Environmental Justice and Civil Rights Restoration and Enforcement Act

Bill: 115-hr-3590
Sponsor: Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-3]
Introduced: 2017-07-28 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Advisory bodies
Air quality
Civil actions and liability
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Congressional oversight
Due process and equal protection
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental health
Environmental regulatory procedures
Evidence and witnesses
Executive Office of the President
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Higher education
Housing and community development funding
Indian lands and resources rights
Indian social and development programs
Intergovernmental relations
Land use and conservation
Legal fees and court costs
Medical research
Mining
Minority health
Performance measurement
Poverty and welfare assistance
Public participation and lobbying
Racial and ethnic relations
Research administration and funding
Rural conditions and development
Solid waste and recycling
State and local government operations
Water quality
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-28
text: 

Environmental Justice and Civil Rights Restoration and Enforcement Act

 
This bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to address environmental justice.
 
Aggrieved persons may file suit in federal court against agencies that are engaged in unlawful: (1) intentional discrimination prohibited under this bill; or (2) unintentional discrimination that causes a disparate impact on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
 
The President must establish the Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice Compliance and Enforcement. The bill specifies the duties of the working group, including: (1) advising and assisting federal agencies in identifying and addressing the disproportionate human health and environmental effects of federal programs, policies, practices, and activities on communities of color, low-income communities, rural communities, and tribal and indigenous communities; (2) developing and publishing a guidance document that defines terminology used in dealing with environmental justice issues; and (3) developing a coordinated interagency federal environmental justice strategy.
 
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must: (1) offer environmental justice training to federal employees, (2) establish grant programs that address environmental justice, (3) establish a partnership-based training program to increase the capacity of residents of environmental justice communities to identify and address disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects, and (4) establish the Environmental Justice Clearinghouse. 
 
The President must also establish an independent National Environmental Justice Advisory Council to provide advice to the EPA regarding environmental justice issues.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment.
action_date: 2017-07-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-07-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-07-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-07-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-07-28
text: Introduced in House