I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1889 
To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
continue to carry out certain programs relating to environmental justice, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 12, 2021 
Mr. RUIZ (for himself and Mr. MCEACHIN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be sub-
sequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency to continue to carry out certain programs 
relating to environmental justice, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Environmental Justice 
for Coronavirus Affected Communities Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Communities of color, low-income commu-
nities, Tribal and indigenous communities, fossil 
fuel-dependent communities, and other vulnerable 
populations, such as persons with disabilities, chil-
dren, and the elderly, are disproportionately bur-
dened by environmental hazards that include expo-
sure to polluted air, waterways, and landscapes. 
(2) Environmental justice disparities are also 
exhibited through a lack of equitable access to infor-
mation and data on potential exposure to environ-
mental hazards. 
(3) Communities experiencing environmental in-
justice have been subjected to systemic racial, social, 
and economic injustices and face a disproportionate 
burden of adverse human health or environmental 
effects, a higher risk of intentional, unconscious, and 
structural discrimination, and disproportionate en-
ergy burdens. 
(4) These disproportionate burdens are being 
exacerbated by the COVID–19 pandemic. 
(5) Citizen science will be essential for environ-
mental justice communities to protect themselves 
during this pandemic. 
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SEC. 3. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GRANT PROGRAMS. 
(a) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GRANTS.—The Ad-
ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall 
continue to carry out— 
(1) the Environmental Justice Small Grants 
Program and the Environmental Justice Collabo-
rative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Pro-
gram, as those programs are in existence on the date 
of enactment of this Act; and 
(2) the Community Action for a Renewed Envi-
ronment grant programs I and II, as in existence on 
January 1, 2012. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION FOR GRANTS IN RESPONSE TO 
COVID–19 EMERGENCY.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal 
year 2022— 
(A) $50,000,000 to carry out the programs 
described in subsection (a); and 
(B) $50,000,000 for grants and activities 
authorized under subsections (a) through (c) of 
section 103 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 
7403) and grants and activities authorized 
under section 105 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
7405). 
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(2) PRIORITY FOR FUNDS.—In awarding grants 
under the programs described in subsection (a) pur-
suant to this section, the Administrator shall 
prioritize projects that will— 
(A) monitor pollution in or near environ-
mental justice communities; 
(B) investigate or address the dispropor-
tionate impacts of the COVID–19 pandemic in 
environmental justice communities; or 
(C) address disproportionate environmental 
or public health harms and risks in minority 
populations or low-income populations under— 
(i) section 103(b) of the Clean Air Act 
(42 U.S.C. 7403(b)); 
(ii) section 1442 of the Safe Drinking 
Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–1); 
(iii) section 104(k)(7)(A) of the Com-
prehensive Environmental Response, Com-
pensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 
U.S.C. 9604(k)(7)(A)); and 
(iv) sections 791 through 797 of the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
16131 through 16137). 
(c) DISTRIBUTION.—Not later than 30 days after 
amounts are made available pursuant to subsection (b)(1), 
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the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agen-
cy shall make awards of grants under each of the pro-
grams described in subsection (a). 
Æ 
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