Officials say new White House climate justice screening tool does not exclude race to avoid legal challenges| Environment

Friday’s release by the Biden administration was a screening tool that helps identify communities in need of assistance. However, it will not consider race when deciding where resources should be allocated.

Reporters were told by officials from the Administration that excluding race would make projects less likely to be challenged and easier to defend. However, they acknowledged that race is a significant factor in determining who suffers environmental injustice.

Members of the environmental justice group reacted harshly to the decision.

Robert Bullard, a professor in urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University and a member the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, said that “it’s a huge disappointment” and that it’s difficult to identify communities most affected by pollution.

President Joe Biden has made climate change a priority for his administration and has signed an executive order pledging to “deliver environment justice in communities across America.” The order, which was signed by Joe Biden in his first week on the job, sets a goal of 40% of overall climate and environmental benefits going to disadvantaged communities. This tool is an essential component of the so-called Justice40 Initiative.

Brenda Mallory, the White House Council on Environmental Quality chair, stated that the tool will direct federal investments in climate, clean energies, and environmental improvements to communities that “have been left out and neglected for far too long.”

Catherine Coleman Flowers, who was a member the advisory council and served on a group that made the Biden administration recommendations for this tool, stated that she supports the move to exclude race.

She called the tool a good starting point that will likely improve over time. She said including race as an element could lead to the tool being rescinded by the Supreme Court.

She stated that race is a factor, but not the only one. “Being marginalized in different ways is a factor.

The screening tool takes into account 21 factors such as air pollution, economic status, and health outcomes to identify communities most at-risk to economic and environmental injustice.

Environmental justice experts pointed out that the exclusion of race as a factor in environmental harm is contrary to a large body of scientific research.

Sacoby Wilson associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health stated, “This was a politically driven decision.” “This decision was not based on data or scientific research.” Wilson has done extensive research on the distribution of pollutants and helped to develop mapping tools such as the one released by the Council on Environmental Quality on Friday.

“How can White House address environmental racism while not addressing race?” In a tweet, the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice asked. The New Orleans-based group works with families who have been affected by decades worth of industrial pollution in the Gulf Coast area.

The group stated, “Time and again, data have clearly shown that African-Americansdisproportionately live in areas with higher pollutants than others.”

Beverly Wright, executive director of the center, was instrumental in organizing a “Journey to Justice”, tour by Michael Regan, EPA Administrator last fall. The week-long tour, which was primarily focused on low-income communities, mostly minorities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, led to a series enforcement actions by EPA to address air polluting, unsafe drinking water, and other problems afflicting minorities in the Gulf Coast and across the country.

This tool is not the first to be found in the United States or in the federal government. For years, tools like this have been available in California, Maryland, Michigan, and New Jersey. EJ Screen, a similar tool is available from the Environmental Protection Agency. Many of these screening tools provide information about the racial makeup in communities, as well as environmental and health data.

The public has 60-days to try the tool and provide feedback. Friday’s announcement by the CEQ also indicated that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are currently working to launch a study of existing tools.

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Matthew Daly, an Associated Press journalist, contributed to this article.

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Follow Drew Costley @drewcostley.

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The Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education supports the Associated Press Health and Science Department. All content is the sole responsibility of the Associated Press.

This work is supported by a Walton Family Foundation grant and administered by Society of Environmental Journalists.