As Trump Targets Environmental Justice, Activists Gear Up for Legal Fights

"Those who have worked to combat climate change for years believe they are well-prepared to challenge executive orders that would leave vulnerable communities more exposed to pollution."

"Activists across the United States say they’re preparing to take the federal government to court after President Donald Trump unveiled a series of executive orders that seek to undo much of his predecessor’s climate and environmental justice legacy.

The executive orders, which Trump signed just hours after his second term began, target some of President Joe Biden’s key accomplishments, including the Justice40 Initiative. That program, which many advocates hailed as a major breakthrough for the environmental justice movement, directed federal agencies to deliver at least 40 percent of the “overall benefits” of their environmental and energy spending to “disadvantaged communities that have been historically marginalized and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment.”

Many government websites put up during Biden’s term, including the official Justice40 page and the White House environmental justice page, have been removed since Trump took office."

Kristoffer Tigue, Keerti Gopal, and Marianne Lavelle report for Inside Climate News January 26, 2025.

Source: Inside Climate News, 01/28/2025