Movement of Environmental Justice for All Act a Positive Step for Clean Water and Healthy Communities
(ANNAPOLIS, MD)—Yesterday, the Environmental Justice for All Act (H.R. 2021) was voted on and reported out of the House Committee on Natural Resources. The legislation can now head to the House floor for a full vote. In response, Choose Clean Water Coalition Director Kristin Reilly issued the following statement:
“It is not a coincidence that pollution disproportionately impacts Black and indigenous communities, people of color, and low-income families. It is the result of the creation of systems, policies, and programs that are rooted in systemic racism, that continue to plague this country today. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is not immune to this issue, as many of our worst environmental challenges afflict historically diverse and underresourced communities.
“The Environmental Justice for All Act would take important steps to protect impacted communities by considering the cumulative impacts of permitting decisions under the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act, providing more equitable access to the outdoors and nature, and authorizing funding to create grant programs that improve environmental and public health issues in environmental justice communities.
“As the EJ for All Act heads to the House floor, we urge all representatives to support this critical legislation. The types of policy changes and authorized funding reflected in the EJ for All Act are necessary to reach our clean water goals, as we will not succeed in our mission to protect and restore our rivers and streams until all people in the Chesapeake watershed have access to safe open spaces and clean water.
“We thank Congressman A. Donald McEachin (D-VA) for sponsoring this bill. He is a fearless advocate and a critical ally in Congress who continues to push for policies that provide everyone equal access to clean water. This is why the Coalition recognized Congressman McEachin as our 2022 Congressional Clean Water Champion.”
The Choose Clean Water Coalition is an organization that harnesses the collective power of more than 270 local, state, regional and national groups to advocate for clean rivers and streams in all communities in the Chesapeake region.
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Media Contact:
Drew Robinson
443-927-8049
RobinsonAQ@nwf.org