Cumulative Impacts Definition

The first formal definition of cumulative impacts in an environmental justice context was adopted by the California Environmental Protection Agency as "exposures, public health or environmental effects from the combined emissions and discharges, in a geographic area, including environmental pollution from all sources, whether single or multi-media, routinely, accidentally, or otherwise released. Impacts will take into account sensitive populations and socio-economic factors, where applicable and to the extent data are available."

Examining the combined impacts of environmental, social, and public health stressors is fundamental to assessing and addressing disproportionate impacts faced by communtities experiencing environmental injustice.