On August 4, 2011, the Department of Commerce and other Federal agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop or revise existing environmental justice (EJ) strategies to protect minority and low-income populations from experiencing disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects caused by an agency’s programs, policies, and activities. 

In compliance with this commitment, the Department of Commerce is releasing for public comment a draft EJ Strategy, which will completely replace the Department’s original EJ Strategy produced in 1995 in response to Executive Order 12898 section 1-103.  Through November 30, 2011, the Department welcomes any comments or feedback on this draft EJ Strategy.  In addition, the Department is soliciting feedback on the following specific topics:

• Are there additional Departmental programs, policies, or activities that should be included in the EJ Strategy in addition to those already identified?
• What should the Department’s environmental justice goals and objectives be in relation to providing and supporting climate science, services and adaptation?

When providing feedback, please put “EJ” or “environmental justice” in the subject line.