To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to continue to carry out certain programs relating to environmental justice, and for other purposes.

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6692 To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to continue to carry out certain programs relating to environmental justice, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 1, 2020 Mr. RUIZ (for himself and Mr. MCEACHIN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be sub- sequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protec- tion Agency to continue to carry out certain programs relating to environmental justice, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 3 Congress finds the following: 4 (1) Communities of color, low-income commu- 5 nities, Tribal and indigenous communities, fossil 6 fuel-dependent communities, and other vulnerable 7 populations, such as persons with disabilities, chil- 8 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:10 May 09, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6692.IH H6692 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6692 IH dren, and the elderly, are disproportionately bur- 1 dened by environmental hazards that include expo- 2 sure to polluted air, waterways, and landscapes. 3 (2) Environmental justice disparities are also 4 exhibited through a lack of equitable access to infor- 5 mation and data on potential exposure to environ- 6 mental hazards. 7 (3) Communities experiencing environmental in- 8 justice have been subjected to systemic racial, social, 9 and economic injustices and face a disproportionate 10 burden of adverse human health or environmental 11 effects, a higher risk of intentional, unconscious, and 12 structural discrimination, and disproportionate en- 13 ergy burdens. 14 (4) These disproportionate burdens are being 15 exacerbated by the COVID–19 pandemic. 16 (5) The Environmental Protection Agency has 17 announced a nonenforcement policy under all envi- 18 ronmental laws during the COVID–19 pandemic for 19 monitoring and recordkeeping requirements. 20 (6) This policy is likely to increase the pollution 21 burden in environmental justice communities and de- 22 crease access to monitoring data and information. 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:10 May 09, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6692.IH H6692 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6692 IH (7) Citizen science will be essential for environ- 1 mental justice communities to protect themselves 2 during this pandemic. 3 SEC. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GRANT PROGRAMS. 4 (a) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GRANTS.—The Ad- 5 ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall 6 continue to carry out— 7 (1) the Environmental Justice Small Grants 8 Program and the Environmental Justice Collabo- 9 rative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Pro- 10 gram, as those programs are in existence on the date 11 of enactment of this Act; and 12 (2) the Community Action for a Renewed Envi- 13 ronment grant programs I and II, as in existence on 14 January 1, 2012. 15 (b) AUTHORIZATION FOR GRANTS IN RESPONSE TO 16 COVID–19 EMERGENCY.— 17 (1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 18 There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 19 the programs described in subsection (a) 20 $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2020. 21 (2) PRIORITY FOR FUNDS.—In awarding grants 22 under the programs described in subsection (a) pur- 23 suant to this section, the Administrator shall 24 prioritize projects that will— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:10 May 09, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6692.IH H6692 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 6692 IH (A) monitor pollution in or near environ- 1 mental justice communities; or 2 (B) investigate or address the dispropor- 3 tionate impacts of the COVID–19 pandemic in 4 environmental justice communities. 5 (c) DISTRIBUTION.—Not later than 30 days after 6 amounts are made available pursuant to subsection (b)(1), 7 the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agen- 8 cy shall make awards of grants under each of the pro- 9 grams described in subsection (a). 10 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:10 May 09, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H6692.IH H6692 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS