Environmental justice

This diagram shows how housing, health, transportation, environment and other factors interact in creating sustainable and equitable communities. Courtesy of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

OVERVIEW

Environmental justice

Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

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Washington state capital dome against blue sky
4/26/2021

State agencies will focus on improving environmental justice under new law

The recently approved HEAL Act requires the state of Washington to address issues of environmental justice within its agencies. The Act is expected to be signed by the governor and focuses on inequities in environmental health conditions for disenfranchised populations.

Brightly painted canoes on river shore with construction cranes in background.
4/12/2021

Diverse populations benefit from targeted efforts to improve environmental justice

Years of struggle have led to reduced pollution and a stronger sense of community in the Duwamish Valley. As cleanup efforts there continue, environmental justice has come front and center for the area's diverse populations.

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Revised toxic-cleanup rules will increase focus on environmental justice

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Underwater view of a single salmon swimming above gravelly river bed.
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The words ‘in common with’ were pivotal to Judge Boldt’s ruling on Native American fishing rights

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A 1924 photo titled "Treaty trees" shows the site of the 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty. The photo is used by permission of the Washington State Historical Society (photo catalog no. 1943.42.30562) and was retrieved from HistoryLink.org.
4/18/2023

Legal milestones for Indigenous sovereignty and salmon co-management in the Puget Sound region

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Salish Sea with Mt Baker in the background
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Social Science for the Salish Sea

Social Science for the Salish Sea (S4) provides a foundation for future research projects, accessible information for planning or management decisions, and synthesized content to inform ecosystem recovery.

Historic map of Seattle showing areas in different colors.
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Why is so much pollution found in disadvantaged communities?

Researchers are looking at the forces of discrimination that worsen the environmental health risks for some communities.

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4/28/2020

Voices Unbound: Enviro-Amplify

What do people really mean when they talk about the environment? A new podcast asks regular citizens a simple, but charged question: "What are the environmental challenges that are most important to you?" The answers to that question drive this engaging podcast in sometimes unexpected directions, from the environmental impacts of being homeless, to air quality, to wide-ranging discussions about environmental justice.