Feb 18, 2022 - Energy & Environment
Biden admin launches climate justice screening tool
- Ben Geman, author of Axios Generate
Solar panels in Calipatria, Calif., on Dec. 15, 2021. Photo: Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The White House unveiled a draft screening tool designed to guide efforts to ensure 40% of the benefits of federal investments in climate, clean energy and other areas flow to disadvantaged communities.
Why it matters: The beta version launched Friday is a key part of wider administration efforts on environmental justice — that is, addressing the disproportionate pollution burdens facing poor communities and people of color.
Yes, but: AP and Reuters report that the new tool does not include race among the indicators of pollution-burdened communities.
- Officials said excluding race will make projects less legally vulnerable, "even as they acknowledged that race has been a major factor in terms of who experiences environmental injustice," AP reports.