On the campaign trail, Barack Obama promised to improve environmental justice programs meant to help lower-income people who can be more susceptible to the consequences of natural disasters, toxic contamination and other environmental threats.
 
We asked the White House how Obama was doing on this front, and we learned he's made some progress.
 
First, Obama promised to strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, which helps nonprofits address local environmental problems. Indeed, EPA has increased funding for this program to the tune of $1 million, an increase of $200,000 since the last budget cycle, according to the White House. Overall, funding for environmental justice programs have been increased by $3.5 million under the new administration.
 
Over the last year, EPA has been handing out grants to improve environmental justice in downtrodden communities. For instance, in March, it announced $800,000 for projects ranging from an asbestos education project in Chicago to energy-efficiency workshops for Spanish-speaking communities in Kansas. In November, the EPA announced an additional round of grants totaling $1 million.
 
The administration has taken some symbolic steps to improve the Office of Environmental Justice as well. For the first time ever, it appointed two senior advisers for environmental justice and civil rights; it convened the first-ever teleconference to solicit comments on environmental justice issues; and EPA Secretary Lisa Jackson issued a memo requesting that the potential effects of new regulation or policy on minority and low-income communities be included in the rulemaking process.
 
All this adds up to some impressive action in Obama's first year, said Al Huang, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council specializing on environmental justice issues. He's particularly impressed with how quickly EPA was to quash Bush-era rulemaking that could have harmed low-income communities, including an effort on industry-wide toxic substance reporting requirements.
 
"They've done a good job of stopping bad things from the previous administration," Huang said. "As far as moving new things, the jury's still out."
 
Whether Obama comes through on other parts of his promise, such as giving low-income communities greater ability to challenge policies and processes that affect their environmental health, remains to be seen, Huang said.

So, the administration has made some headway on this promise, but we'd like to see where it goes. For now, we give this one an In the Works.