The Environmental Protection Agency has honored Kathryn Mutz of the CU-Boulder Natural Resources Law Center with the agency's Environmental Achievement Award.
Mutz is a senior research associate, lawyer and staff member at the center. The award was presented by Michael Gaydosh, deputy to the assistant regional administrator of enforcement, compliance and environmental justice, during the center's annual June conference.
"The EPA, as part of its mission, works to ensure that all communities, regardless of race or income level, benefit from environmental laws, a goal that we refer to as 'environmental justice,'" said Gaydosh. "We are pleased to recognize Kathryn for outstanding leadership and, in particular, for her work in the center's 'Justice in Natural Resources' project."
"The concept of 'Environmental Justice' is usually applied to 'brown' issues -- inequities in the siting or operation of pollution-producing facilities," explained Mutz. "The center's project explores the equity issues in the management, development and protection of the West's natural resources. We are proud that the EPA has recognized our contribution to the important work of promoting environmental justice."
Mutz organized the various phases of the project, which included sponsoring and hosting a number of forums. She also commissioned, contributed to and edited a set of essays on a variety of natural resource and environmental justice issues from academics, practitioners and government representatives called "Justice and Natural Resources: Concepts, Strategies and Applications."
"Kathryn reframed the national debate about environmental justice to include issues of water development, timber harvesting, endangered species programs, wilderness and parks protection, and energy development activities," said Gaydosh.
The Natural Resources Law Center is a research and educational program at the University of Colorado School of Law. The mission of the center is to promote sustainability in the rapidly changing American West by informing and influencing natural resource laws, policies and decisions through a comprehensive program of research, education and advice. The center marks its 20th anniversary this year.
"Justice and Natural Resources: Concepts, Strategies and Applications" is available from Island Press.
For more information contact Jeannie Patton at (303) 492-1288.