By Sarai Rodriguez
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced it is establishing an Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ), bringing awareness to the impact of environmental health inequities.
“The blunt truth is that many communities across our nation – particularly low-income communities and communities of color – continue to bear the brunt of pollution from industrial development, poor land use decisions, transportation, and trade corridors,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the press release. “Meeting the needs of these communities requires our focused attention. That’s why HHS is establishing the Office of Environmental Justice.”
The crisis of climate change is arguably the newest social determinant of health (SDOH), impacting the health of marginalized communities.
According to Healthy People 2030, prolonged exposure to outdoor air pollutants, such as ozone and fine particulate matter, can heighten the risk of cardiovascular disease and death.
“Health is closely connected to the environments where people spend the most time – neighborhoods, workplaces, and outdoor spaces,” said Admiral Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for Health.
“Millions in the US are at risk of poor health because they live, work, play, learn and grow in or near areas of excessive pollution and other environmental hazards. The Office of Environmental Justice is an important avenue through which their well-being and quality of life are receiving our full attention,” Levine stated.
The office will be responsible for protecting the health of disadvantaged communities and vulnerable populations on the frontlines of pollution and other environmental health issues.
Serving as the hub for environmental justice policy, programming, and analysis, OEJ will primarily work on an HHS-wide strategy that integrates environmental justice into the HHS mission to improve health in disadvantaged communities and underserved populations.
In addition, the office will be responsible for taking the lead on annual HHS environmental justice reports.
Until June 18, 2022, the OEJ will be seeking public comment to identify the best strategies for addressing environmental injustices and health inequities for disadvantaged communities.
The Biden-Harris Administration has made achieving environmental justice a top priority, HHS stated. In August 2021, HHS created the HSS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity in response to President Biden’s Executive Order Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.
During his first days in office, Biden made a commitment to deliver 40 percent of federal investments to disadvantaged communities that have been historically marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution, the Administration said.
“By creating this new office and prioritizing environmental justice at HHS, Secretary Becerra is undertaking the type of bold institutional reform that is desperately needed to deliver clean air and clean water for all communities,” said White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory.
“Today’s announcement is a key step toward confronting environmental injustice – in all of its heartbreaking forms – with the full force and commitment of the Federal government,” Mallory concluded.
