Environmental Justice Community Handbook Made Available to the Public to Assist Individuals and Communities in Using the Law to Combat Environmental Racism

In 1997, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law published its Environmental Justice Community Handbook. The Handbook provides community groups and individuals with an understanding of environmental and civil rights laws and exercising their right to environmental protection. It provides overviews of environmental laws in layperson's terms. Each section contains information on how community members can become involved in the decision-making process and a series of commonly asked questions and answers. The Handbook also lists EPA hotline telephone numbers, Federal environmental justice contacts, frequently called Federal telephone numbers, and technical assistance information available through other governmental agencies and nonprofit groups.

Barbara Arnwine, the Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law observed, "The Handbook is an excellent tool for communities to inform, and thereby empower themselves and to understand how they can use environmental, public health, and civil rights laws for their benefit and protection." Since its publication, the Handbook has been distributed to community groups and environmental justice organizations throughout the country.

For a free copy of the Environmental Justice Community Handbook and a sheet updating the 1997 contact information, contact:

Eric Munoz at emunoz@lawyerscomm.org
or by calling 1- 888-299-5227.

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Environmental Justice Project