Environmental Justice Opportunities and Considerations for Business Owners and their Advisors in Addressing Contaminated Sites

Environmental justice (EJ) requirements are increasingly being incorporated into federal and state legislation, regulations, and funding programs. There are now more than 20 federal and state screening tools available to identify environmental justice (EJ) communities. What is less clear is how companies should proactively incorporate EJ considerations into their business processes, and how advisors should help their clients to navigate this process. 

This program, taught by Miranda Henning and Dave Anning of Integral Consulting, and Hilary Jacobs of Beveridge & Diamond, will discuss aspects of EJ as it relates to the lifecycle of a contaminated site located within an EJ community, from due diligence and investigation, through remediation and property redevelopment to operation, sale, or transfer. Through the eyes of an attorney, a scientist, and an environmental economist, this study will identify opportunities and challenges to achieving multiple legal, environmental, and business objectives, including EJ.

Learning Objectives:  

1. Define environmental justice and provide the regulatory and historical context of the current movement

2. Identify overlap and integration points between environmental justice, corporate social responsibility, and environmental, social, and governance objectives

3. Discuss regulatory requirements and analytical tools to guide environmental justice in practice, in particular, while managing contaminated sites

4. Learn tips for advising clients on how to advance environmental justice through operational and management decisions