EPA’s 2012 Southeast Regional Environmental Justice Conference
Date/Time
Date(s) - 16 Aug 2012 until 17 Aug 2012
7:30 AM - 10:00 PM
Location
Atlanta Federal Center - Sam Nunn Bldg.
EPA’s 2012 Southeast Regional Environmental Justice Conference, “Promoting Environmental Justice through Effective Education, Collaboration, and Mobilization”
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Office of Environmental Justice is hosting the Regional Environmental Conference on August 16-17, 2012. The conference will be held at the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center in Atlanta, GA. The conference goals are:
- To develop tangible solutions to address environmental, health, and social impacts affecting communities with environmental justice concerns;
- To educate the attendees on the environmental, health, and social impacts affecting communities with environmental justice concerns; and
- To provide networking opportunities for environmental justice leaders and organizations.
Over 150 people, representative of all stakeholder groups, will attend the conference and build relationships that will benefit their communities and promote sustainable growth. Workshops and sessions will be led by experts in their field.
Conference Schedule [PDF, 3pp., 71K]
Purpose:
This conference will promote environmental justice by:
- Identifying the presence and impact of health problems in environmental justice communities;
- Increasing stakeholder understanding of the public health impacts of unequal distribution of environmental pollution;
- Helping stakeholders to identify their problems, develop and implement creative solutions and share project success stories;
- Identifying tools and strategies environmental justice organizations can use to sustain themselves once federal and state funding have ceased;
- Using environmental justice, within each state, as a theme to build partnerships with state and local government officials, community groups, academics, industry and others; and
- Providing technical assistance, such as grant writing training, to help stakeholders advance their environmental justice efforts.
Although the federal government has taken measures to ensure environmental equality, an effective strategy must incorporate perspectives from a diverse group of impacted stakeholders. This conference will promote education, collaboration and mobilization among environmental justice community groups; environmental organizations; federal, state and local government officials; academic institutions; and other interested stakeholders to help us all better identify and implement solutions for communities that are most overburdened by environmental pollution.
Conference Registration:
Registration is REQUIRED for everyone (including EPA & Federal employees). Advanced Registration closes on Friday, 08/03/12. Conference materials will be prepared based on pre-registration.
Conference Dates: August 16-17, 2012 (Thursday & Friday)
Conference Location:
Atlanta Federal Center – Sam Nunn Bldg.
61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
2nd Floor Conference Center
Cost: FREE
Complete Registration information
Travel Scholarships:
Recipients of travel scholarships will be notified by July 27, 2012.
Audience:
Communities, States, Local Businesses, Colleges, and Universities in GA, AL, MS, TN, KY, FL, SC and NC
Directions:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 Office is located at 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30303. We are in the tower building diagonally across from the Five Points MARTA Station, directly behind the McDonald’s at the corner of Forsyth Street and Alabama Street. There is a parking lot across from the building on Alabama Street. The lot closest to the street is $6/day, and there is another parking lot behind the federal building.
Security Procedures:
When you enter the federal building you will pass through a security check point requiring government issued picture identification to receive a visitors badge at the front desk. Then proceed to the left and take the large middle staircase to the second floor conference rooms. Once you have reached the top of the staircase, make a left to the Conference Center. On Friday (08/17/12), participants taking the EJ Assessments Training will need to take the elevator bank to your right (floors 9-14). Stop at the ninth floor and check in at the EPA visitors registration area. You will receive another visitor’s badge. Then the receptionist will contact the conference sponsors to escort you to the room for the EJ Assessments training.
CO-SPONSORS
We thank our co-sponsors for their support and for their assistance with the conference.
Alabama Department of Environmental Management
Center for Sustainable Communities
DIRTT Environmental Solutions
Emory University, Office of Sustainability Initiatives
Green Group Holdings
Southface
Spelman College
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Secretary for Health
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service
REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE
Read the conference programming information. Review the schedule and workshop/sessions descriptions to help you select sessions that interest you.
Agenda with session descriptions [PDF, 14pp., 123K]
There are 3 easy ways to register
- Online Registration: https://epa.connectsolutions.com/e5t4ysila62/event/registration.html
- Send an email to: mclendon.ella@epa.gov with “Register for the Regional EJ Conference” in the subject line. Please provide your name, organization, mailing address, email address, telephone number, and workshop selections for breakout sessions 1 and 2.
- By Phone: Please call Ella McLendon at 404-562-8316. On the voice message system, please say and spell your name, organization, mailing address, email address, telephone number, and workshop selections for breakout sessions 1 and 2.
HOTEL INFORMATION
A limited number of rooms have been reserved at the prevailing government rate of $109.00 + tax. Guests will be responsible for making room reservations. Online reservations can be made using the following links.
Courtyard Atlanta Downtown
133 Carnegie Way
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
1-800-321-2211
Rooms will be available under the name of “Environmental Justice Conference” room block. The deadline reservation to register for this hotel at the reduced rate is July 30, 2012.
For rooms with King size bed:
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/atldo?groupCode=ejcejca&app=resvlink&fromDate=8/16/12&toDate=8/19/12
For rooms with 2 queen beds:
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/atldo?groupCode=ejcejcb&app=resvlink&fromDate=8/16/12&toDate=8/19/12
Holiday Inn Express Atlanta Downtown
111 Cone Street NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
1-888-465-4329
Rooms will be available under the name of “EJC” room block. The deadline reservation to register for this hotel at the reduced rate is August 1, 2012.
http://www.hiexpress.com/hotels/us/en/atlanta/atlws/hoteldetail
CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE
The conference planning committee was comprised of a group of individuals representing various stakeholder groups. The committee was instrumental in formulating and organizing the conference agenda.
Note: Conference presentations and the conference proceedings will be available after the conference.
