WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Environmental Justice for All Act, which the House Natural Resources Committee is considering at a hearing today, will provide essential protections for communities worst affected by pollution and environmental safety hazards and aid in the transition to a clean energy economy.

“Communities of color have been bearing the brunt of exposures to toxic pollution and the climate crisis for far too long,” said Mustafa Santiago Ali, vice president of environmental justice, climate and community revitalization at the National Wildlife Federation. “Developed in partnership with frontline community leaders — the Environmental Justice for All Act is one of the most ambitious environmental justice bills ever introduced in Congress. We have the tools to solve the public health and economic challenges facing frontline communities while also moving forward with a just and equitable transition to clean energy, so it’s time we make these opportunities a reality by moving this critical piece of legislation forward.”

The Environmental Justice for All Act, introduced by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Congressman Donald McEachin (D-Va.), would strengthen key legislation such as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the National Environmental Policy Act. The bill is one of the policy recommendations put forward by National Wildlife Federation after a series of environmental justice roundtables with community organizations, elected officials, and experts. The recommendations address environmental justice issues such as water security, infrastructure, health inequities, land use, and climate change.