Environmental Justice Leadership Forum on Climate Change
2016
In the United States, there is a higher percentage of communities of color and low-income
communities living near power plants. In fact, there are many power plants that are located near
small rural communities with high percentages of low-income populations. In urban areas, nearby
communities tend to be both low-income and communities of color. The Environmental Protection
Agency’s Clean Power Plan – released in August 2015 – requires states to reduce their emissions of
carbon dioxide (CO ) from fossil- fueled fired power plants. For the first time,the EPA is requiring
state regulators to not only meet the new CO emissions levels, but to also (1) demonstrate how they
are meaningfully engaging all stakeholders – workers and low-income communities, communities of
color, and indigenous populations, people living near power plants and otherwise potentially affected
by the state’s plan, (2) describe their engagement with their stakeholders, including their most
vulnerable communities, and (3) evaluate the effects of their plans on vulnerable communities and
take the steps necessary to ensure that all communities benefit from the implementation of this rule.
The purpose of this “Guidance”is to be a resource for state agencies and other stakeholders as they
work to meaningfully engage with communities in the planning and implementation of this rule.