​ What is the definition of environmental justice?

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According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), environmental justice can be defined as "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" (Environmental Justice | US EPA, 2023). For a community to achieve environmental justice, the EPA states that everyone must have "the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards" (Environmental Justice | US EPA, 2023). In addition, residents require "equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work" (Environmental Justice | US EPA, 2023). In her "Sustainability Plan for the Northeast Neighborhood in Harrisonburg, Virginia", Valerie Washington acknowledges that often environmental justice is equated to climate justice (Washington, 2022, 5). However, climate justice describes the recognition of "the disproportionate impacts of climate change" on marginalized communities (What Is Climate Justice? - UC Center for Climate Justice, n.d.) Washington states that because of the misuse of this term, political campaigns involving greenwashing and green gentrification have misguidedly used “environmental justice” as their key phrase (Washington, 2022, 5). 

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Indicators of Environmental Justice

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The Community Environmental Profile of the Virginia Health Opportunity Index is a public database with environmental health information. This environmental health information is reported by county or municipality. The Community Environmental Profile considers the natural, built, and social environment of a community using the following indicators: the Air Quality Indicator, Population Churning Indicator, Population Density Indicator, and Walkability Indicator. To explore more about individual indicators, visit the website’s glossary. The glossary contains all definitions and explanations for research terminology.

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As mentioned in the Environmental Justice Data highlights graphic above, Harrisonburg City residents have an "Average" or below average opportunity to score well in the Community Environmental Profile. Specifically, when compared to other communities in Virginia, Harrisonburg often scores below average in measures of environmental justice (Health Matters, Place Matters. Virginia Health Opportunity Index, n.d.).