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1 Introduction and Executive Summary
Pages 1-10

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From page 1...
... , environmental the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, ethnicity, income, national origin or educational level with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair treatment means that no population, due to policy or economic disempowerment, is forced to bear a disproportionate burden of the negative human health or environmental impacts of pollution or other environmental consequences resulting from industrial, municipal, and commercial operations or the execution of federal, state, local and tribal programs and policies.
From page 2...
... The populations of communities of concern may also be characterized as having limited access to health care and education, being politically disenfranchised, being of low socioeconomic status, and belonging to a racial or ethnic minority group. A focus on the health of communities involves a public health perspective, defined in a 1988 report by the Institute of Medicine's (IOM's)
From page 3...
... Inadequate access to health care and a greater burden of disease compound whatever adverse health effects might be associated with such hazards. The concept and goal of environmental justice gained wider recognition in February 1994, when President William Clinton signed Executive Order 12898 entitled Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations (see Appendix D)
From page 4...
... Thus, in general, the committee's task was to assess the potential adverse human health effects caused by environmental hazards in communities of concern and to recommend how they should be addressed in terms of public health, biomedical research, education, and health policy perspectives. This report attempts to balance scientific opportunities with public needs and emphasizes the scientific approach in balance with the recognition that the community must play an increasingly active role in decisions about research and public health interventions.
From page 5...
... The Data and Site Visits The published literature on environmental justice and the related health effects is not abundant. Indeed, very little environmental and occupational medicine research specifically includes data for communities of concern and poor or minority workers.
From page 6...
... A coordinated effort among federal, state, and local public health agencies is needed to improve the collection and coordination of environmental health information and to better link it to specific populations and communities of concern. Public health research related to environmental justice is a legitimate and valuable endeavor and is important to the communities of concern and to na
From page 7...
... Education Among health care providers and other health care professionals, residents of communities of concern, and basic environmental health researchers, there is a lack of knowledge about the specific environmental hazards for particular populations. At present, enhanced efforts in the training of health professionals and education of the public are needed.
From page 8...
... The committee recommends that environmental justice in general and specific environmental hazards in particular be the focus of educational efforts to improve the understanding of these issues among community residents and health professionals, including medical, nursing, and public health practitioners. This would include the following: · enhancing health professionals' knowledge of environmental health and justice issues, · increasing the number of health professionals specializing in environmental and occupational medicine, and · improving the awareness and understanding of these issues by the general public.
From page 9...
... Recommendation 4. In instances in which the science is incomplete with respect to environmental health and justice issues, the committee urges policymakers to exercise caution on behalf of the affected communities, particularly those that have the least access to medical, political, and economic resources, taking reasonable precautions to safeguard against or minimize adverse health outcomes.


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