American legislators Rep. Raul Grijalva of Southern Arizona, and Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, are soon expected to introduce the Environmental Justice for All Act SB 872 in the U.S. Congress. The bill is expected to address the impact of industrial pollution by empowering marginalized, low income communities, where environmentally-harmful infrastructure projects are commonly located.
It is reported that the Act has gained hundreds of supporters from across the United States. “More than 250 participants from 43 states conducted 160 lobby visits with 100 Democratic offices and 60 Republican offices for the Environmental Justice for All Act,” tweeted Bridget Moix the, General Secretary of The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Senator Tammy Duckworth sits on several influencial committees of the state of Illinois including the Environment and Public Works Committee member, and co-founded the Senate’s first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus. Together Representative Raul Grijalva, who vowed to prioritize strong environmental protections to combat the climate crisis and safeguard our planet for future generations to come.
According to the founder of environmental justice movement Dr. Robert Bullard, Black, Brown, indigenous, and low-income communities in particular have historically been disproportionately affected by environmentally-harmful infrastructure projects.
With its promise transform the legal landscape and give back power to the people. If passed, the bill will enable affected communities to access information on environmental and human health risks, and take legal action against polluters, access. In addition, the legislation is promising to provide funding to address environmental and public health issues impacting marginalized communities.
