Varied development patterns within a city can lead to unequal impacts in communities. New development, such as a regional port, can generate new jobs and enrich a city but may also increase air pollution in the surrounding area. On the other hand, an absence of local development can also adversely impact a community. For example, a lack of grocery stores in a community limits access to healthy food choices, which has been linked to increased obesity rates. Some communities suffer more from the adverse effects of varied development patterns by carrying a more significant and disproportionate burden of the associated health risks. Environmental justice speaks to these historical imbalances that exist in our communities, despite all being part of one city.

The State of California defines environmental justice as:

"[The] fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." California Government Code Section 65040.12(c)

Environmental justice ensures that people of all races, cultures, and incomes are equally and equitably valued, protected and served by laws. This includes regulations and policies that impact the quality of the environment around us, such as transportation, parks, natural spaces, urban landscapes, City services and the overall use of land.

To learn more about these disparities view the Story Map

The purpose of the Environmental Justice Element is to identify and reduce unique or compounded health risks in our city with a focus on disadvantaged communities. Priorities outlined in the Environmental Justice Element will be reflected in community plans, City Council policies, infrastructure priorities and facility improvement programs, as well as annual City budgets that work together with the General Plan to advance improvements in neighborhoods throughout San Diego.

Topics addressed by the Environmental Justice Element will work toward:

• Promoting physical activity
• Reducing barriers to civic engagement
• Reducing pollution exposure
• Creating comfortable public space and facilities
• Championing food access
• Advancing safe and sanitary homes

There are already great community-led projects and programs across the City of San Diego advancing environmental justice. The story map below highlights a few of these projects. This work must continue to be elevated through supportive policies, objectives, and goals that inform future analyses, projects, and funding priorities.

EJ Case Studies

The Environmental Justice Element will prioritize the following:

Understanding conditions in communities impacted by compounded health risks will inform the development of equitable goals, policies, funding strategies and implementation measures to address historical inequities. To make environmental justice a reality, communities most impacted and negatively affected by environmental burdens and associated health risks will need to be identified. Environmental Justice Communities can begin to be identified based on quantifiable factors pertaining to neighborhood quality and environmental hazards such as air pollution, access to fresh food and household income, all of which are known to contribute to health issues. While the Environmental Justice Element will apply to all areas of the city, special attention will be given to Environmental Justice Communities to advance the City's climate and equity goals.

The Planning Department conducted an initial Environmental Justice Screen to inform the selection of Environmental Justice Communities. This exercise was informed by the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 tool developed by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, the Climate and Economic Justice Screening 1.0 tool developed by the Council on Environmental Quality within the Executive Office of the President, and additional local data to supplement these tools in relation to Food Apartheid and Heat Indicators. The Environmental Justice Screen will be further informed by the lived experiences of people across the city and feedback collected will serve to refine or expand upon findings from the data analyzed. Outreach and engagement will be conducted in the spring of 2023 to ensure the final selection of Environmental Justice Communities reflects input from community members and better captures areas impacted by compounded health risks.

Draft Environmental Justice Communities for discussion and further input.

Community involvement is extremely important to the City and the input received from our communities will drive the decision-making process. Below are ways to stay connected and provide feedback.

More Participation = More Environmental Justice!

More Participation = More Environmental Justice!