WASHINGTON — The Environmental Justice for All Act would provide long overdue, essential protections to combat the disproportionate burden Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color have faced due to toxic pollution. The House Natural Resources Committee held a markup on the bill which would ensure that environmental justice is centered in future legislation and in the transition to clean energy.  

“The undue burden of toxic pollution has been put on communities of color for far too long,” said Dr. Adrienne L. Hollis, vice president of environmental justice, health, and community revitalization at the National Wildlife Federation. “This bill, developed in partnership with impacted communities themselves, would bring resources and research to begin undoing these wrongs and alleviate the public health and economic challenges facing these communities. We must take action on the disproportionate costs borne by communities of color and this bill is a crucial first step.” 

The Environmental Justice for All Act, introduced by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Congressman Donald McEachin (D-Va.), would strengthen key legislation such as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the National Environmental Policy Act. The bill is one of the policy recommendations put forward by National Wildlife Federation after a series of environmental justice roundtables with community organizations, elected officials, and experts. The recommendations address environmental justice issues such as water security, infrastructure, health inequities, land use, and climate change.