The Department of Defense (DoD) manages 5862 installations throughout the U.S. Military activities contaminate the soil, water, and air, causing environmental and health concerns for surrounding communities. They require environmental restoration, currently under way at 3766 installations. To involve the public in cleanup decisions, the DoD relies on Restoration Advisory Boards (RABs). RABs provide communication mechanisms whereby the DoD informs the public and the community provides input in the decision making process. Given known racial and economic injustices in exposure to contaminants, it is important that affected minority and/or low income communities take part indecisions that affect their local environment. We thus addressed the following questions: 1) Do restoration programs involving RABs take place disproportionately in minority/low income areas? 2) Are RABs effective mechanisms to involve minority/low income populations? The key findings are RABs are not representative of local communities and that RABs could be a more effective participation process to involve African Americans and other minorities and low income.