ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses federal and state initiatives in the area of environmental justice. It also examines the problems and prospects presented by these initiatives in an era of regulatory federalism, which characterizes the contemporary period of intergovernmental relations, in order to make some basic recommendations regarding how federalism should be viewed as it pertains to environmental justice. In 1994 and 1995, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) produced a draft proposal for an environmental justice plan. This plan has several key points: public participation, accountability, partnerships, outreach, and communication with stakeholders; health and environmental research ; data collection, analysis, and stakeholder access to public participation. The Office of Environmental Justice coordinates EPA efforts to develop and implement environmental justice initiatives. One of several strategies that the Environmental Protection Agency is considering focuses on the imposition of environmental justice mandates on all states.
