Environmental Justice Policy Work Programs | About

Environmental Justice Policy Work Programs

As a continued effort to recognize impacted communities and acknowledge historical needs to address environmental justice in Los Angeles, City Planning’s Environmental Justice Policy Team has embarked on a comprehensive effort to centralize and strengthen environmental justice policies in the City’s General Plan. Los Angeles’ General Plan prescribes policy goals and objectives that inform land use decisions, and ultimately shape and guide the physical development of the City. The Environmental Justice Policy Work Programs include General Plan updates and extensive community outreach and engagement that address issues related to land use, sustainability, climate equity, open space and environmental justice.

Three separate environmental justice work programs were initiated in 2023-2024 to help develop an equitable and transformative policy framework: the Climate Vulnerability Assessment, the Health and Environmental Justice Element Update and the Open Space Element Update.

Please see below for the current status of these department work programs:

  • Open Space Element Update: This work program is ongoing and will continue to advance through the update process, with additional community outreach occurring during the summer and fall of 2025. More information is available on the Department’s Open Space page.
     
  • Climate Vulnerability Assessment (CVA): The CVA has been completed and is available on the Department’s Climate Equity page.
     
  • Health and Environmental Justice Element Update:  The City's adopted budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 included the elimination of the Health and Environmental Justice work program and as a result, this work was discontinued in October 2025 after the second phase of outreach and engagement concluded. More information is available on the Department’s Health & EJ page.
     

Summary

The Environmental Justice (EJ) Policy Program was launched in August 2023. The Health and Environmental Justice Element work program was intended to combine the existing Health and Air Quality Elements to centralize and strengthen environmental justice policies in the City’s General Plan. The targeted update of the Open Space Element was initiated on a parallel track to address climate resilience, environmental justice and rewilding. A Climate Vulnerability Assessment for the City was also conducted to inform the Department’s overall approach to policy development and future climate planning efforts.

Background

Environmental justice is defined in State law as the “fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes, and national origins, with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.”1 The principle of environmental justice ensures equal and equitable protection from environmental and health hazards, while giving people fair and equal access to the planning and decision-making process.

The General Plan includes existing policy language that calls for the benefits of growth and investment be distributed equitably, while also ensuring that the costs are not disproportionately borne by over-burdened and under-resourced groups. Recent efforts led by City Planning to implement policies and programs that center on health and environmental justice include the recent adoption of the Oil and Gas Drilling Ordinance and the development of the draft Landscape and Site Design Ordinance to advance healthy building design and climate-adapted site design standards in the City.

However, residents in many of the City’s lower income neighborhoods continue to be more likely to live next to noxious land uses, truck routes, and other environmental hazards that affect their health. Combined with poor social and economic environments, many communities face the cumulative burden of risk and impact that may be addressed through a focus on public health and environmental justice. A commitment to environmental justice includes ensuring meaningful community participation in the planning process to promote equity and representation for underserved communities.

1The full definition of “environmental justice” in California State Law is found in California Government Code Section 65040.12(e). The Federal EPA defines environmental justice similarly; the full definition can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/ target="_blank"