There are three fundamental Environmental Justice principles:
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To avoid, minimize, or mitigate disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects, including social and economic effects, on minority populations and low-income populations.
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To ensure the full and fair participation by all potentially affected communities in the transportation decision-making process.
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To prevent the denial of, reduction in, or significant delay in the receipt of benefits by minority populations and low-income populations
Effective transportation decision making includes understanding and properly addressing the unique needs of diverse socio-economic groups. VTrans is committed to a more comprehensive and inclusive approach while accounting for changes in both the human and natural environments resulting from transportation projects. The implementation of non-discriminatory environmental justice principles improves all levels of transportation-related decision making. This approach will produce transportation decisions that meet the needs of a diverse community, increase and strengthen community-based participation and partnerships in the transportation development process, and improve the access and quality of transportation services in the project area.
For further information contact:
Patricia Martin
Title VI Coordinator
(802) 595-6959