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Biden Admin Pouring Millions of Dollars Into 'Environmental Justice' for Minorities

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The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that it will direct an additional $50 million to strengthen the monitoring of air pollution and improve air quality for communities of color and “environmental justice communities.”

EPA administrator Michael Regan told CNN that communities of color historically are affected by unfavorable environmental policies, resulting in poor air quality.

“Communities of color and environmental justice communities have been impacted by a number of systemic policy decisions that have been made,” Regan said.

“Whether it be transportation, looking at roads and highways that cut through the heart of many of these communities, whether you look at failed drinking water systems … or whether you look at facilities that spew pollution in closer proximity than other communities.”

The EPA announced it will start a grant competition this year for proposals on monitoring air quality in affected communities.

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Although there is no timeline for when these resources will be distributed, Regan said the agency is working as quickly as possible to get money to the hardest-hit communities.

“We’re laser-focused on how we can get these precious resources to those who need it the most,” he said, according to CNN.

“And I’m confident that we have the staff expertise, we have the existing relationships, and we’re going to leverage our state and tribal partnerships to get the job done.”

This money brings to $100 million the total amount that Congress has allocated to the EPA as part of the American Rescue Plan for projects targeting health disparities.

Is money being spent frivolously?

“This funding is a much-needed down payment on getting state and local clean air agencies the resources they need to advance the equitable protection of healthy air for all,” Miles Keogh, executive director of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, said in a news release.

The EPA announced last month that $50 million would address “disproportionate environmental or public health harms and risks” in underserved communities, according to CNN.

Over 40 percent of Americans live in areas with unhealthy air quality, which could lead to asthma issues and lung cancer, according to the American Lung Association.

The association found that people of color are most affected by poor air quality and are “61 percent more likely than white people to live in a county with a failing grade for at least one pollutant.”

A variety of sources contribute to poor air quality, including power plants, vehicles and industrial facilities.

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Research from Harvard University also suggests a connection between long-term air pollution and higher death rates from COVID-19, according to CNN.

“Our communities of color and low-income communities have been disproportionately impacted for generations, and COVID-19 exacerbated the health disparities that we have seen or been seen in these communities,” Regan told the outlet.

“If we can properly monitor the air quality in these communities, we begin to alleviate many of the stressors that put these communities at an uncompetitive advantage when the pandemic first hit.”

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Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. A University of Oregon graduate, Erin has conducted research in data journalism and contributed to various publications as a writer and editor.
Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. She grew up in San Diego, California, proceeding to attend the University of Oregon and graduate with honors holding a degree in journalism. During her time in Oregon, Erin was an associate editor for Ethos Magazine and a freelance writer for Eugene Magazine. She has conducted research in data journalism, which has been published in the book “Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future.” Erin is an avid runner with a heart for encouraging young girls and has served as a coach for the organization Girls on the Run. As a writer and editor, Erin strives to promote social dialogue and tell the story of those around her.
Birthplace
Tucson, Arizona
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated with Honors
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, University of Oregon
Books Written
Contributor for Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future
Location
Prescott, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English, French
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Health, Entertainment, Faith




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