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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE <br /> On January 15, 2016 South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, by executive order,enacted a City- <br /> wide diversity and inclusion initiative which among other things supports a policy of equal <br /> opportunity, diversity and inclusion throughout the community and within the City's <br /> administrative offices and Departments. Under this policy, diversity includes the "different <br /> individual attributes such as national heritage and origin, language, race,color, ethnicity, religion <br /> sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, socioeconomic status, educational background, life <br /> experiences, and modes of thought..." <br /> This City initiative encompasses the federal government concept of environmental justice <br /> ("EJ"), that is, "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, <br /> color, national origin or income with respect to the development, implementation, and <br /> enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies."The City commits to the objective <br /> that no group of persons, including racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic, should bear a <br /> disproportionate share of negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, <br /> municipal, and commercial operations of the execution of federal, state, or local programs and <br /> policies. <br /> South Bend is a participant in the Michiana Area Council of Governments ("MACOG"), <br /> which, using a methodology developed by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, <br /> has conducted an analysis of potentially disadvantaged population groups within its participating <br /> members, including the City of South Bend. MACOG's current list of populations which have <br /> indicators of Potential Disadvantage are: <br /> Non-Hispanic Minority <br /> Hispanic <br /> Households in Poverty <br /> Limited English Proficiency <br /> Elderly over age 65 <br /> Carless Households <br /> Persons with Physical Disabilities <br /> Because the census tracts for the region indicate the average minority population for any <br /> census tract within the region is 15.8%, any census tract with a greater percentage, including <br /> Page 117 <br />