WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and a co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, today issued the following statement on President Biden’s Executive Order entitled, “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.”
“For too long, historically disadvantaged and underserved communities in our nation have disproportionally shouldered the burdens of toxic pollution, infrastructure disinvestment, and climate change,” said Senator Carper. “This historic action by President Biden is the latest making good on his promise to deliver a cleaner, safer future for all Americans—no matter their zip code. I applaud the Biden Administration for adopting the most ambitious environmental justice agenda in our nation’s history, and I look forward to building on this important work.”
Background:
Building on Executive Order 12898, the bedrock guidance on environmental justice signed by President Clinton in 1994, this historic action will take additional steps to embed considerations for overburdened communities throughout federal agencies. By taking a whole-of-government approach to address longstanding inequities and underinvestment, as well as to combat the cumulative impacts of toxic pollutants, the “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All” Executive Order will:
- Deepen the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government commitment to environmental justice.
- Better protect overburdened communities from pollution and environmental harms.
- Strengthen engagement with communities and mobilize federal agencies to confront existing and legacy barriers and injustices.
- Promote the latest science, data and research, including on cumulative impacts.
- Expand interagency coordination and launch a new Office of Environmental Justice within the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
- Increase accountability and transparency in federal environmental justice policy.
- Honor and build on the foundation of ongoing environmental justice work.