We Act for Environmental Justice, Sabin Center Releases Model Environmental Justice Act
To advance environmental justice solutions in the United States, Sabin Center for Climate Change LawAffiliates of Columbia Climate School, has been with We act for environmental justice Introduce a set of model state environmental justice bills for lawmakers and advocates to introduce and pass in their state’s 2024 legislative session.
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Removing Injustice: Models for Empowering Communities (Models for Optimizing and Designing Environmental Legislation) Created to provide interested lawmakers with the tools to accelerate proposed policy changes. It contains model legislative language, fact sheets, memoranda and regulatory briefing information covering five subject areas: (1) Cumulative Effects Reporting, (2) Indirect Source Permits, (3) Permit Renewals, (4) Environmental Advisory Committee, and (5) ) partitions.
The model bill includes enhanced regulation by national environmental agencies to address environmental injustice, new data indicators, and increased public participation—key components for understanding and mitigating the full range of cumulative impacts. WE ACT chose to partner with the Sabin Center hoping to leverage its work on cumulative impact legislation in New Jersey and New York to positively impact other communities.The cooperation with WE ACT also further promotes the Sabin Center’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism initiative.
Cumulative effects frameworks are critical to promoting environmental justice for vulnerable communities because of the combined exposure of pollutants, According to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency“tend to increase their vulnerability to new or persistent environmental hazards, which may cause, persist, or exacerbate disproportionate environmental and public health hazards and risks.” As a result, community members experience more adverse health effects, including Asthma, cancer, elevated blood lead levels, respiratory and cardiovascular disease, and developmental disabilities.
environmental justice These topics—particularly cumulative effects—have seen renewed interest under the Biden administration, which released executive order In 2021, commemorate the goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments go to marginalized, underserved, and disproportionately polluted communities.
The publication of these model laws is particularly timely given the uncertainty surrounding assessment, guidance, and regulatory enforcement related to cumulative impact assessments due to recent weakening or repeal of federal environmental protections.
While some states, such as New York, New Jersey, and Maryland, have enacted cumulative effects and environmental justice laws, more efforts are needed at the state level to continue to address cumulative effects.
Andrea Nishi is a Climate Justice Fellow at the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law.
this article is originally published Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. The complete kit can be found at: dismantle injustice.
