Environmental Justice Act of 2007

        SEC. 10. FEDERAL AGENCY STRATEGIES.

(a) AGENCY-WIDE STRATEGIES- Each Federal agency shall develop an agency-wide environmental justice strategy that identifies and addresses disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income populations.

(b) REVISIONS- Each strategy developed pursuant to subsection (a) shall identify programs, policies, planning, and public participation processes, rulemaking, and enforcement activities related to human health or the environment that should be revised to--

(1) promote enforcement of all health and environmental statutes in areas with minority populations, low-income populations, or Native American populations;

(2) ensure greater public participation;

(3) improve research and data collection relating to the health of and environment of minority populations, low-income populations, and Native American populations; and

(4) identify differential patterns of use of natural resources among minority populations, low-income populations, and Native American populations.

(c) TIMETABLES- Each strategy developed pursuant to subsection (a) shall include, where appropriate, a timetable for undertaking revisions identified pursuant to subsection (b).

SEC. 11. FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established a committee to be known as the `Federal Environmental Justice Advisory Committee'.

(b) DUTIES- The Advisory Committee shall provide independent advice and recommendations to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Working Group on areas relating to environmental justice, which may include any of the following:

(1) Advice on Federal agencies' framework development for integrating socioeconomic programs into strategic planning, annual planning, and management accountability for achieving environmental justice results agency-wide.

(2) Advice on measuring and evaluating agencies' progress, quality, and adequacy in planning, developing, and implementing environmental justice strategies, projects, and programs.

(3) Advice on agencies' existing and future information management systems, technologies, and data collection, and the conduct of analyses that support and strengthen environmental justice programs in administrative and scientific areas.

(4) Advice to help develop, facilitate, and conduct reviews of the direction, criteria, scope, and adequacy of the Federal agencies' scientific research and demonstration projects relating to environmental justice.

(5) Advice for improving how the Environmental Protection Agency and others participate, cooperate, and communicate within that Agency and between other Federal agencies, State or local governments, federally recognized Tribes, environmental justice leaders, interest groups, and the public.

(6) Advice regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's administration of grant programs relating to environmental justice assistance (not to include the review or recommendations of individual grant proposals or awards).

(7) Advice regarding agencies' awareness, education, training, and other outreach activities involving environmental justice.

(c) ADVISORY COMMITTEE- The Advisory Committee shall be considered an advisory committee within the meaning of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).

(d) MEMBERSHIP- The Advisory Committee shall be composed of at least 25 members appointed by the President. Members shall include representatives of--

(1) community-based groups;

(2) industry and business;

(3) academic and educational institutions;

(4) State and local governments, federally recognized tribes, and indigenous groups; and

(5) nongovernmental and environmental groups.

(e) MEETINGS- The Advisory Committee shall meet at least twice annually. Meetings shall occur as needed and approved by the Director of the Office of Environmental Justice of the Environmental Protection Agency, who shall serve as the officer required to be appointed under section 10(e) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) with respect to the Committee (in this subsection referred to as the `Designated Federal Officer'). The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency may pay travel and per diem expenses of members of the Advisory Committee when determined necessary and appropriate. The Designated Federal Officer or a designee of such Officer shall be present at all meetings, and each meeting will be conducted in accordance with an agenda approved in advance by such Officer. The Designated Federal Officer may adjourn any meeting when the Designated Federal Officer determines it is in the public interest to do so. As required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, meetings of the Advisory Committee shall be open to the public unless the President determines that a meeting or a portion of a meeting may be closed to the public in accordance with subsection (c) of section 552b of title 5, United States Code. Unless a meeting or portion thereof is closed to the public, the Designated Federal Officer shall provide an opportunity for interested persons to file comments before or after such meeting or to make statements to the extent that time permits.

(f) DURATION- The Advisory Committee shall remain in existence until otherwise provided by law.

        SEC. 12. HUMAN HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL      RESEARCH, DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS.

(a) DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT- To the extent permitted by other applicable law, including section 552a of title 5, United States Code, popularly known as the Privacy Act of 1974, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, or the head of such other Federal agency as the President may direct, shall collect, maintain, and analyze information assessing and comparing environmental and human health risks borne by populations identified by race, national origin, or income. To the extent practical and appropriate, Federal agencies shall use this information to determine whether their programs, policies, and activities have disproportionately high and adverse human health, environmental or economic effects on minority populations and low-income populations.

(b) INFORMATION RELATED TO NON-FEDERAL FACILITIES- In connection with the development and implementation of agency strategies in section 4, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, or the head of such other Federal agency as the President may direct, shall collect, maintain, and analyze information on the race, national origin, and income level, and other readily accessible and appropriate information, for areas surrounding facilities or sites expected to have a substantial environmental, human health, or economic effect on the surrounding populations, if such facilities or sites become the subject of a substantial Federal environmental administrative or judicial action.

(c) IMPACT FROM FEDERAL FACILITIES- The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, or the head of such other Federal agency as the President may direct, shall collect, maintain, and analyze information on the race, national origin, and income level, and other readily accessible and appropriate information, for areas surrounding Federal facilities that are--

(1) subject to the reporting requirements under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (42 U.S.C. 11001 et seq.) as mandated in Executive Order No. 12856; and

(2) expected to have a substantial environmental, human health, or economic effect on surrounding populations.

(d) INFORMATION SHARING- (1) In carrying out the responsibilities in this section, each Federal agency, to the extent practicable and appropriate, shall share information and eliminate unnecessary duplication of efforts through the use of existing data systems and cooperative agreements among Federal agencies and with State, local, and tribal governments.

(2) Except as prohibited by other applicable law, information collected or maintained pursuant to this section shall be made available to the public.

(e) PUBLIC COMMENT- Federal agencies shall provide minority populations and low-income populations the opportunity to participate in the development, design, and conduct of activities undertaken pursuant to this section.