SUMMARY REPORT

April 11 to 13, 2012Washington, DC

2012 National Environmental Justice Conference

& Training Program Concludes with Success

In April 2012, hundreds of attendees from across the government, business, academia, andgrassroots communities came together to share views, challenges, and discuss solutions forone very important topic—environmental justice (EJ).

The 2012 National Environmental Justice Conference & Training Program was held inWashington, DC, from April 11 through 13. The conference proved to be an innovative 3-dayexchange of approaches to EJ and related matters.

The interactive sessions featured a diverse group of representatives from Federal andstate agencies, local governments, tribes, community groups, business and industry, publicinterest groups, academia, and other entities. These groups shared relative experiences andresearch of successful and unsuccessful programs and featured the needs and challenges ofcommunities, governments, municipalities, tribes, faith-based organizations, and others with aninterest in environmental matters.

The 2012 National Environmental Justice Conference & Training Program’s agenda includedpanel discussions, question and answer segments, online and other training, and networkingopportunities. An array of topics was explored, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, healthdisparities, and community solutions. This year’s conference introduced training segmentsthat focused on grant writing and technical assistance. It focused on the enhancement ofcommunities and provided ways for improved productivity and ef�ciency.

Attendees were addressed by speakers ranging from The Honorable Thomas P. D’Agostino,Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and Administrator for the National Nuclear SecurityAdministration and Donna Christensen, MD, Congresswoman (Democrat) U.S. Virgin Islandsto community environmentalist Jacqueline Shirley of Alaska and community activist andEJ champion, Dr. Mildred McClain.

The conference’s partnership with Howard University School of Law produced a plethora ofnetworking opportunities among students, faculty, and community, business, and governmentleaders. EJ combines civil rights with environmental protection. It gives voices to communitiesthat have been historically excluded from environmental decision making.

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CONFERENCE OVERVIEW

A RENEWED FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

The National Environmental Justice Conference & Training Program (NEJC)

returns to Washington, DC, April 11 through 13, 2012,

with a new name and fresh approach

As communities evolve, so does the meaning of environmental justice. In an effort to disseminateeffective information and encourage change agents amongst communities and their leaders, theNEJC leaders called upon representatives from Federal and state agencies, local governments,tribes, community groups, businesses small and large, as well as public interest groups, academia,and other entities to participate in a 3-day discussion on advancing the environment through people,policy, and change, and share best practices to ensure it. The conference has adopted the themeEnhancing Communities Through Capacity Building and Technical Assistance.

To commemorate the renewed focus on the environment, the Board of Directors of the Conference,now in its sixth year, reorganized, selected a new conference coordinator, and changed theconference name. This new name and fresh outlook ensures that future conferences and trainingproblems will be more current and valuable than ever. An annual nationally focused environmentaljustice conference is more important than ever given the Obama Administration’s recommitment toenvironmental justice. This renewed commitment was made evident by the White House Forum onEnvironmental Justice, a cabinet-level meeting held in December 2010, which was followed by theMemorandum of Understanding on Environmental Justice, signed in August 2011.

From April 11 through 13, 2012, in Washington, DC, the action-packed NEJC focused speci�cally onyouth outreach and enhancing communities through capacity building and technology assistance.Expert panelists guided attendees—ranging from students to seniors—through insightfuldiscussions and interactive sessions and introduced participants to the many aspects, challenges,and opportunities of environmental justice. Those ready to openly engage in conversation on avariety of viewpoints and environmental justice strategies took advantage of the Conference, whichincluded a training program that allows Federal employees and others to earn professional-leveleducation credit.

As it has in previous years, the Conference united the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Departmentof Agriculture, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency, and the Howard University School of Law and various other Federal agencies toprovide insight and expertise as well as be a sounding board to those in attendance.

Stay in touch with the 2012 NEJC at , on Facebook at:www.thenejc.orghttp://www.facebook.com/nejc2012 @nejc2012, and via twitter at: .

The opening plenary session focused on best environmental justice practices for community capacitybuilding and technical assistance and was moderated by Timothy Fields, Jr., Senior Vice President, MDB,Inc. and Lessie Price, Manager, Government Operations, URS, Inc.

Dean Schmoke Dean Dark Ben Wilson

Tim Fields Lessie Price

Day One: April 11, 2012

Grand Opening Plenary Session and Reception

The 2012 NEJC kicked off with its Grand Opening Plenary Session and Reception Wednesday evening,April 11, 2012, at the Howard University School of Law. Attendees were greeted with opening remarksfrom Howard University School of Law Dean Kurt Schmoke, Associate Dean O.C. Dark, and NationalEnvironmental Justice Conference, Inc. Board of Directors Chairman, Benjamin F. Wilson, Esquire.

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Charles LeeCharles Lee Glenn ParkerGlenn Parker Harold MitchellHarold Mitchell

Quentin PairQuentin Pair Sandra HowardSandra Howard Sue BriggumSue Briggum

Vernice Miller-TravisVernice Miller-Travis Willie TaylorWillie Taylor

Audience MemberAudience Member Panel DiscussionPanel Discussion

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Participants heard from various panel members providing different perspectives (government, community,industry) on the best environmental justice practices for community capacity building. This opening sessionproved to be quite interactive. A reception followed.

