03.23.22

New Medium Post Highlights Chairs Grijalva and Maloney’s Visit to New York City to Hear from Environmental Justice Communities on Advancing Key Federal Policies

Washington, D.C. – On Friday, March 11, 2022, and Saturday, March 12, 2022, Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) of the Committee on Natural Resources and Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, visited multiple neighborhoods in the New York City metro area to hear from local community leaders and environmental justice advocates about their personal experiences with and fights against environmental racism and other injustices.

A new Medium post detailing Chair Grijalva and Chairwoman Maloney’s two-day visit, including quotes and pictures is available here: https://bit.ly/36hOhJx

The lawmakers sought the community leaders’ input on federal legislation, including Chair Grijalva’s Environmental Justice For All Act, which he introduced with Rep. A Donald McEachin (D-Va.) on March 18, 2021. The incorporation of stakeholder feedback into the Environmental Justice For All Act is a key part of the community-led process that has shaped the legislation over the past several years.

Community leaders also voiced support for Chairwoman Maloney’s Justice in Power Plant Permitting Act, which would require an analysis of the cumulative pollution in a neighborhood before fossil-fuel fired power plants are permitted and prioritize frontline communities in permitting decisions. 

In addition, the Chairs and participants discussed the implementation and oversight of the Biden-Harris Justice40 Initiative, which is intended to ensure that climate and clean infrastructure investments benefit frontline communities, and is based on state law currently being implemented in New York?. 

Chair Grijalva and Chairwoman Maloney were also joined by New York state elected representatives and government officials who spoke to the success of various state-level environmental justice policies and initiatives.

Additional pictures of the Chairs’ visit are available here.

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