FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS CONTACTS: Platform for a Just Climate/CEED: press@ceed.org / Climate Justice Alliance (CJA): kayla@unbendablemedia.com / Environmental Justice Leadership Forum (EJLF)/WE ACT: ashley.sullivan@weact.org
Environmental Justice organizations are celebrating the formation of the House Environmental Justice Caucus as a historic step towards building the just climate future our communities deserve
March 26, 2026, Washington, DC | Environmental justice organizations and coalitions from across the country are arriving in Washington, DC to stand alongside Rep. Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12), & Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) as they announce the formation of the Environmental Justice (EJ) Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The co-leads of the new House EJ Caucus have a strong record of championing justice for the pollution-burdened communities they represent in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Now, they are partnering with grassroots coalitions Climate Justice Alliance (CJA), the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum (EJLF) hosted by WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and the Platform for a Just Climate (formerly known as the Equitable & Just National Climate Platform), together representing millions of Americans, to ensure that frontline communities across the nation have a voice in Congress.
Communities on the frontlines of climate change and toxic pollution have long been neglected and underrepresented, while corporate polluters buy their way into Congress and lobby for policies that put polluter profits over human health and our lives. Today’s announcement is a significant step toward ensuring that frontline communities aren’t locked out of decisions in Congress, and that people — not polluters — are at the forefront of shaping the just and equitable climate and environmental policies that benefit everyone.
Environmental policies are too often written by and for corporate lobbyists; CJA, EJLF, and the Platform for a Just Climate are celebrating the House EJ Caucus’ commitment to ensuring that those on the frontlines are central to shaping policies that impact their lives. EJ organizations across the nation stand ready to support the next stage of a truly participatory community involvement process, building off the historic input tours that built earlier versions of the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act.
Despite the challenges of the current political climate, the grassroots coalitions supporting this effort are hopeful that, through the power of our solidarity and the support of the House EJ Caucus, we will build momentum to advance community-led, bold, and transformative environmental justice policies.
The formation of the House Environmental Justice Caucus is a critical step toward bringing frontline communities into policymaking and ensuring that public health is no longer secondary to corporate profits.
– Dalal Aboulhosn, Coalition Member of the Platform for a Just Climate & Senior Director of Program & Policy at Center for Earth, Energy & Democracy (CEED)
Coalition Quotes:
“Together, our coalition of environmental justice and national partners are organizing to ensure impacted communities have a voice in creating the healthy and just climate future we all deserve. We are fighting for a Congress and a government that will finally put people before polluters and bring an end to the environmental injustices our communities face. The formation of the House Environmental Justice Caucus is a critical step toward bringing frontline communities into policymaking and ensuring that public health is no longer secondary to corporate profits.” – Dalal Aboulhosn, Coalition Member of the Platform for a Just Climate & Senior Director of Program & Policy at Center for Earth, Energy & Democracy (CEED)
“There is an incredible legacy of environmental justice leadership in the House of Representatives. In the face of the administration’s relentless attacks on environmental justice and its rollbacks of nearly every environmental and public health regulation protecting our communities, the launch of this caucus demonstrates that the environmental justice movement in Congress is as strong as ever – and needs to be. We are proud to support Representatives Lee, Tlaib, and Grijalva’s leadership in the next chapter of federal environmental justice policies and look forward to working together to advance thoughtful, community-led legislation that supports a healthier and more equitable future for all.” – Denise Patel, National Organizing Director, Environmental Justice Leadership Forum, Hosted by WE ACT for Environmental Justice
“Climate Justice Alliance applauds the launch of the Environmental Justice Caucus in the House of Representatives today by Representatives Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Summer Lee (PA-12) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12). While late Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva and A. Donald McEachin tirelessly worked to uplift environmental justice policy. This formation brings us hope for centering historically overburdened and underrepresented communities in climate, energy, and environmental policy at a time when big business and billionaires are gaining more power and control over all of us. As we approach the 35th anniversary of the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit, the 17 principles of Environmental Justice that came out of it are more relevant than ever before. We appreciate the possibility and promise of this Caucus, alongside frontline communities, to enact just and fair legislation that will protect our kids, families, and communities by holding industry accountable, safeguarding our public health, and protecting our environment far into the future. Our federal policy should always aim to codify our inherent human rights to clean air, water, and land.” – Mar Zepeda Salazar, Legislative Director, Climate Justice Alliance
About Platform for a Just Climate
The Platform for a Just Climate is a coalition of environmental justice groups and national environmental organizations from across the country united around a shared commitment to ending the environmental racism that has left economically disadvantaged communities, Indigenous communities, Black communities, and communities of color exposed to disproportionate levels of toxic pollution and bearing the brunt of the climate crisis. Our coalition has stood strong for over seven years around our shared vision for a just climate future — and our platform has grown to include over 300 co-signer organizations from all over the country. Center for Earth, Energy & Democracy (CEED) is the convener of the Platform for a Just Climate.
About Environmental Justice Leadership Forum (EJLF)
The Environmental Justice Leadership Forum (EJLF) is a national coalition of nearly 40 organizations in 22 states who work to ensure that a diverse grassroots perspective is reflected in federal, state, and local programming and policy decisions. Organizations are based in red, blue, and swing states, including those in Appalachia, the Deep South, Northwest, Midwest, Northeast and Southwest regions. EJLF members represent Black, Latinx, Indigenous and low-income communities in large cities to rural areas. These groups are actively working together to advance key climate justice and environmental policy to ensure the protection and advancement of communities of color and low-income communities throughout the U.S. The EJLF is hosted by WE ACT for Environmental Justice. WE ACT for Environmental Justice is a Northern Manhattan membership-based organization whose mission is to build healthy communities by ensuring that people of color and/or low-income residents participate meaningfully in the creation of sound and fair environmental health and protection policies and practices. WE ACT has offices in New York and Washington, D.C.
About Climate Justice Alliance (CJA)
CJA is a growing member alliance of over 100 urban and rural frontline communities, organizations and supporting networks in the climate justice movement. CJA unites our membership to build a Just Transition away from our current extractive systems of production, consumption, and political oppression and towards resilient, regenerative, and equitable economies. We support our members to build local, community controlled alternatives that center traditional, ecological, and cultural knowledge and create pathways for a regenerative future.
