The U.S. EPA released an initial list of programs covered under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative.
According to the EPA, this program aims to deliver 40% of "the overall benefits of climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, clean water, and other investments to disadvantaged communities."
The EPA’s initial list includes 72 programs covered by the Justice40 Initiative, according to the EPA news release.
EPA is continuing to implement six Justice40 pilot programs, including: the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund; Clean Water State Revolving Fund; Reducing Lead in Drinking Water; Superfund; Brownfields; and Diesel Emissions Reductions Act Program.
The EPA's document detailing the Justice40 Initiative states:
"As detailed in the M-21-28 guidance memo, Justice40 covered programs are any Federal program that makes a covered investment in any one of the following seven categories: climate change, clean energy and energy efficiency, clean transit, affordable and sustainable housing, training and workforce development, remediation and reduction of legacy pollution, and the development of critical clean water and wastewater infrastructure. Existing and new programs, including those created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, that make covered investments in any of these categories are considered Justice40 covered programs in line with current statute. As such, we expect this list to evolve over time as new Federal programs are created or existing Federal programs sunset."
Other programs include the Small and Disadvantaged Communities Drinking Water Grant Program, the US-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program, and the Drinking Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Grant Program.
Additionally, according to the EPA, the agency has committed to "not just meet but exceed the 40% goal of benefits flowing from investments to disadvantaged communities associated with these programs."
EPA used the Interim Implementation Guidance from the White House Office of Management and Budget to determine the existing programs and new programs funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that would be covered under the Justice40 Initiative.
EPA and The White House are also in the process of developing benefit methodologies to track and report the benefits going toward disadvantaged communities negatively and disproportionally impacted by pollution.
The initial list of announced Federal covered programs can be found at https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40
More information on Justice40 at EPA can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40-epa
