executive Order 12898 Federal Actions to
Address Environmental Justice in Minority
Populations and Low-Income Populations (February
1994)
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U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. 2003. Not in
My Backyard Executive Order 12898 and Title VI
as Tools for Achieving Environmental Justice. 194
pages
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while there has been some limited success in
implementing Executive Order 12898, significant
problems and shortcomings remain. Federal
agencies still have neither fully incorporated
environmental justice into their core missions
nor established accountability and performance
outcomes for programs and activitiesagencies
seldom, if ever, revoke a permit or withhold
money from the recipients of federal funding for
violating Title VI.
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Cerrel Associates Report, Political Difficulties
Facing WTE Conversion Plant Siting
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Cerrel Associates Report, Political Difficulties
Facing WTE Conversion Plant Siting Small
communities Politically conservative Low income,
rural Low educational level High percentage of
elderly Little history of political activism
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Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI Prohibits
discrimination on the basis of race, color and
national origin in programs and activities
receiving federal assistance (e.g., EPA funding
to state environmental agencies).
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Executive Order 12898 Federal Actions to
Address Environmental Justice in Minority
Populations and Low-Income Populations (February
1994)
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Two Key Principles of Justice Equality and
distributive justice people receive (rewards and
penalties) in proportion to what they
deserve. Adequacy and creative justice
continual development of the rules governing
claims of justice.
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Toxic waste directly assails several fundamental
social beliefs that humans have dominion over
nature that personal control over ones destiny
is possible that technology and science are
forces of progress only that risks necessary for
the good life are acceptable that people get
what they deserve that experts know best that
the market place is self-regulating that ones
home is ones castle that people have the right
to do what they wish on their own property and
that government exists to help. - Edelstein, 1988
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The Grassroots Environmental Justice Movement
seeks common ground with low-income and minority
communities, with organized workers, with
churches and with all others who stand for
freedom and equality Environmental justice is
broader than just preserving the environment.
When we fight for environmental justice we fight
for our homes and families and struggle to end
economic, social and political domination by the
strong and greedy. Citizens Clearinghouse for
Hazardous Waste