House Democrats are urging the Biden administration to enhance tribes’ access to environmental justice funding and resources through the Justice40 initiative.
Ranking Members Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.) of the House Natural Resources and Energy and Commerce Committees, respectively, penned letters to various agencies on June 14, calling for tribal groups to be included in the initiative.
Launched via executive order in January 2021, the Justice40 Initiative aims to ensure that 40 percent of the benefits of federal investments in areas such as climate and clean energy reach underserved communities, including tribes and eligible Indigenous communities.
A recent addition to the Justice40 program involves upgrading the country’s power grid to integrate renewable energy sources.
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“I am eager to collaborate with the administration and congressional colleagues to address the issues raised in the GAO report and ensure tribes receive the necessary resources and support for success,” Mr. Grijalva stated.
Mr. Pallone echoed these sentiments, highlighting the historical injustices endured by tribal communities. “Tribes have long borne the brunt of pollution impacts disproportionately, and it is time to correct this injustice.
“Ensuring tribes have straightforward access to the Biden Administration’s transformative Justice40 programs, designed to enhance environmental justice for communities like theirs, is a critical first step.”
The legislators emphasized that the GAO report underscores the need to eliminate obstacles hindering these initiatives.
The report emphasizes the importance of agencies involving tribal input in their processes, identifying remaining barriers, and improving applicants’ access to information. It also stresses the significance of overcoming these barriers to enhance project funding for crucial water infrastructure, affordable housing, and addressing legacy pollution, among other areas covered by the Justice40 Initiative.
Mr. Grijalva and Mr. Pallone’s letters urge the EPA, USDA, and FEMA to take prompt action to enhance tribal access to vital resources and support the administration’s objectives of advancing environmental justice and equity.
The EPA, USDA, and FEMA have not responded immediately to The Epoch Times’ request for comments.
