New announcements out of D.C. have signaled good news for environmental advocates. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, of the Justice Department (DOJ), alongside the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Michael Regan, launched several new actions focused on environmental justice. The impact of these changes seems promising and can be a large win for “frontline communities” – those experiencing the most immediate and worst climate impacts.
The Justice Department launched its first-ever Office of Environmental Justice, combined with a comprehensive environmental justice strategy. The DOJ also issued an Interim Final Rule, restoring a environmental program prior to 2017. Simultaneously, the White House announced that environmental advocate, Jalone White-Newsome, will now lead environmental justice efforts at the White House Council on Environmental Quality (WHCEQ), succeeding Cecilia Martinez, who left in January.
The Office of Environmental Justice will serve as a “central hub for our efforts to advance our comprehensive environmental justice enforcement strategy,” stated Attorney General Garland. The office will also prioritize cases that demonstrate the greatest impacts on communities that are inundated with environmental harm. These actions fulfill a portion of the Biden-Haris administration’s original campaign commitments of holding top polluters accountable, helping achieve environmental justice.
The Interim Final Rule restores a previous enforcement tool called supplemental environmental projects. Violators of federal environmental protection laws will provide monetary compensation as a part of their settlement agreement to aid environmental projects. These fines then go to programs focused on environmental initiatives such as waste cleanups and pollution remediation.
The new head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Jalonne White-Newsome, is the founder and CEO of Empowering a Green Environment and Economy, a climate change consulting firm focused on public health and environmental and racial equity. Brenda Mallory, Chair of the WHCEQ, described Jalonne White-Newsome as a “strong and effective champion for communities that have been overburdened by pollution and subjected to decades of environmental injustice.” Cecilia Martinez having left the WHCEQ has caused some environmental advocates to worry about the efficacy of the organization’s leadership. However, advocates’ optimism toward Jalonne White-Newsome signals well in the right direction.
The Biden-Harris administration requested $1.4 million for the launch of the Office of Environmental Justice, in addition to $6.5 million to address climate change and pollution, according to 2023 fiscal budget documents. The launch of these actions delivers upon some of the Biden-Harris’ campaign promises, and I look forward to the beneficial impact that these decisions will have for front-line communities.