Using the EPA’s involvement in the Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Justice and Executive Order 12898
1. How effective are the rules and/or regulations at protecting the entire population from environmental hazards, regardless of socioeconomic status, opportunity and privilege?
2. Describe why environmental justice involves ethical decision-making in respect to distributive justice, protecting marginalized communities, and the development and enforcement of environmental laws.
3. Describe the ethical decision-making process the agency must navigate when making decisions that may benefit some at the expense or risk of others.
Give at least 2 references APA style, 400 word minimum.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for safeguarding public health and the environment, including ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic status, have access to clean air, water, and land. The EPA’s involvement in the Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Justice and Executive Order 12898 aims to address the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on marginalized communities by focusing on distributive justice, protecting these communities, and developing and enforcing environmental laws. However, the agency must navigate ethical decision-making processes that may benefit some individuals or groups at the expense or risk of others.
1. The effectiveness of the EPA’s rules and regulations at protecting the entire population from environmental hazards is debatable. Despite regulatory efforts, low-income and minority communities often face greater exposure to environmental hazards, leading to a disproportionate burden of negative health outcomes. For example, communities located near hazardous waste sites, industrial plants, or major transportation corridors are more likely to experience exposure to toxins and pollutants that may affect their health, while facing significant economic, social, and political barriers to accessing information and resources that may help protect them. Moreover, environmental hazards may exacerbate existing disparities, such as higher rates of chronic illnesses, decreased life expectancy, and lower quality of life.
2. Environmental justice involves ethical decision-making that addresses distributive justice, as it concerns the fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens across all populations, including marginalized communities. It also involves protecting these communities from harm, recognizing that they may be less capable of protecting themselves due to factors such as poverty, language barriers, and lack of access to legal resources. Environmental justice must also take into account the development and enforcement of environmental laws that are responsive to the needs of these communities, as they may not have the same level of political power to advocate for their rights.
3. The EPA must navigate an ethical decision-making process when making decisions that may benefit some individuals or groups at the expense or risk of others. This may involve balancing the cost of regulation with the benefits it provides, as well as considering the short-term and long-term consequences of regulatory decisions. Moreover, the agency must consider the impact of regulations on different populations, particularly those that are traditionally marginalized or vulnerable. This requires engaging in extensive research, consultation with affected communities, and collaboration with other regulatory bodies to ensure that the agency’s policies support environmental justice and unbiased decision-making.
References:
1. Bullard, R. D. (2002). Environmental justice: Grassroots activism and its impact on public policy decision making. Journal of Social Issues, 58(1), 147-163.
2. Harris, C. S., Paddock-Anacker, S., & Daigle, J. J. (2015). Environmental justice and federalism: Perspectives on local government participation in environmental policy implementation. Journal of Environmental Management, 156, 128-135.
