Soon after taking office, Biden fulfilled his promise by creating the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council To coordinate Justice40 InitiativeThe goal of the, which is to deliver 40% of the benefits of federal climate investments to disadvantaged areas.
On Tuesday, however, three members of the advisory council met reporters to discuss a critical aspect of the White House’s approach towards environmental justice. They also made recommendations for how to improve its work moving forward.
They were especially critical of the recent announcement of the administration that federal climate-related spending decisions will not be based on race, despite decades worth of research showing that people with color are most vulnerable to environmental hazards.
The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) released in February a beta version for a screening tool that did away with race. This tool was used to identify communities afflicted by poor air quality, polluted water, and other environmental threats. Our colleague Darryl Fears Report at the time.
We will be examining the CEQ screening tool in detail to determine its limitations for effectively delineating disadvantaged areas without taking into account racial demographics. Robert BullardBullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice founder. Texas Southern University.
Bullard, known for his pioneering work in environmental justice, expressed concern about the screening tool’s failure to consider middle-income Black communities, which have a higher level of air pollution today due to decades of federal housing discrimination.
He stated that middle-income African Americans who earn $50-60,000 a yearly are more likely to live near polluted neighborhoods than Whites who earn $10,000. CEQ screening tools would not be able to identify Black middle-class communities that are subject to flooding caused 100 years ago by racial Redlining in the ’20s.
Bullard stated that he is working on a supplemental screening tool, which will include demographic data from racial groups. This will allow Bullard to show exactly what’s missing by not including race in the government screening tool.
CEQ spokesperson said that the screening tool was initially launched in beta form so that the administration could get feedback from the public. The tool would then be updated to better identify overburdened areas.
In an email to The Climate 202, the spokesperson stated that racism and race are factors that have contributed to the concentration of pollution in this country. This tool attempts to reflect the legacy of injustice and the reality of environmental and socioeconomic data.
CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory Also Previously told the New York Times Lisa Friedman Biden’s administration sought to develop a screening method that would withstand anticipated legal challenges.
- The Supreme Court The court is set to hear a challenge from colleges to the way they consider race when trying to create diverse student bodies. Affirmative action supporters fear that the conservative majority of the court will stop affirmative action, overturning 40-years of precedent.
- Temporarily, lower courts in Wisconsin (and Florida) have been temporarily closed. BlockadeThe Biden administration’s attempt to provide $4 billion in debt forgiveness for Black and minority farmers, who have endured decades of racial discrimination by banks and the government.
The other speakers at Tuesday’s conference call were Beverly WrightThe founder and executive director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Peggy Shepard, co-founder of and executive director WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
Both women declined to give their opinions on the Biden administration’s progress so far in addressing environmental inequities.
Wright stated, “I’m not at a stage where I want to rate them,” adding that they’re only one-year in. There’s always room for improvement. If we don’t see the things that need to get done, the real grade is later.
She said, “As a college professor at this point, they are given an incomplete with a lot opportunity to go to an F or an A.”
The Justice40 Initiative is also being implemented by the three speakers.
- Wright and the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice are focusing on educating communities about this initiative, strengthening partnerships and developing workshops on Justice40.
- Shepard will launch a pilot program in five major cities with WE ACT for Environmental Justice to monitor the local use and impact of Justice40 funds.
- Bullard and Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice will field test the supplemental screening instrument.
The foundation will support the projects. Bezos Earth FundWhich? AmazonFounding founder Jeff Bezos In 2020, it was established to provide $10 million in grants for environmental causes. (Bezos also owns The Washington Post.
Manchin believes Keystone XL could decrease dependence on Russian oil
Sen. Joe Manchin III(D-W.Va.), chairman Senate Committee on Energy and Natural ResourcesOn Tuesday, the revival of the Keystone XL pipeline During a visit to Alberta in Canada, America could reduce its dependence on Russian oil.
Participating in a news conference with Alberta Premier Jason KenneyManchin stated that Keystone XL was something we should never abandon as the United States races for high gasoline prices due to the war in Ukraine.
On his first day at work, President Biden The key permit for the pipeline, which would have transported tar sands oil from northern Alberta to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries, was revoked. Biden’s administration had only 8 percent of the pipeline built, and experts believe it unlikely that the project would have been completed today.
Manchin also criticized Biden’s decision to buy dirty energy from OPEC, Venezuela, and instead of producing more oil and natural gas in Canada and the United States. He said that these countries have higher environmental standards, and spend more on carbon capture, and sequestration.
He said that if you take the United States of America and take Canada out of fossil business, Mother Earth will be in trouble and the environment will go to hell in a handbasket.”
Biden’s attempt to lower fuel prices using corn
Tuesday was a Tuesday for the Biden administration. Environmental Protection Agency E15, which is gasoline with higher levels of alcohol, will be sold through the summer to provide some consumers with a cheaper option. Dino Groni and Anna Phillips report. However, the plan for more corn-based biofuel could increase pollution.
The EPA has a policy of banning summertime sales E15, which is 15% corn-based ethanol, due to concerns that summer heat could make smog worse.
Ed AvolProfessor and expert on air pollution at the University of Southern CaliforniaAccording to, switching to ethanol reduces carbon Monoxide pollution, but it also leads to higher outdoor ozone levels. linkedasthma and other diseases.
Depending on how you look at it ethanol could be considered good or bad for air pollution, he said. He added, however, that he was in favor of the removal of ethanol from gasoline.
Climate change drove historic 2020 hurricane seasons rainfall, study reveals.
Global warming increased hourly rainfall during the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, by as much as 11% compared to preindustrial levels. According to a report in a StudyTuesday, April 12, 2008 Nature CommunicationsThe Post’s Kasha Patel reports.
One of the most clear indicators of climate change is what we see in extreme weather events, particularly cyclones. Kevin ReedLead author of the study. He stated that he expects to witness such an increase in rainfall rates and accumulation in the 2021 study and the upcoming season, as the climate signal is only increasing in frequency.
Research has shown that increased global temperatures caused by human-induced climate change can increase the atmospheric water content and allow hurricanes to intensify quicker.
DeJoy states that electric vehicles are not a priority for the Postal Service
Interview with The Washington Posts Jacob Bogage, Postmaster General Louis DeJoyIt was stated that top Biden administration priorities, like those for climate changes, should be addressed by Congress and not the presidency Postal Service
Despite calls from the Biden administration for electrification of the entire federal fleet, the mail service has concluded plans to replace aging delivery trucks with mostly gas-powered trucks.
Dejoy supported his decision by stating that he had just placed his first order for 50,000 trucks, 10,019 of which are electrical out of approximately 148,000 total. He stated that he would adjust each order based on the agency’s financial situation.
DeJoy stated, “My mission is to deliver mail and packages.” I support the policy of electrifying our fleet. I wouldn’t spend all of my money on this.
Warehouses are striving to be greener
Warehouses and distribution centers were hot commodities during the pandemic. E-commerce sales soared, and now there are calls for their owners to make these buildings greener. Jane MargoliesReports for The New York Times
Many warehouses still use fossil fuels. They were not built to the highest standards. In recent years, some warehouse owners have taken steps to make their buildings more efficient. For example, they have turned their roofs into solar farms that provide clean electricity to the warehouse and the surrounding community.
