Environmental Justice

Students Drive Solutions for Environmental Justice Through Video Challenge
The Environmental Justice Video Challenge empowers students and communities to collaboratively address environmental inequities through innovative data-driven strategies, resulting in impactful projects and fostering local leadership.

LA Neighborhood Residents Unite to Block Warehouse Project
A group of Lincoln Heights residents expressed concerns about a proposed warehouse that would have brought increased truck traffic to an already overburdened area.

A Framework for Inclusive Tree Planting in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Urban Forest Equity Collective has developed an equity-centered tree-planting framework and toolkit to address historic underinvestment and mitigate extreme heat in vulnerable neighborhoods.

USDOT Launches Climate Adaptation Plan
The plan outlines the department’s key priorities in building resilient infrastructure and ensuring environmental justice in historically disinvested communities.

Addressing Orphan Wells for Environmental Justice
Remediating and repurposing some orphan oil and gas wells into parks can turn environmental hazards into community assets, promoting health, environmental justice, and accessible green space for underserved areas.

Future of Justice40 Initiative Hinges on Election
The program requires that 40 percent of some federal funds be used to benefit historically disadvantaged communities.

Addressing Tree Canopy Disparity in South Los Angeles
A new study highlights the complex challenge of addressing tree canopy disparities in South L.A., where historical environmental injustices, budget constraints, and competing community priorities hinder efforts to increase equitable tree coverage.

Study: Lakes Near Communities of Color Less Inspected for Water Quality
The research is the first of its kind to analyze the relationship between freshwater monitoring and the race and ethnicity of nearby communities.

Court Bars EPA Probes in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’
A federal court ruling effectively prevents the Environmental Protection Agency from pursuing civil rights claims in one of the nation’s most polluted regions.

‘Ground-Breaking’ Settlement Reached in Detroit Environmental Justice Case
Civil rights activists celebrate a legal settlement that will require the state of Michigan to prevent hazardous waste and other industrial facilities from disproportionately polluting lower income and predominantly Black and brown communities.

California Could Extend Oil Well Monitoring Deadlines
Legislators are considering extending the deadline for new oil well safety regulations by up to 54 months, sparking controversy over whether the delay benefits the oil industry at the expense of public health.

Playing With Numbers, Even for Environmental Justice, Isn't Justified
Environmental justice is an important issue, but does not justify playing with the numbers. But that's exactly what I found in a new study of the impacts of warehouses in New Jersey done by the Environmental Defense Foundation.

Repurposing Oil Fields Into Parks: Advancing Just Transition and Community Well-being
The concept of a "just transition" extends beyond workers to encompass broader social and environmental dimensions, including the restoration and regeneration of land and communities affected by oil extraction activities.

LA Metro Board Approves New 710 Freeway Plan
The newest plan for the 710 corridor claims it will not displace any residents.

Just Transition: Bringing Equity to the Clean Energy Conversation
A new report from the Environmental Defense Fund offers a roadmap for countries, energy companies, and other stakeholders to navigate the complexities of transitioning to clean energy while ensuring equity at every step of the process.

Nearly Half of New York City Burdened by Pollution
Communities of color make up the majority of people harmed by pollution, as well as heat and flooding, says the study, which is New York City’s first comprehensive survey of environmental injustices.

Study: Air Pollution Disproportionately Impacts Communities of Color
The negative effects of poor air quality occur at higher rates in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, according to new research.

EPA Releases Equity Action Plan
The agency is taking a more holistic approach to addressing environmental justice concerns.

Climate Justice Advocate Named One of TIME's Women of the Year
Jacqueline Patterson has dedicated her career to intersectional approaches to systems change and social and environmental justice.

AI’s Growing Threat to Climate Justice
Emerging technologies like AI have great promise for climate innovation, but also a hidden environmental footprint could lead to disproportionate harm to low-income and marginalized communities.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research