Earthjustice Statement on Closure of EPA Environmental Justice and Civil Rights Office

February 7, 2025

Earthjustice Statement on Closure of EPA Environmental Justice and Civil Rights Office

"Notwithstanding the overt cruelty of this decision, no one wants an unhealthier and more polluted America, coopted by industry."

Contacts

Geoffrey Nolan, [email protected]

Washington, D.C.-

This week, the Trump administration announced plansto close the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR), placing 168 civil servants on administrative leave. The OEJECR seeks to understand where and why deeply harmful, unjust and discriminatory environmental conditions exist and identify ways to ensure that the hardest hit communities are adequately protected and given real opportunities to participate and take action to improve their own wellbeing. After the announcement, Earthjustice Vice President of Litigation for Healthy Communities Patrice Simmsissued the following statement:

"Up until three weeks ago, there was long-held consensus that the EPA's role was to protect us from harmful pollution and toxic exposures. Eliminating the OEJECR office means more asthma deaths, higher cancer rates, increased heart attacks, loss of school and work days, and reduced economic opportunities for the most vulnerable communities across this country. Notwithstanding the overt cruelty of this decision, no one wants an unhealthier and more polluted America, coopted by industry."

An oil refinery looms over Port Arthur, TX. People of color are nearly twice as likely as white Americans to live within a fenceline zone of an industrial facility. (Eric Kayne for Earthjustice)

Additional Resources

• About the Toxic Exposure & Health Program

About Earthjustice

Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.