President Biden Signs Executive Order: ‘Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All’
“Earth Day is tomorrow, a chance to reflect on the national wonders of our nation and our planet—but we have to do a great deal more than just reflect. We have to commit ourselves to action,” he said prior to signing the Executive Order.
- By Alex Saurman
- Apr 21, 2023
President Joe Biden has signed an executive order ensuring that environmental justice work is a focus of federal agencies.
This Executive Order, “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All,” continues President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ vision that “every person has a right to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live in a healthy community – now and into the future,” according to a fact sheet from The White House.
While the Executive Order states that all executive branch agencies are responsible for working on environmental justice, it will have many other effects, per the fact sheet, such as “better protect[ing] overburdened communities from pollution and environmental harms” and “[s]trengthen[ing] engagement with communities and mobilize federal agencies to confront existing and legacy barriers and injustices.”
The Executive Order, signed by President Biden in The White House Rose Garden on Friday, April 21, 2023, also establishes an Office of Environmental Justice in the White House Council on Environmental Quality, The White House said.
“Earth Day is tomorrow, a chance to reflect on the national wonders of our nation and our planet—but we have to do a great deal more than just reflect. We have to commit ourselves to action. Will we step up to our ambitions? Will we stand together to meet the great challenges we have? Will we preserve our planet for future generations? History is going to judge us by how we answer these questions, and that’s not a hyperbole. That’s a fact, and today I hope the answer’s going to be a loud and clear yes,” President Biden said in remarks before signing the Executive Order.
“Yes, we're committed to following the signs. Yes, we're determined to strengthen…our ambitions and actions. And yes, we will include communities that have been denied basic security, basic dignity that comes from clean air, having clean air, clean water, and clean energy jobs and environmental justice,” he continued.
About the Author
Alex Saurman is the Content Editor for Environmental Protection.