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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>66327</law_id><section_number>2.2-234</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>10.1-104.6:1</reference><reference>45.2-1706.1</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="2.2">Administration of Government</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">Organization of State Government</unit><unit label="part" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="A">Office of the Governor</unit><unit label="chapter" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="2">Governor's Secretaries</unit><unit label="article" level="5" order_by="1" identifier="12">Virginia Environmental Justice Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>For purposes of this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Community of color</span>&#x201D; means any geographically distinct area where the <span class="dictionary">population of color</span>, expressed as a percentage of the total population of such area, is higher than the <span class="dictionary">population of color</span> in the Commonwealth expressed as a percentage of the total population of the Commonwealth. However, if a <span class="dictionary">community of color</span> is composed primarily of one of the groups listed in the definition of &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">population of color</span>,&#x201D; the percentage population of such group in the Commonwealth shall be used instead of the percentage <span class="dictionary">population of color</span> in the Commonwealth.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Environment</span>&#x201D; means the natural, cultural, social, economic, and political <span class="dictionary">assets</span> or components of a community.
		&#x201C;Environmental justice&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">fair treatment</span> and <span class="dictionary">meaningful involvement</span> of every person, regardless of race, color, national origin, income, faith, or disability, regarding the development, implementation, or enforcement of any environmental <span class="dictionary">law</span>, regulation, or policy.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Environmental justice community</span>&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">low-income community</span> or <span class="dictionary">community of color</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Fair treatment</span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">equitable</span> consideration of all people whereby no group of people bears a disproportionate share of any negative environmental consequence resulting from an industrial, governmental, or commercial operation, program, or policy.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Fenceline community</span>&#x201D; means an area that contains all or part of a <span class="dictionary">low-income community</span> or <span class="dictionary">community of color</span> and that presents an increased health risk to its residents due to its proximity to a major source of pollution.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Low income</span>&#x201D; means having an annual household income equal to or less than the greater of (i) an amount equal to 80 percent of the median income of the area in which the household is located, as reported by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and (ii) 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Low-income community</span>&#x201D; means any census block group in which 30 percent or more of the population is composed of people with <span class="dictionary">low income</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Meaningful involvement</span>&#x201D; means the requirements that (i) affected and vulnerable community residents have access and opportunities to participate in the full cycle of the decision-making process about a proposed activity that will affect their <span class="dictionary">environment</span> or health and (ii) decision makers will seek out and consider such participation, allowing the views and perspectives of community residents to shape and influence the decision.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Population of color</span>&#x201D; means a population of individuals who identify as belonging to one or more of the following groups: Black, African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, other non-white race, mixed race, Hispanic, Latino, or linguistically isolated.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">State agency</span>&#x201D; means any agency, authority, institution, board, bureau, commission, council, or instrumentality of state government in the executive branch of government.</p></section></text><history>2020, cc. 1212, 1257.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
