Environmental Justice Overview
Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income regarding the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies, with no group bearing a disproportionate burden of environmental harms and risks.
For the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, environmental justice and disproportionate impacts to Justice40 communities are considered throughout the agency’s Civil Works programs and in all phases of project planning and decision-making. Environmental justice is achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protections and equal access to Civil Works programs and services to achieve a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.
Whether studying, planning, designing, constructing, and operating the USACE Civil Works projects or providing assistance, the USACE works to meet the needs of diverse communities by reducing disparate environmental burdens, removing barriers to participation in decision-making, and increasing access to benefits provided by Civil Works programs to Justice40 communities within the USACE authorities.