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Protection from Cumulative Emissions and Underenforcement of Environmental Law Act of 2023
12/15/2023, 3:55 PM
Summary of Bill HR 1673
One key provision of the bill is the establishment of stricter limits on cumulative emissions from multiple sources, such as factories, power plants, and vehicles. By setting clear limits on the total amount of pollutants that can be emitted in a given area, the bill aims to reduce the overall impact of pollution on the environment and public health.
Additionally, the bill includes measures to improve enforcement of environmental laws. This includes increasing funding for environmental enforcement agencies, enhancing penalties for violations of environmental regulations, and improving coordination between federal, state, and local authorities. Overall, the Protection from Cumulative Emissions and Underenforcement of Environmental Law Act of 2023 seeks to strengthen environmental protections and ensure that existing laws are effectively enforced to safeguard the environment and public health for future generations.
Congressional Summary of HR 1673
Protection from Cumulative Emissions and Underenforcement of Environmental Law Act of 2023
This bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address the cumulative public health risks associated with multiple environmental stressors and recommend measures to reduce the number of violations of environmental law in certain environmental justice communities. Environmental justice communities are communities with significant representation of communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities that experience, or are at risk of experiencing, higher or more adverse human health or environmental effects, as compared to other communities.
In addition, the EPA must publish and implement a proposal for a protocol that assesses and addresses the cumulative public health risks associated with multiple environmental stressors, such as impacts associated with global climate change.
Further, the EPA must identify at least 100 communities that (1) are environmental justice communities; and (2) have had more environmental law violations than the national average, as determined by the EPA. The EPA must then identify the causes of the violations, identify measures to reduce the number of violations, and implement such measures.
