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EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt Appoints New Members to National Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Requests Nominations for New Members
WASHINGTON — Ahead of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Committee’s (NEJAC) public teleconference on March 8, 2017, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt announced the appointment of eight new members to the Council. The meeting discussion will focus on NEJAC’s workgroups including the Environmental Justice and Water Infrastructure Finance and Capacity Workgroup. EPA also announced that nominations are being accepted for four new members to fill vacancies.
"I am proud to announce this distinguished group of new members to the NEJAC,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “Their significant experience and expertise will be invaluable to the NEJAC as it provides advice and recommendations to help the Agency improve public health, protect the environment, and support economic growth for all people.”
Established in 1993, the NEJAC provides advice and recommendations about broad, cross-cutting issues related to environmental justice to the EPA Administrator. New members – who come from academia, community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, state and local governments, tribal governments, and industry – serve for a two-year term.
EPA selected new members from a large pool of highly qualified candidates. Selections were made in accordance with the NEJAC charter to achieve balance and diversity in terms of geographic location, gender, ethnicity, and stakeholder perspective.
The new NEJAC members and their affiliations are listed below:
Business and Industry
• Jabari O. Edwards – J5 GBL, LLC, Columbus, Mississippi
• Michael Tilchin – Jacobs Engineering, Washington, District of Columbia
• Dewey F. Youngerman III – Continental Maritime of San Diego, San Diego California
Community Based Organizations
• Na’Taki Osborne Jelks, PhD – West Atlanta Watershed Alliance and Procter Creek Stewardship Council, Atlanta, Georgia
• Jerome Shabazz – JASTECH Development Services Inc. and Overbrook Environmental Education Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Non-Governmental Organizations
• Jeremy F. Orr, JD – Michigan State Conference NAACP, Detroit, Michigan
• Sandra Whitehead, PhD – National Environmental Health Association, Washington, District of Columbia
State and Local Government
• Karen Jacobs Sprayberry – South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Columbia, South Carolina
EPA is also inviting nominations for additional new members to fill four new vacancies for terms through September, 2019. The deadline for applications is April 13, 2018, with appointments expected in October 2018. To maintain the representation outlined by the charter, nominees will be selected to represent: academic institutions (2 vacancies); business and industry (1 vacancy); and state and local government (1 vacancy).
For more information about the NEJAC: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice
For more information about applying for the NEJAC: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/nominations-nejac