EPAPolicyonEnvironmentalJusticeforWorkingwith.PDFVIP

THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WASHINGTON . D.C . 20460 JUL 2 4 2014 MEMORANDUM SUBJECT: U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Poli cy on Enviro nmental Justice fo r Worki ng with Federally Recogni zed Tribes and Indigenous Peoples FROM: Gina McCarth y TO: All EPA Employees I am pl eased today to issue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Poli cy on Environmental Justice for Working with Fed erally Recogni zed Tribes and Indi genous Peoples. Thi s policy establi shes principles to ensure that achi eving enviro nmentalj usti ce is part of the EPA s wo rk w ith federall y recogni zed tribes, state-recogni zed tribes, individual triba l members, indigenous community-based and grass-root s organi zations, and others living in Indi an country. I want to th ank yo u all fo r your hard work in crafting a poli cy that demon strates the EPAs comm itment to strengthenin g its engagement with tri ba l governments and indi genous communities and to fu lfilling it s tru st re spon sibil ity to federa lly reco gni zed tri bes . This po li cy acknowledges our need to focus more closely on enviro nmental-ju sti ce issues as they pertain to tribal government s and all other indigenous people s and communities. The EPA is firml y committed to implementing the poli cys principles, whi ch require all of us to consider the environ mental and pub lic-health concerns of tribes and indi genou s peop les throughout the U.S. and others li ving in lndian country. I encourage everyo ne to read the new po licy by visiting at /enviro nmentaljusti ce or / in dian . During the coming month s the Office of Environmenta l Justi ce and the designated policy adviser fo r each national-program and regional offi ce, in coordinati on w ith the A