EPA has announced the release of its final “Guidance on Considering Environmental Justice During the Development of a Regulatory Action.” In a memorandum to EPA staff accompanying the release, EPA touts the guidance as “an essential resource to advance our efforts to develop effective regulations and policies that serve all people, including minority, low-income populations and indigenous peoples who are often the most impacted by environmental harm and public health concerns.”
The final guidance builds on interim guidance released in 2010 and reflects improvements based on stakeholder feedback on that document. Among the key improvements from the interim guidance are better definitions of populations of concern and recommendations for enhancing public outreach and participation in the regulatory development process. From a process standpoint, regulatory staff members are provided better direction on how and when to consider environmental justice in the rule development process.