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El congresista Raúl Grijalva defiende proyecto de ley para cerrar la brecha natural en las afueras de Phoenix
GreenLatinos supports the Great Gila Bend National Monument Establishment Act, arguing that the conservation of the Great Gila Bend region is essential for public health and the protection of threatened biodiversity, particularly for marginalized communities in Arizona who lack access to nature.
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Document type: Statement
Two key ways EPA can fast track air permitting reforms to advance cleaner, low-carbon technologies
The Clean Air Task Force proposes two specific regulatory changes to EPA air permitting to advance cleaner industrial technologies. First, it urges the EPA to end the "redefining the source" policy, which currently allows permitting authorities to exclude zero-emission technologies from Best Available Control Technology (BACT) evaluations if they are deemed to change the project's fundamental nature. Second, it calls for a formal rulemaking process to ensure that "alternatives" presented during public hearings are fully evaluated, providing a mechanism for community engagement and the consideration of cleaner options outside the BACT analysis.
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Document type: Statement
Batteries and Environmental Justice
The authors contend that the boom in energy transition mineral (ETM) extraction threatens Indigenous Peoples and biodiversity, noting that 54% of known ETM projects are on Indigenous lands. They criticize U.S. mining laws from 1872 and the Biden administration's support for the Thacker Pass mine in Nevada as contradictory to Indigenous rights. To reduce reliance on extraction, the document advocates for a circular economy hierarchy prioritizing demand reduction, reuse, and high-standard recycling, specifically favoring direct recycling over pyrometallurgy.
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Document type: Statement
Social Impact of Opencast Mine Blasting: Ikwezi Mining Affected Communities near Dannhauser and Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal
The report details the negative impacts of Ikwezi Mining's blasting operations on local communities, including structural damage to homes, psychosocial trauma in children, and cultural disruption. It highlights a lack of adequate blasting notices and a non-functional grievance mechanism, while recommending formalized blasting standards for rural South African communities.
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Document type: Report
Where Electric School Buses Are Being Used in the US
As of June 2024, the U.S. has 12,164 committed electric school buses, with 67% funded by the EPA's Clean School Bus Program. Adoption is widespread across 49 states, with California leading in total numbers, while the Southeast has seen significant recent growth. The report finds that deployment is increasingly equitable, with a majority of buses now located in high-poverty districts and areas with high air pollution, though adult asthma rates show a more even distribution.
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Document type: Report
Next stop, access! An exploratory paper on disability rights and justice throughout the transition to electric school buses
The paper identifies systemic barriers in US school transportation, such as unreliable wheelchair lifts and the segregation of disabled students into separate buses. It argues that the transition to electric school buses (ESBs) presents an opportunity to improve health and equity, particularly for students of color in underresourced areas, provided that disabled youth are included in decision-making and universal design is adopted. The authors highlight the 'early adopter tax' and the risk of 'echo exposure'—where old diesel buses are transferred to other vulnerable community settings—and recommend that policymakers prioritize funding for accessible ESBs and enforce compliance with the ADA and IDEA.
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Document type: Research paper
Next stop, access! An exploratory paper on disability rights and justice throughout the transition to electric school buses
The paper examines the barriers faced by students with disabilities during the transition to electric school buses in the US. It highlights systemic failures in current transportation, such as broken wheelchair lifts and the segregation of disabled students onto separate buses. The authors argue for the application of Disability Justice and Environmental Justice frameworks to ensure that the transition prioritizes marginalized communities and incorporates Universal Design. Key recommendations include involving disabled youth in decision-making, improving infrastructure like sidewalks, and ensuring that electric buses are more accessible than the gas-powered vehicles they replace.
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Document type: Research paper
NYS Houses Make Some Progress on Transportation but the Legislature Leaves Much to be Desired As Session Comes to a Close
The ElectrifyNY coalition expresses disappointment that the New York State Assembly failed to pass the Green Transit, Green Jobs bill and the Clean Deliveries Act, despite the latter passing the Senate. The coalition argues these failures hinder the state's ability to meet climate mandates and protect disadvantaged communities from air pollution. Additionally, the coalition raises concerns regarding bill S9292A/A9238A, which reduces the amortization period for zero-emission school buses from 12 to 8 years, suggesting the change may not account for the varying needs of school districts.
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Document type: Statement
scientists-letter-to-citi-june-2024-0143b41c2503df3b.pdf
A group of scientists and researchers calls on Citi to cease financing fossil fuel expansion, citing the bank's role as the second-largest financier of fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement. The authors argue that such financing exacerbates the climate crisis and disproportionately harms frontline communities, specifically mentioning impacts in the US, the Amazon, and the Niger delta. They demand a phase-out of coal, oil, and gas financing, an end to LNG project funding, increased investment in renewable energy, and restitution for the bank's role in fueling climate chaos.
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Document type: Statement
Update to the environmental analysis of the export of liquified natural gas
Earthjustice and the Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental (CEMDA) argue that the U.S. Department of Energy's updated environmental analysis for LNG exports must account for the higher methane emission rates and weaker regulatory enforcement in Mexico compared to the U.S. The authors highlight that 8.55 Bcf/d of planned export capacity through Mexico could significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions and disproportionately harm marginalized and Indigenous communities in Mexican states such as Sonora, Sinaloa, and Baja California.
