Climate Equity Act of 2020
A BILL
To ensure climate and environmental justice accountability, and for other purposes.
2. Findings
Congress finds that—
the people of the United States have a right to live in a clean, healthful, and sustainable environment and climate, with access to clean air and clean water;
realizing the right described in subparagraph (A) will require addressing systemic environmental injustices and the growing inequities fueled by climate change;
the Federal Government has the responsibility to ensure that the right described in subparagraph (A) is realized; and
the Federal Government should be held accountable to protect the individuals most impacted by environmental degradation, climate change, and the fight to address climate change;
addressing the climate crisis will require a comprehensive set of solutions that includes—
Federal investment;
the promulgation and enforcement of rules and regulations; and
international and intergovernmental cooperation; and
any policy to address climate and environmental justice must acknowledge that—
climate change is—
an immediate crisis, the impacts of which the United States is already experiencing; and
a systemic injustice multiplier;
low-income communities, indigenous communities, and communities of color across the United States disproportionately experience the cumulative impacts of multiple pollution sources and the compounding impacts of a history of pollution exposure; and
the impacts of climate change will—
disproportionately affect the communities that are already facing environmental injustice; and
increase stressors on vulnerable communities, including the elderly, the unhoused, and individuals with disabilities.
3. Definitions
In this Act:
Agency— The term agency has the meaning given the term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
Board of Advisors— The term Board of Advisors means the Board of Advisors established within the Office under section 203(a).
Director— The term Director means a Director of Climate and Environmental Justice for an agency, as established under section 202(c)(1).
Environmental or climate change nexus— The term environmental or climate change nexus includes an action that—
is intended to directly address or respond to the environment or climate change;
has an indirect impact on the status or quality of the environment or climate, including the construction of infrastructure and the manufacturing of goods;
has the potential to create or impact jobs relating to the transition to a clean economy; and
relates to public health that may be connected to pollution or climate change impacts.
Frontline community—
In general— Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term frontline community has the meaning given the term by the Board of Advisors under section 205.
Interim meaning— Until the date on which the Board of Advisors establishes a definition of frontline community under section 205, the term frontline community means a community or population described in section 205(b).
Investment— The term investment includes a grant, loan, rebate, or other similar program that is carried out by an agency.
Office— The term Office means the Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Accountability established by section 201.
Rule— The term rule has the meaning given the term in section 601 of title 5, United States Code.