Environmental Justice For All Act

3/8/2023, 8:12 PM

Environmental Justice For All Act

This bill establishes several environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities.

Specifically, the bill prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination.

In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. For example, agencies must prepare community impact reports that assess the potential impacts of their actions on environmental justice communities under certain circumstances.

Further, it creates a variety of advisory bodies and positions, such as the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council. Among other things, the council must issue an environmental justice strategy.

It also establishes requirements and programs concerning chemicals or toxic ingredients in certain products. For example, the bill (1) requires certain products (e.g., cosmetics) to include a list of ingredients or warnings; and (2) provides grants for research on designing safer alternatives to chemicals in certain consumer, cleaning, toy, or baby products that have an inherent toxicity or that are associated with chronic adverse health effects.

Finally, it creates a variety of funding programs, such as a grant program to enhance access to park and recreational opportunities in an urban areas.

Congress
117

Number
S - 872

Introduced on
2021-03-18

# Amendments
0

Sponsors
+5

Cosponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

3/18/2021

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Environmental Justice For All Act

This bill establishes several environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities.

Specifically, the bill prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination.

In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. For example, agencies must prepare community impact reports that assess the potential impacts of their actions on environmental justice communities under certain circumstances.

Further, it creates a variety of advisory bodies and positions, such as the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council. Among other things, the council must issue an environmental justice strategy.

It also establishes requirements and programs concerning chemicals or toxic ingredients in certain products. For example, the bill (1) requires certain products (e.g., cosmetics) to include a list of ingredients or warnings; and (2) provides grants for research on designing safer alternatives to chemicals in certain consumer, cleaning, toy, or baby products that have an inherent toxicity or that are associated with chronic adverse health effects.

Finally, it creates a variety of funding programs, such as a grant program to enhance access to park and recreational opportunities in an urban areas.

Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedA bill to restore, reaffirm, and reconcile environmental justice and civil rights, and for other purposes.

Policy Areas
Environmental Protection

Potential Impact
Administrative law and regulatory procedures•
Administrative remedies•
Advisory bodies•
Air quality•
American Samoa•
Buy American requirements•
Caribbean area•
Child health•
Civil actions and liability•
Climate change and greenhouse gases•
Coal•
Community life and organization•
Congressional oversight•
Cosmetics and personal care•
Department of Transportation•
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation•
Due process and equal protection•
Ecology•
Economic development•
Electric power generation and transmission•
Employee benefits and pensions•
Employment and training programs•
Energy revenues and royalties•
Energy storage, supplies, demand•
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)•
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research•
Environmental education•
Environmental health•
Environmental regulatory procedures•
Evidence and witnesses•
Executive Office of the President•
Executive agency funding and structure•
Federal officials•
Federal-Indian relations•
Food supply, safety, and labeling•
Foreign language and bilingual programs•
Geography and mapping•
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management•
Government information and archives•
Government studies and investigations•
Government trust funds•
Guam•
Gulf of Mexico•
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances•
Health programs administration and funding•
Health promotion and preventive care•
Health technology, devices, supplies•
Higher education•
Historical and cultural resources•
Housing and community development funding•
Indian lands and resources rights•
Indian social and development programs•
Infrastructure development•
Intergovernmental relations•
Internet and video services•
Internet, web applications, social media•
Land transfers•
Land use and conservation•
Legal fees and court costs•
Licensing and registrations•
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries•
Marketing and advertising•
Medical research•
Mining•
Minority health•
Monuments and memorials•
Northern Mariana Islands•
Oil and gas•
Outdoor recreation•
Parks, recreation areas, trails•
Performance measurement•
Pest management•
Poverty and welfare assistance•
Product safety and quality•
Public participation and lobbying•
Public transit•
Public-private cooperation•
Puerto Rico•
Racial and ethnic relations•
Regional and metropolitan planning•
Research administration and funding•
Rural conditions and development•
Sex and reproductive health•
Soil pollution•
Solid waste and recycling•
State and local government operations•
Transportation programs funding•
U.S. territories and protectorates•
Urban and suburban affairs and development•
User charges and fees•
Virgin Islands•
Water quality•
Water use and supply•
Women's health•
Youth employment and child labor

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary4/29/2021

Environmental Justice For All Act

This bill establishes several environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or progr...


Latest Action3/18/2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.