Day One: April 11, 2012

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The Federal Title VI Enforcement Panel, moderated by Daria Neal, Esq., Deputy Chief, FederalCompliance Section, Civil Rights Division, U. S. Department of Justice, provided an interactive session todiscuss Federal agency efforts in enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. This was followed by the Title VIWorkshop that focused on informing grassroots communities on suggested basic elements in preparing andsubmitting viable Title VI administrative complaints and the legal tools needed to address environmentaljustice at the Federal level.

The second day of the conference started with opening remarksfrom The Honorable Melvin G. Williams, Jr., Vice Admiral,U.S. Navy (ret.), Associate Deputy Secretary, U.S. Departmentof Energy.

Admiral Williams’ remarks were followed by an address from the openingkeynote speaker, The Honorable Thomas P. D’Agostino, Under Secretaryfor Nuclear Security and Administrator for National Nuclear SecurityAdministration, U.S. Department of Energy, who urged all in attendance to,when it comes to environmental justice, “Do the right thing.”

Dr. Pamela Wilson, President of Allen University, then presented awardson behalf of our Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to theU.S. Department of Energy; The Honorable Steven Chu, PhD, Secretary,U.S. Department of Energy; The Honorable Thomas P. D’Agostino, UnderSecretary for Nuclear Security and Administrator for National NuclearSecurity Administration, U.S. Department of Energy; and William Brinkman,PhD, Director, Of�ce of Science, U.S. Department of Energy.

Day Two: April 12, 2012

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The afternoon continued with the Health Disparities Congressional Panel which focused on Place/RaceMatters. This panel, which has been a mainstay of the national environmental justice conferences, wasmoderated by Dr. David Rivers of the Medical University of South Carolina and featured, among others,Donna Christensen, MD, Congresswoman (Democrat, U.S. Virgin Islands); and Dr. Brian Smedley, VicePresident and Director, Health Policy Institute, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.

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The 300 attendeeson Day Two engagedin a networkingluncheonwith video greetingsand remarks from theHonorable James E.Clyburn, AssistantDemocratic Leader(Democrat, 6thDistrict, South Carolina).

Ignacia Moreno, Esq., Assistant Attorney General, Environmentaland Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice,provided the afternoon plenary address.

This was followed by the Environmental Justice Federal Interagency Working Group (IWG) Stakeholderpanel, which was an interactive session that provided an update on the IWG progress since the signing ofthe Memorandum of Understanding. This session also focused on some of the Federal interagencypartnerships established during the �rst Obama Administration.

Day Two: April 12, 2012

Day Two was capped off with the environmental justice middle school competition sponsored by thePatriots Technology Training Center and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Day Three saw the presentation ofthe various abstracts that wereaccepted for the conference.Moderated by Dr. Lonnie Sharpe,Samuel P. Massie Chairs ofExcellence, Tennessee StateUniversity, a number of topics wereexplored and discussed. Mostinteresting was Yvonne Latty’spresentation and video on uraniummining in the Navajo Nation.

Day Two: April 12, 2012

Day Three: April 13, 2012

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In addition to the Title VI Workshop, the 2012 NEJC provided technical assistance workshopsand training programs on grant writing and two environmental justice training courses.

The conference concluded withour Future Leaders Initiatives inEnvironmental Justice panelmoderated by Melinda Downing,Environmental Justice ProgramManager, U.S. Department ofEnergy, with presentations fromcollege students, law students, andhigh school students, among others,who are interested in environmentaljustice issues.

Our Day Three Luncheon Speaker, The Honorable GwendolynKeyes Fleming, Regional Administrator, Southeast Region(Region 4), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, brought usup to date on our progress in environmental justice butemphasized that in order to continue to move forward, “we musthave the next generation in the room.”

Dr. McClain’s address was followed by the Community, Academia,Business and Government Capacity Building and TechnicalAssistance Collaborationpanel moderated bySue Briggum, VicePresident, FederalPublic Affairs, WasteManagement.

Those in attendance were greeted with a riveting and inspiringkeynote address from Dr. Mildred McClain, Executive Director,Citizens for Environmental Justice.

Day Three: April 13, 2012

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Conference Dates:

April 3 through 5, 2013

2013 Conference Registration Fees:

Students, Faculty, Community Members andOrganizations, Government Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FREE

Corporate and General Registration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $125.00

To Register for Conference and Hotel:

www.thenejc.org

Locations:

April 3, 2013

Howard University School of Law2900 Van Ness Street, N.W.Washington, DC 20008

Room Rates:

$249.00* Single/Double*If reserved before March 16, 2013

For More Information Contact:

Lloyd Moore

Conference Coordinatoremail@thenejc.org(202) 827-2224

April 4 and 5, 2013

Washington Marriott at Metro Center775 12th Street, N.W.Washington, DC 20005

Melinda Downing

Environmental Justice Program ManagerU.S. Department of EnergyMelinda.Downing@hq.doe.gov(202) 586-7703

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inside back cover

SUMMARY REPORT