"In a Rose Garden announcement, Mr. Biden is expected to pledge new policies to end environmental racism. He also will attack Republicans."
"WASHINGTON — President Biden on Friday plans to announce the creation of a White House Office of Environmental Justice, one of several actions to address the unequal burden that people of color carry from environmental hazards, according to the White House.
But Mr. Biden, who has indicated that he will run for re-election, is also expected to use the opportunity to portray Republicans as extremists who support the fossil fuel industry at the expense of public health and the planet, said a White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly.
At a ceremony planned for the Rose Garden, the president plans to sign an executive order making environmental justice a focus of every federal agency and requiring agencies to develop plans to address the disproportionate impact of pollution and climate change on minority and tribal communities, and to report their progress, the White House official said. Mr. Biden will also direct agencies to address gaps in science, data and research regarding the cumulative effects of pollution on communities of color, among other things."
Lisa Friedman reports for the New York Times April 21, 2023.