The Federal Government has made it a goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution.
What kinds of investments fall within the Justice40 Initiative?
The categories of investment are: climate change, clean energy and energy efficiency, clean transit, affordable and sustainable housing, training and workforce development, remediation and reduction of legacy pollution, and the development of critical clean water and wastewater infrastructure.
How is the Administration implementing the Justice40 Initiative?
A national commitment to environmental justice of this magnitude has never been made before. To meet the goal of the Justice40 Initiative, the Administration is transforming hundreds of Federal programs across the government to ensure that disadvantaged communities receive the benefits of new and existing Federal investments in these categories. Through the President’s Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the American Rescue Plan, Federal agencies are making historic levels of investment to advance environmental justice. This investment will help confront decades of underinvestment in disadvantaged communities, and bring critical resources to communities that have been overburdened by legacy pollution and environmental hazards.
What type of direction has the White House provided to Federal agencies to achieve the goals of Justice40 Initiative?
The task of delivering the benefits of hundreds of Federal programs to communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution requires fundamental and sweeping reforms to the very way in which the Federal Government as a whole operates. Last year, the White House issued formal Interim Implementation Guidance directing all Federal agencies to identify and begin transforming their programs covered under the Justice40 Initiative – which agencies are currently implementing. Here are some key topics addressed in the formal guidance:
What is a covered Justice40 investment?
Covered Federal investments include any grant or procurement spending, financing, staffing costs, or direct spending or benefits to individuals for a covered program in a Justice40 category.
What is a Justice40 covered program?
A “covered program” is a Federal Government program that falls in the scope of the Justice40 initiative because it includes investments that can benefit disadvantaged communities across one or more of the following seven areas: climate change, clean energy and energy efficiency, clean transit, affordable and sustainable housing, training and workforce development, remediation and reduction of legacy pollution, and the development of critical clean water and wastewater infrastructure. Existing and new programs created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the American Rescue Plan that make investments in any of these categories can also be considered Justice40 covered programs.
All Justice40 covered programs are required to engage in stakeholder consultation and ensure that community stakeholders are meaningfully involved in determining program benefits. Covered programs are also required to report data on the benefits directed to disadvantaged communities.