Carlton Eley is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s leading expert on the topic of equitable development. His work in the Office of Environmental Justice focuses on normalizing the practice of environmental justice during the community planning process. Carlton obtained his Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Iowa and is the first urban planner to work in the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice. Although the law; public health; waste management; and public involvement have been central to the conversation about environmental justice, Carlton says his job is to remind EPA staff and the public that some communities are dealing with environmental concerns that were prompted by a failure to plan or a failure to enforce proper zoning.

Carlton’s lecture will cover equitable development as a place-based approach. He will explain how the pathway to a sustainable future is dependent on place-based strategies that move beyond ‘changing brown to green’ and increasingly require proficiency with addressing quality of life goals while supporting community parity. You will learn how stewards of the built environment are encouraging fairness in planning and development practice to ensure everyone has a safe and healthy environment in which to live, work, and play.

This lecture is free and open to the public.