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Remind Congress We Still Need The Environmental Justice for All Act
Reintroduced as the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act (H.R.1705, S.919)
We still want Congress to act on "the moral principle that all people have the right to pure air, clean water, and an environment that enriches life." We still agree "Federal policy can and should seek to achieve environmental justice, health equity, and climate justice for all underserved communities," let's urge them to do so.
Context:
- Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was a significant step toward greater investment in clean energy. Some provisions of the IRA are expected to stimulate fossil fuel production and worsen pollution in areas already saturated by heavy industry.
- This Session, the House has proposed legislation to loosen procedural protections around energy projects or ramp up leasing permits long sought by the fossil fuel industry. This includes efforts to undermine cornerstone environmental protections like the National Environmental Policy Act and measures that will increase the risk to public health. Current proposals would make the permit process even more political, with the fast-track procedures benefiting harmful projects, such as the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
- While on Friday, April 21, 2023 President Biden put forward Executive Order “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All,” which mirrors several key priorities from the “A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act,” Congress should do its part and move to codify better and more accountable relationship with environmental justice communities. We can help by urging Congress to pass into law the protections articulated in the act.
Grounding:
We ground this action firmly in our 7th Principle, “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part,” our 1st Principle, “Respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person,” our 2nd Principle, “Justice, equity and compassion in human relations” and the 8th Principle, which UUSJ has voluntarily adopted, and encourages “journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse, multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”
The 2019 UU General Assembly adopted an Action of Immediate Witness to Build the Movement for a Green New Deal, recognizing the intersectional nature of climate and [environmental] justice issues.
Advocates & Media
- Why Congress Should Pass the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act, Union of Concerned Scientists, May 2023
- The Promise of the Environmental Justice for All Act, Natural Resources Defense Council, March 2023
- Environmental Justice for All Act gets new life, Southern Environmental Law Center, March 2023
- Five Ways the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act Will Empower Frontline Communities and Help Remedy Decades of Environmental Injustices, Earth Justice, March 2023
- EJ4ALL Reintroduction Letter 2023, We Act, March 2023
- Proposed Bill Treats Environmental Justice as a Civil Rights Issue, Capital B, March 2023
Bill Sponsor Resources:
- Fact Sheet, EJ for All Act, March 2023
- Statement of Findings, EJ for All, March 2023
- Booker, Grijalva, Lee, Duckworth Introduce the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act, Press Release (Sen. Booker), March 2023
- Community Impacts Report, EJ for All, 2022
- Environmental Justice [Portal] House Natural Resources Committee, Ranking Chair
The Environmental Justice For All Act Would Still:
- Enable frontline environmental justice communities to hold polluters accountable in court for projects that use federal funds and engage in environmental discrimination.
- Require federal agencies to consider the cumulative impacts on human health when deciding whether to issue permit decisions.
- Impose fees upon oil, gas, and coal companies which would be used to support workers and communities as industries transition away from fossil fuels
- Provide regular funding for research and programs to improve public health and reduce health disparities in communities suffering from environmental injustice.
Remind Congress We Still Need The Environmental Justice for All Act
Reintroduced as the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act (H.R.1705, S.919)
- We still want Congress to act on "the moral principle that all people have the right to pure air, clean water, and an environment that enriches life."
- We still agree "Federal policy can and should seek to achieve environmental justice, health equity, and climate justice for all underserved communities."
Let's urge Congress to move the Environmental Justice for All Act during the 118th Session, we can't give up our advocacy in solidarity with frontline communities and sacrifice zones, just because it got hard with a split National legislature.
The harms already done must not be compounded.
Sorry, we're not targeting legislators in your district. But, you can still help!
Become a Member!
Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) has been the leader for a national UU advocacy movement in Washington, DC., and will continue our efforts, acting from:
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Our conviction that Black Lives Matter
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Our belief that No Human Being is Illegal
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Our care for the planet which sustains us all and merits respect
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Our commitment to a people-centered sustainable economy
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Our stance that this democracy should be inclusive
We appreciate your effort!
Become a Member!
Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) has been the leader for a national UU advocacy movement in Washington, DC., and will continue its efforts, including furthering our conviction that Black Lives Matter!