Energy Equity and Environmental Justice Summit Report 2022

Abstract

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) hosted a limited-engagement Energy Equity and Environmental Justice (EEEJ) Summit on September 28, 2022, with the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Economic Impact and Diversity (DOE-ED) and DOE national laboratories: Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and Savannah River National Laboratory. The goal of the Summit was for labs to highlight their capabilities in the EEEJ space and connect them to DOE-ED’s mission and goals as well as share lessons learned and best practices in our various programmatic spaces. The event commenced with an opening address from Director Shalanda Baker (DOE-ED), which included a call to action for the national labs. Three presentation panels followed, giving insights to the programs stewarded by national laboratories that are currently taking steps to enhance the way science is implemented through equity and justice lenses. A roundtable discussion concluded the Summit and highlighted lessons learned, gaps, challenges, opportunities, and future needs that will improve the impact and partnership of EEEJ work at DOE, national laboratories, at other agencies and institutions, and in other programmatic areas. Interest among participants to stay connected and coordinated and to partner on EEEJ work across labs was emphasized, including a suggestion to establish an intra-laboratory community of practice.