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Environmental Justice

Portland District Commitment

The Portland District is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and environmental justice principles and practices related to its workforce, partnerships, and community engagements. Leaders and teammates will strive to meet the needs of historically disadvantaged communities by reducing disparate environmental burdens, removing barriers to participation in decision-making, and increasing access to benefits provided by programs of the Corps. We work collaboratively with other federal, state, local governments, non-governmental organizations, Tribal Nations, and historically disadvantaged communities to build trusting relationships, encourage active engagement, and increase participation of all communities in the assessments of need, studies, and implementation.

The Portland District has drafted an Environmental Justice Outreach Strategy to achieve the goals set forth by the leadership within the Corps. This strategy outlines 7 objectives and describes how these will be delivered.

7 Key Objectives for the Environmental Justice Strategy

  1. Improving the timing and quality of outreach to local communities and access to USACE Civil Works information and resources.
  2. Forming strong partnerships within and outside of the government to strengthen underserved and disadvantaged community participation in USACE programs and activities.
  3. Developing and optimizing USACE resources to broaden internal expertise through the continual refinement and application of tools, training, and products centered on EJ.
  4. Strengthening Tribal relationships by creating opportunities to listen and increase effective communication while enhancing USACE’s ability to understand and respond to Tribal water resources needs. 
  5. Improving awareness, access, and participation for USACE Civil Works technical assistance programs while maximizing assistance that benefits underserved and disadvantaged communities.
  6. Forming effective partnerships, early engagement, and ensuring comprehensive analysis of a full range of benefits for USACE studies and programs; and,
  7. Developing whole-of-government solutions, where possible, for all aspects and phases of USACE Civil Works programs, from study development to construction and operation of projects.

What Is Environmental Justice?

Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income regarding the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies, with no group bearing a disproportionate burden of environmental harms and risks. This goal will be achieved when everyone can enjoy:

  • The same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards, and
  • Equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.

What's New In Environmental Justice

Justice40 (Executive Order 14008) aims to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, clean water, and other investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution.

Regarding the US Army Corps of Engineers, the programs that the Justice40 Initiative applies to are:

What Does A Whole-Of-Government Approach Mean?

When addressing the needs of any given community, the Corps may be able to aid, or we may not have a program that is compatible with the need. In this situation, the Corps strives to facilitate connecting communities with agencies who can assist. Below is a list of other federal agencies with programs geared toward Environmental Justice.