Causes.com
| 10.4.23

BILL: Should We Seek Environmental Justice? - A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act - H.R.1705

Tell your reps to support or oppose this bill

The Bill

H.R.1705 - A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act

Bill Details

  • Sponsored by Rep. Raúl M.Grijalva (D-Ariz.) on March 22, 2023
  • Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources; Judiciary; Transportation and Infrastructure; Agriculture; Education and the Workforce
  • House: Not yet voted
  • Senate: Not yet voted
  • President: Not yet signed

Bill Overview

  • Named in honor of the House bill's original co-lead, the legislation is the most comprehensive environmental justice ruling in history that restores, reaffirms, and reconciles justice and civil rights.
  • Environmental justice embraces the principle that all people and communities have a right to equal protection and enforcement of environmental laws and to pure air, clean water, and an environment that enriches life. 
  • Expands equitable access to parks and outdoor recreation, prioritizing opportunities that benefit urban communities.
  • Co-sponsored by Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), co-chairs of the Senate's first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus.

What's in the Bill

Targets environmental racism

  • Focuses on justice for people, particularly people of color, in underserved, low income communities who have been disproportionately harmed by toxic pollutants.  
  • Holds corporations accountable for toxic contamination.

Authorizes funding and resources

  • Directs federal agencies to develop environmental justice strategies and regularly report on implementation and progress.
  • Authorizes $75 million annually for grants to support research, education, and implementation of projects to address environmental and public health issues.
  • Establishes a Federal Energy Transition Economic Development Assistance Fund to use revenues from the oil, gas, and coal industries to support communities during the green energy transition.

Health equity

  • Funds research programs to investigate personal, menstrual, and childcare products containing chemicals linked to adverse health impacts.
  • Supports research to identify safer alternatives for cosmetic products marketed specifically towards women and girls of color.

A focus on cumulative impacts 

  • Requires consideration of cumulative impacts in permitting decisions under the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. Permits will not be issued if the project cannot demonstrate a reasonable certainty of no harm to human health. 

What Supporters Are Saying

"For far too long, we have put our most toxic, most polluting industries next door to Black and Brown neighborhoods while those in power have looked away—enough."

"In this country, environmental justice is intrinsically linked with economic and social justice. We have a moral obligation to ensure that everyone has access to clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment. Unfortunately, communities of color, low-income communities, and indigenous communities across our country are disproportionately exposed to toxic chemicals and harmful pollutants that result from the actions of the negligent few."

"Growing up in El Paso, Texas under the shadow of the Asarco copper smelter, I know firsthand how harmful environmental pollution can be to communities. But unlike when I was a child, we now have overwhelming, indisputable scientific evidence that marginalized communities in America are bearing the brunt of toxic pollution and climate change."

  • The legislative process solicited feedback and recommendations from people impacted by environmental injustice. Beginning in 2018, Rep. Grijalva and Rep. McEachin launched a nationwide, community-driven process to craft the act.

What Opponents Are Saying

  • In Louisiana's Cancer Alley, a council called the Greater New Orleans Inc. has launched a "sustainability council" to "protect and grow safe and responsible community jobs and prosperity in Louisiana" and fight off charges of environmental injustice. The group comprises over 60 representatives from companies like Chevron, Dow, Energy, BASF, and ExxonMobil.
  • Matt Wolfe, vice president of communications at Greater New Orleans Inc., said activists focus "only on the negative, and not on the positive impacts of industry on jobs, or on improving environmental outcomes."

 

Tell your reps to support or oppose this bill

 

-Emma Kansiz

(Photo Credit: Canva)

  • 53
    Kathy
    10/05/2023

    When are people going to realize that there is no climate crisis. Go back to the 1970 to 1978 headlines and you will find that at that point in time the world was going to freeze. The northern hemisphere was going to be covered with ice in just years. we were doomed. Starting in 1979 suddenly the world was warming. The world would burn. And we were doomed. Many predictions have been made since then. there are many documented predictions such as the Greenland ice sheet would be gone by 2015. It's still there. I do not deny that the climate has warmed slightly, however, true data shows the climate has been warming for hundreds of years. Long before any of this greenhouse gas stuff ever came to be. There have been times in the past when it has been much hotter as early as the 1930s. The world will continue its cycles of heating and cooling regardless of man who thinks he has the power to change the world but does not.

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    Today at 9:24 AM
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    Today at 9:24 AM
  • 48.1k
    Brian
    10/05/2023

    Environmental justice is necessary, and it improves two issues: the climate crisis and racial injustice. 

    For far too long, neighborhoods of color have been burdened with unequal treatment and environmental hazards while white populations moved further into the suburbs and countryside and ignored the plight of these neighborhoods.

    As we improve our infrastructure and prepare for a harsher climate future, we need to ensure that environmental justice is top of mind.

  • 3,320
    Steph
    10/05/2023

    We DO NEED Environmental Justice.  It shouldn't always be the rural areas, or the poorer sections that have to deal with this.

  • 2,937
    Arlys
    10/05/2023

    Good idea.  Sadly this was presented by a Democrat so doesn't stand aa snowballs chance in hell of getting passed.  Along woith the money backing of those at fault, this will never reach the needed individuals it applies to.  It is still all about power and control over the masses.  The only way this will get through is if there is  some sort of "pork" written within that will sway the vote.  Be very, very careful about what is under written.

  • 7,956
    larubia
    10/05/2023

    "Whether by conscious design or institutional neglect, communities of color in urban ghettos, in rural 'poverty pockets,' or on economically impoverished Native-American reservations face some of the worst environmental devastation in the nation.”  

    Should we have environmental justice? YES

     

    Will this bill pass? NO

     

    Why not?    Most Congressional members have lobbyists and campaign donors, responsible for this problem, contributing to campaigns and lobbying to keep the status quo.

    We see you & you don't represent us. -LaRubia, lead poisoning survivor 

     

    https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/learn-about-environmental-justice

  • 2,412
    Martha
    10/05/2023

    For sure this bill should be supported and passed.  We need to get serious about the env. before it's too late.

  • 94.0k
    LeslieG
    10/04/2023

    While environmental Justice is important, 72 democratic co-sponsors won't get this legislation to the floor much less passed so it will end up in the Legislative graveyard.

    In the current congressional environment of shared power, where the House is Republican controlled and Senate Democratically controlled, and a Democratic President, only 11% of bills made it out of committee and 2% enacted between 2021-2023.  

    This legislation has no chance without Republican co-sponsors making it bipartisan so is headed directly to the legislative graveyard.

    The Republican House is only interested in investigations for campaign PR & fund raising and not actually passing legislation. In the 100 days since the appropriations bills passed out of committee they couldn't get them on the House floor to vote on them, and are still working on them.

    https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1705/cosponsors?s=1&r=3