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Document type: Statement
Update to the environmental analysis of the export of liquified natural gas
The document argues that the U.S. Department of Energy's environmental analysis of LNG exports must account for the higher methane emission rates and weaker regulatory enforcement in Mexico compared to the U.S. It highlights that planned export capacity through Mexico totals 8.55 Bcf/d, which could significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions. The authors also emphasize the disproportionate impact of these projects on marginalized and Indigenous communities in Mexico, noting high levels of industrial pollution and security risks for environmental defenders in states like Sonora and Sinaloa.
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Document type: Statement
Comments to EPA re: Proposal to Approve California SIP Revisions
Earthjustice and partner organizations urge the EPA to reject California's SIP revisions, claiming they create loopholes for oil and gas polluters. The authors argue that RACT must apply to all wells regardless of production volume or oil gravity, and that the EPA failed to conduct a required environmental justice analysis. They contend that current exemptions for heavy oil and low-production wells disproportionately harm frontline communities and that monitoring and reporting frequencies are insufficient to ensure compliance with the Clean Air Act.
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Document type: Statement
Economic Indicators Report The Ironbound Community Newark, New Jersey
The Ironbound community in Newark, New Jersey, is a vibrant immigrant neighborhood facing significant economic distress, characterized by low median household incomes, high housing cost burdens, and a job market dominated by low-paying service and logistics roles. While employment and average wages have grown since 2015, the community suffers from a mismatch where high-paying jobs are largely filled by non-resident commuters, and residents often work in low-barrier 'Tier 3' occupations that do not provide a living wage. The area also faces environmental burdens from chemical contamination and diesel truck traffic, compounding the social and economic isolation of its residents.
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Document type: Report
Economic Indicators Report St. James Parish and St. John the Baptist Parish Louisiana
The report examines the economic landscape of the Louisiana River Parishes, highlighting a paradox where high industrial activity from petrochemical plants masks significant unemployment, worker outflow, and high household debt. It finds that while median incomes are higher than the state average, they fall below the regional living wage for families, and the population is experiencing a gradual decline. The workforce is characterized by a high concentration of low-skill 'Tier 3' jobs and a reliance on commuting outside the community for employment.
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Document type: Report
Economic Indicators Report
The report details significant economic distress in the Navajo Nation, characterized by low median household incomes, high unemployment, and a workforce that must largely seek employment outside the community. While average annual wages have increased, they remain below living wage standards for most industry clusters. The region faces demographic challenges, including a declining youth population and limited housing availability due to complex land-use and leasing requirements.
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Document type: Report
Follow the Money
A Union of Concerned Scientists analysis of non-transportation BIL awards in California from fiscal years 2022 and 2023 indicates that local investments are likely falling short of Justice40 goals. Depending on the screening tool used, only 9.4% to 18.2% of analyzed local funding is flowing to designated disadvantaged communities. The report highlights significant data gaps, particularly regarding statewide formula funding, and recommends a transparent, unified tracking system and a clear definition of 'benefits' to ensure equitable infrastructure spending.
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Document type: Report
Follow the Money
The document describes a spatial and recipient-based analysis of federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding in California from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2023. It compares two environmental justice screening tools—the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) and California's SB 535—to identify disadvantaged communities. The analysis focuses on non-transportation grants, as transportation spending accounted for over 88 percent of the total obligated spending ($16.07 billion) and is tracked separately by the state. The authors highlight significant data limitations in USASpending.gov, including agency non-reporting and inaccuracies in 'place of performance' fields, which may hinder the tracking of Justice40 goals.
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Document type: Research paper
Looming Deadlines for Coastal Resilience
The document details the technical approach for mapping disruptive flooding and its impact on critical infrastructure across US territories. It describes the use of NOAA tide gauge data, digital elevation models, and three sea level rise scenarios (low, medium, and high) to project inundation. The analysis overlays these flood maps with datasets covering housing, education, industrial sites, energy, government, and health facilities, while incorporating socioeconomic data from the White House Council on Environmental Quality to assess impacts on disadvantaged communities.
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Document type: Research paper
PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT NOT TO SIGN THE UPSTREAM PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT BILL, B13B – 2021 INTO LAW
The petition argues that the Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Bill (B13B – 2021) violates the South African Constitution and the One Environmental System (OES). It highlights the Bill's failure to provide adequate local economic development frameworks, its acceleration of fossil fuel extraction during a climate emergency, and its insufficient public participation and consultation processes. The petitioners urge the President to refer the Bill back to Parliament for redrafting to align with human rights and climate science.
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Document type: Statement
CoE must put the right to healthy environment in law
Over 400 civil society organizations are calling on the Council of Europe to establish a binding legal framework for the right to a healthy environment. While 42 of the 46 Member States already protect this right via national laws or the Aarhus Convention, the European Convention on Human Rights lacks an explicit autonomous right. The authors argue that an additional protocol would provide legal clarity for the European Court of Human Rights, protect environmental defenders, and address the 'triple planetary crisis' of pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss.
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Document type: Statement