States Question EPA’s Civil Rights Authority In Strategic Plan Comments

A host of states are questioning EPA’s authority to bolster civil rights considerations in environmental decision-making in comments filed on the agency’s draft strategic plan for fiscal years 2022-2026, which includes for the first time a discrete goal addressing environmental justice (EJ) and non-discrimination requirements under civil rights law. EPA issued the draft plan Oct. 1, where the EJ and civil rights goals won high praise from advocates , even though many of the plan’s deadlines do not fall until...