Congresswoman Luz Rivas Introduces Bill to Support and Uplift Environmental Justice Communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Luz Rivas (CA-29) introduced the Environmental Justice Screening Tool Act, a bill that ensures the federal government can properly and equitably prioritize funding to environmental justice communities like the San Fernando Valley.

"For generations, environmental justice communities - like mine in the San Fernando Valley - were forced to store debris and waste from polluters which have harmed the health and well-being of our communities," said Congresswoman Luz Rivas. "My Environmental Justice Screening Tool Actgives communities a voice in what happens in their own backyards and a chance for environmental justice communities to push back on the Trump Administration's polluter-first agenda."

"The Environmental Justice Screening Tool Actis critical because it provides the data we need to advocate effectively for our communities," said Veronica Padilla-Campos, Executive Director of Pacoima Beautiful. "Reliable information allows us to highlight environmental inequities, strengthen our case for change, and secure the grants that make our work possible. With this tool, we can turn evidence into action and ensure that environmental justice efforts are grounded in facts and focused on impact."

"Correct and appropriately sourced data is a vital tool in affirming lived experiences, helping to visualize the communities living with unjust and outsized levels of harm from environmental pollution and lack of investments, historically and today," said Leslie Fields, Chief Federal Officer at WE ACT for Environmental Justice. "WE ACT thanks Rep. Rivas for her leadership on environmental justice issues in the 119th Congress, and for aiming to advance access to data that serves as a critical step in addressing environmental racism, informing equitable policies that create healthier, safer lives and environments."

"Environmental justice advocates rely on geospatial tools to understand local conditions, identify toxic hotspots, and advocate for healthier neighborhoods," said Byron Gudiel, Executive Director at the Center for Earth, Energy, and Democracy (CEED). "The Trump Administration removed critical datasets and tools, including the EJScreen, that documented toxic releases from polluting facilities in our nation's industrial corridors. We strongly support Rep Rivas' Environmental Justice Screening Tool Act to create a new tool that can safeguard access to public health data for the most pollution-burdened communities."

"The Climate Justice Alliance is proud to support the Environmental Justice Screening Tool Act- a common-sense bill that fills a much-needed gap by holistically identifying overburdened communities," said KD Chavez, Executive Director at Climate Justice Alliance. "While giant corporations and big tech continue to get special handouts, and resource-hungry data centers are built right down the road from already overburdened communities, this Act is exactly what we need. It helps pinpoint communities struggling most with pollution, health problems, climate, and economic hardship. By listening to local voices and partnering with expert institutions like Tribal governments, this tool will enable the federal government to direct support, resources, and funding to communities who need it most, especially as vital community programs continue to be on the chopping block."

BACKGROUND:

Congresswoman Rivas' Environmental Justice Screening Tool Actrequires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a publicly available geospatial mapping tool to identify disproportionately burdened communities. The tool incorporates four factors that will help determine the definition for a disproportionately burdened community. Those four factors are: environment, climate change, human health, and the economy. Key considerations like air quality, access to safe drinking water, frequency of natural disasters, asthma rates, and poverty rate are included when EPA considers each of the factors.

The legislation will solicit feedback and data from higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments to help inform EPA's work. The head of each federal department or agency will use this tool to prioritize funding and other resources for disproportionately burdened communities. EPA will submit an annual report to Congress that must contain a description of any updates made to the tool and any new locations that were identified as disproportionately burdened due to the implementation of the tool.

The Environmental Justice Screening Tool Actis supported by Pacoima Beautiful, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, the Center for Earth, Energy, and Democracy (CEED), and the Climate Justice Alliance. The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Nanette Barragan (CA-44), Andre Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (IL-04), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Pablo Jose Hernandez (PR-AL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Summer Lee (PA-12), Stacey Plaskett (VI-AL), and Darren Soto (FL-09).

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