The System Does Not Support Environmental Justice
Access to a healthy environment and protection from disproportionate environmental burdens should be a baseline right of every U.S. resident. So why isn’t it?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) once defined environmental justice as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws regulations, and policies.
Given this country’s history and the agency’s own track record, that sounds very aspirational.
Not surprisingly, the term “Environmental Justice” was recently removed from the EPA’s website.
On May 22,, 2025, House Republicans under pressure from the White House passed a sweeping spending plan. While ostensibly a budget and tax bill, it guts already inadequate environmental protections for air, land and water.
Dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” the administration’s plan accelerates environmental rollbacks, slashes funding for disaster preparedness, and undermines community recovery. In short: it sacrifices the health, safety, and stability of low-income families to protect polluters and profits.
Injustice by Design.
Environmental injustice has always been by design. The people most burdened by pollution and climate-related harm are overwhelmingly Black, Brown, Indigenous, low-wealth, rural, immigrant, and refugee communities—groups historically excluded from political power and impacted by systemic racism.
From highways that produce toxic and hazardous waste to factories sited near their schools and homes, these communities weren’t protected from harm—they were targeted for it.
The consequences are well documented:
Air pollution fuels asthma, cancer, and developmental disorders in children.
Water contamination causes gastrointestinal illnesses, infections, respiratory issues, and more.
Environmental disasters—like wildfires, floods, and toxic spills—hit hardest where safety nets are weakest.
In America, environmental ambivalence is policy. For far too many, the risk of breathing, drinking, or living safely depends on your zip code.
Should our government protect the vulnerable—or continue to sacrifice them?
Environmental Justice for All.
Rooted in the civil rights movement and shaped by decades of community mobilization and grassroots resistance, today’s environmental justice movement continues to combat environmental racism and the systems that sustain it.
Fighting for environmental injustice is fighting for basic human rights, the safety and well-being of communities, and sustainable health equity.
To achieve this, we need policies that:
Invest in resilient infrastructure where it’s needed most
Expand green jobs and economic opportunity equitably
Ensure universal access to clean air, clean water, and climate-related assistance
Like so many other social justice issues, progress cannot be achieved without centering, uplifting and meaningfully engaging historically marginalized communities in decision-making.
Environmental justice for all must be more than just aspirational. This requires policy, not platitudes.
TAKE ACTION:
Learn More & Support Organizations Leading the Charge
Your Voice Matters.
Right now, the Trump administration and Republican leaders are advancing policies that strip away environmental protections and abandon front line communities. We need leaders who will defend—not dismantle—our right to a healthy environment.
🗳️ Contact Your Elected Officials
Tell them: Vote for clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.
Use this easy tool from Common Cause to call or email your representatives.
📧 Sample Message to Send:
Subject: Defend Environmental Justice – Vote Against the Trump Administration’s Anti-Environment Agenda
Dear [Representative/Senator],
I am deeply concerned about the recent actions to weaken environmental protections and remove “Environmental Justice” from the EPA’s priorities. These moves sacrifice vulnerable communities and threaten public health, especially for low-income, Black, Brown, Indigenous, and rural families already burdened by environmental risks, underinvestment, and long-standing structural inequities.
I urge you to vote against any legislation that dismantles environmental safeguards and for policies that protect clean air, clean water, and the health of all communities. This is a matter of justice, health, safety, and human rights.
Environmental justice must be more than an aspiration—it must be a guarantee.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Zip Code]