Administrator Jackson has the lead blog entry on the Huffington Post Green page today.  She explains why we need to work to expand the conversation on environmental issues.  “To confront the urgent environmental challenges of the 21st century, we need to make sure that every community sees their stake in this movement.” Read Administrator Jackson on Huffington Post

On Friday, August 28, U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson joined U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis in a special bilingual reading event as part of the Education Department’s summer literacy initiative “Read to the Top!!”  Administrator Jackson read the Dr. Seuss classic The Lorax to students at the Mt. Vernon Community School in Alexandria, Virginia.

On August 25, Administrator Jackson spoke at the Blacks in Government 31st Annual Conference. The Administrator announced the creation of a new position at EPA - Associate Assistant Administrator for Outreach, Diversity and Collaboration – to “spearhead and coordinate diversity initiatives across the entire agency.” The announcement reflects the Administrator’s commitment to “diversify the voices of those calling for environmental change – even if they don’t call themselves environmentalists.” Remarks

Administrator Jackson spoke to the 2009 graduating class of the Student Environmental Development Program (SEDP). The SEDP is an environmental education and leadership development program for students ages from 12-14 from diverse backgrounds. Below are excerpts from her remarks:

Politics Daily: EPA Chief Lisa Jackson Links Civil Rights and Environmental Justice

TAMPA, Fla. — … One question to Jackson was how $30 billion of government investments in energy and environmental policy would lead to improvements in some of the country’s most vulnerable communities. She answered by speaking about green jobs reaching those who need work and about cleaning up communities where toxins trigger high incidences of asthma and other illnesses. “Poisons in the ground mean poisons in the economy,” she said. Read complete article

On August 7, Administrator Jackson asked the National Association of Black Journalists for help in communicating the impacts of environmental issues on communities of color across the country. The Administrator laid out the ways that environmental challenges contribute to other challenges faced by low income communities across the country – how unclean air and water drive up health care costs, put children at risk and undermine economic growth. The Administrator conveyed her belief that “environmentalism goes hand-in-hand with traditional civil rights and social justice issues in our community.” Remarks

On August 5, Administrator Lisa P. Jackson traveled to Florida to announce a $95 million grant for Saft America, Inc. to construct a new plant in Jacksonville, Fla. The new plant will manufacture battery technology for electric vehicles. Nationwide, President Obama announced $2.4 billion in recovery act funding for advanced battery and electric drive components manufacturing and electric drive vehicle deployment.

Administrator Jackson said the following:   

“President Obama has called for us to unleash American innovators, engineers, workers and entrepreneurs. We need to get into the global clean energy race – and today we’re firing the starting gun. This recovery funding will propel America into global leadership in innovative battery manufacturing, position our auto industry to reclaim the lead in producing the cars of the 21st century, and lay a new foundation for prosperity with new jobs in clean energy.”  Read the press release

Administrator Jackson joined Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and members of Green the Block at a community meeting and press conference at the White House to discuss potential opportunities in the 21^st century green economy. Green the Block is a non-profit devoted to ensuring low-income communities take advantage of those opportunities. Administrator Jackson announced $61 million in funding to train local workers and fund the cleanup of contaminated sites in neighborhoods that can be restored and reused. That funding will put residents to work at good jobs cleaning their neighborhoods and preparing for them new development. Read more