Public Information and Community Outreach

Environmental Justice: Strengthening the Bridge Between Economic Development and Sustainable Communities

Director:
David Rivers, M.A.
Director, Public Information and Community Outreach
Department of Library Science and Informatics
Medical University of South Carolina

Products: Proceedings Document    2.1 MB Overview Videotape    14 MB     Request VHS Taping of Event Contact Richard Jablonski

Introduction
The Medical University of South Carolina’s Environmental Biosciences Program, South Carolina State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency convened a special three-day environmental justice conference at Hilton Head, South Carolina from Wednesday, June 9, 1999 to Saturday, June 12, 1999. The conference, "Environmental Justice: Strengthening the Bridge Between Economic Development and Sustainable Communities," focused on national and international issues in human health and the environment, environmental justice, and economic development. The conference provided a forum for people from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to share their knowledge and expertise about Environmental Justice and impart valuable information that will lead to balanced and equitable national environmental policy.

Plenary speakers included The Honorable James E. Clyburn, Member, US Congress; 6th District of South Carolina; Alvin Brown, Executive Director, Community Empowerment Board, Office of the Vice President; The Honorable Bill Richardson, Secretary, Department of Energy; The Honorable Rodney Slater, Secretary, Department of Transportation; Mildred McClain, Executive Director, Citizens for Environmental Justice; Clarence Anthony, Mayor, South Bay, Florida, and President, National League of Cities; and Dr. Rickey Hill, Chair and Professor, Department of Political Science, South Carolina State University.

"The purpose of this conference is to focus on the dialogue that must continue between and among stakeholders to ensure equitable and effective national environmental policy," said Congressman Clyburn. As Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Clyburn understands the need for a balanced and equitable environmental policy. "This conference is an outgrowth of the conversations that began two years ago at the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference (ALC), and continued at last year’s ALC. Throughout recent months, we have worked to identify various stakeholders in this issue, and invite them to participate in this broad based discussion of environmental policy."

David Rivers, Associate Director for Program Development at the Medical University of South Carolina’s Environmental Biosciences Program, stresses that "forward-thinking, comprehensive, and balanced environmental policy depends on dialogues that focus on the protection and promotion of human health, the environment, environmental justice, and economic development.