EPA Gulf of Mexico Program Honors Center for Environmental Justice

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the Center for Environmental Justice (CEEJ) in Biloxi, Mississippi second place in its 2015 Gulf Guardian Award for the Environmental Justice Category today. 

“This is the 13th year of the Gulf Guardian Awards, and I am proud to say that each year the winners in all categories have represented the very best of environmental accomplishments in the Gulf of Mexico,” Gulf of Mexico Program Chief of Staff Diane Altsman said at an awards ceremony at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, Texas. “The Gulf of Mexico Program partnership works to improve the environmental health of the Gulf, and the Gulf Guardian Awards is an important way for us to recognize these valuable efforts.”

The CEEJ has increased awareness about pollutants such as lead and creosote along the Mississippi Gulf Coast through community education campaigns. In Gulfport, Mississippi's Turkey Creek community, the organization helps community members complete health surveys and a risk assessment in connection with the Cavenham Forest Industries Plant.

Founded 20 years ago, the CEEJ helps predominantly African-American communities impacted by environmental issues to eliminate health hazards and promote economic sustainability.