Register for The 2022 National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program at the Washington Marriott at Metro Center
8:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Open
Conference Facilitator Ms. Carolyn Sawyer Communications Strategist Tom Sawyer Company
9:00 a.m.—10:00 a.m.
PRESENTATION: THE EVOLVING PARK IDEA David Vassar and Sally Kaplan have spent a lifetime making films and video about the natural world, parks, and environmental issues. They will present and discuss three short film clips which illustrate the evolving mission of parks: the importance of equitable access, the growing need for urban parks and historic sites that represent diverse peoples, and the battle to preserve lands that remain sacred for Native Americans. Clips include an interview with Robert Garcia, founder of City Project.
David Vassar Sally Kaplan Producers Backcountry Pictures
10:00 a.m.—11:00 a.m.
PANEL: Closing the Infrastructure Gap for Those in Need: Accessing Engineering Consulting Services for Infrastructure Provision in Underserved Areas of the US and its territories.
Natalie Celmo Senior Program Engineer Community Engineering Corps employed by Engineers Without Borders USA
Ellie Carley Senior Program Coordinator Community Engineering Corps employed by Engineers Without Borders USA
11:00 a.m.—11:15 a.m.
Break
11:15 a.m.—12:15 p.m.
PANEL: Resources, Tools, and Strategies to Promote Equitable Investments in Transportation Infrastructure.
James Schroll Senior Analyst Abt Associates
Nissa Tupper Transportation and Public Health Planner Minnesota Department of Transportation
Benito Perez Policy Director Transportation for America
Chris Forinash Principal Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates
12:15 p.m.—12:45 p.m.
BREAK
12:45 p.m.—2:00 p.m.
LUNCH
Introduction of Luncheon Keynote Speaker Dr. Kim Lambert Environmental Justice Coordinator U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
KEYNOTE REMARKS
Mike Martinez Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife and Parks U.S. Department of the Interior
2:00 p.m.—2:15 p.m.
BREAK
2:15 p.m.—3:30 p.m.
PRESENTATIONS:
USDA Forest Service Environmental Justice Mapping Program
Mark D. O. Adams Senior GIS Specialist Office of Sustainability and Climate (OSC) USDA Forest Service
Dixie Porter Deputy Director Office of Sustainability and Climate (OSC) USDA Forest Service Satellite Data for Environmental Justice: Advancing EJ Mapping Tools and Building a New Community of Practice
Lauren Johnson The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health
3:30 p.m.—4:00 p.m.
CLOSING REMARKS
Dr. Melinda Downing Environmental Justice Program Manager U.S. Department of Energy
Mr. Benjamin F. Wilson, Esq. Chairman, Beveridge & Diamond, P.C. Chairman, Board of Directors, National Environmental Justice Conference, Inc.
Timothy Fields, Jr. Senior Vice President, MDB, Inc. Vice-Chairman, Board of Directors National Environmental Justice Conference, Inc.
DAY 3 – Friday, March 11, 2022 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS
Grand Ballroom Salon E
9:30 a.m.—11:00 a.m.
Federal Title VI and Environmental Justice
This session will be a discussion with Federal civil rights offices engaged in Title VI enforcement and compliance work related to environmental and health programs receiving federal financial assistance.
Title VI Committee Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice
Daria Neal Deputy Chief, Federal Coordination & Compliance Section Civil Rights Division U.S. Department of Justice
Lilian Dorka Director, External Civil Rights and Compliance Office U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Carla Carter Associate Deputy Director, Civil Rights Division in the Office for Civil Rights U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Amy Vance Title VI Coordinator, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Yvette Rivera Associate Director for Equity and Access Division Departmental Office of Civil Rights U.S. Department of Transportation
Jacy Gaige FHEO Director of Compliance and Disability Rights U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
11:30 a.m.—12:45 p.m.
USDA Forest Service Conservation Education Strategy: Advancing Equity and Justice for All
The USDA Forest Service Conservation Education Program is developing a new Conservation Education Strategy to provide clear, agency-wide program direction, unifying how the Forest Service communicates the value and interdependence of Conservation Education while empowering delivery of programs that uplift our communities and partners. We aim to achieve a comprehensive strategy that advances equity and environmental justice for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent inequality. This session will engage participants in innovative thinking around the Forest Service’s new Conservation Education Strategy. We will review the draft strategy and engage in a small group discussions focused on how the FS and partners/communities can effectively collaborate in the advancement of equity and inclusion in Conservation Education programming.
John Crockett Associate Deputy Chief for State and Private Forestry USDA Forest Service
Tinelle Bustam National Director USDA Forest Service Conservation Education
Rachel Bayer Environmental Education Specialist USDA Forest Service Conservation Education
Elaine Jackson-Retondo Program Manager Regional Preservation Partnership and History Department of The Interior Park Service
Amtchat Edwards Education Specialist USDA Forest Service Conservation Education
2:30 p.m.—3:30 p.m.
Incorporating Cumulative Risk into Tribal Risk Assessments
Tribal Nations are disproportionately affected by environmental issues, including contamination and climate impacts. Further, Tribes are a uniquely vulnerable population in the US, as Federal agencies have a Trust responsibility to Tribes, stemming from historical treaties, requiring government to government consultation, and the respecting of treaty rights (e.g., the right to hunt/fish/gather in usual and accustomed places). Tribal communities may be at greater risk of exposure to contamination than the general population because of dependence on the environment for sustenance (hunting, gathering, fishing); fixed boundaries of reservations (compounding the effects of shifting biological populations); and confounding equity issues (such as social and health inequities). For these reasons, risk assessments that do not consider the cumulative impacts of both contaminant and non-contaminant stressors will fail to fully characterize health risk to Tribal Nations.
The purpose of this workshop is to share examples, ideas, and considerations for incorporating cumulative risk into Tribal risk assessments. Through the presentation of case studies and facilitated discussions, the goal of this workshop is to provide a broader understanding of Tribal risk assessment and to stimulate discussion and engagement on this topic.
Beth Riess Associate Abt Associates
Michelle Krasnec, PhD Senior Scientist Abt Associates