Washington’s Environmental Justice Landscape Scan

Produced by Oregon Public Health Institute

As a partner of the Northwest Environmental Justice Center (NWEJC) and the Center's state organizer for Washington, Oregon Public Health Institute (OPHI) conducted a scan of the environmental justice landscape in Washington State, particularly the southwestern, central, and eastern regions where environmental inequities are more prominent. The purpose of the landscape scan is to identify the needs of key environmental justice partners and community-led efforts so that OPHI’s outreach and the NWEJC’s technical assistance, training, and communications offerings reach the communities that need the resources and support the most  We are also hoping this resource can be used for the benefit of community-based organizations to learn about other programs doing great work to collaborate on efforts and for funders to learn about the issues in communities and support the work happening to address those. 

The scan includes an overview of what environmental justice groups identified as: 

• the key EJ issues and priorities communities face, 

• which communities they serve and where, 

• the key challenges for their organizations, and

• the technical assistance and training they need

The scan also provides a roundup of key “community connectors.” These are individuals who amplify the voices and concerns of underserved communities and can play a vital role in bridging the resources needed to drive meaningful change within their communities. 

To conduct this scan, OPHI collected data from published reports, websites of relevant organizations (59 community-based organizations, collaboratives, and EJ-focused government agencies), and four interviews with key stakeholders. The scan did not capture every environmental justice initiative, and not all contacted organizations participated in interviews. We realize some recent developments may not be captured and welcome suggestions from communities, organizations, and others regarding what we should include in future editions.

Photo by Vlada Karpovich: https://www.pexels.com/photo/snow-covered-mountain-under-orange-sky-4448845/

Here is a preview of our findings: 

The primary environmental justice issues identified by environmental justice groups in southwestern, central, and eastern Washington concern water, climate, land management, health (particularly air quality and food security), housing, and energy issues (e.g., clean energy transition). Smaller yet significant areas of focus included social justice, cultural sovereignty, workers' rights, and coalition-building for collective action.

The greatest challenges faced by these organizations are as follows: 

• Funding: Many organizations face financial instability, with some relying on volunteers or experiencing staff layoffs due to insufficient funding.

• Capacity: Limited staff and resources hinder the ability to scale efforts, respond to emerging challenges, and fully engage with communities.

• Expertise Gaps: Lack of specialized skills (e.g., grant writing, data management) limits the effectiveness of organizations.

• Coordination Issues: Fragmented support networks, lack of transparency from government agencies and corporations, and difficulties sharing information and resources make collaboration challenging.

• Community Engagement Barriers: Cultural and language barriers, along with trust-building issues, complicate outreach to marginalized communities, especially those most impacted by environmental justice concerns.

As such, environmental justice groups identified the following technical assistance and training needs:

• Funding and Partnership Navigation: Organizations need help identifying funding sources, writing grants, and building strategic partnerships.

• Grant Review and Advice: There is a demand for expert guidance on grant applications and aligning projects with funder priorities.

• Networking and Collaboration: Organizations seek opportunities to network, share best practices, and collaborate on joint initiatives.

• Data Management: Organizations require support in consolidating and managing data to better track and communicate their impacts.

• Storytelling and Advocacy: Organizations need help with crafting compelling narratives and utilizing media for advocacy.

• Communication: Support is needed to improve internal and external communication strategies and transparency.

The landscape scan also revealed that many of these organizations could benefit significantly from offering additional technical assistance and capacity-building efforts to “community connectors.” Strengthening the capacity of these individuals through targeted outreach, mentorship, and technical support would not only bolster their own initiatives but also enhance the broader network of environmental justice work in their regions.