Washington, D.C. (October 28, 2021) – Today, the White House announced a Build Back Better (BBB) framework that includes substantial investments in environmental justice, including environmental and climate justice block grants, investments in healthy ports, community pollution clean-up, equitable and sustainable community development, a Civilian Climate Corps, a Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator, investments in Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), rebates and tax credits to cut energy costs for households, and more. In response, the Equitable and Just National Climate Platform released the following statement:
The Build Back Better (BBB) framework announced today supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 promise to invest in communities that have been overburdened by harmful pollution and racial and economic injustices for too long. The BBB framework includes critical investments in cleaning up legacy pollution, healthy climate-resilient communities and ports, workers and fair-wage jobs, energy-efficient affordable housing, pollution-free energy, and clean transit, trucks and buses. These life-saving investments will deliver historic progress toward turning the tide against environmental injustice, economic inequality, and the climate crisis. This marks a new beginning in the fight against injustice in this country, and a long-overdue boost to the communities that have struggled with the toxic legacy of environmental pollution and systemic racism. Building back better means building back with justice. Congress must pass the Build Back Better Act that delivers the environmental justice and climate investments in the President’s framework and secures a healthy, prosperous and equitable future for all.
For more information, or to speak with an expert, please contact Ari Drennen at adrennen@americanprogress.org.
