On February 23, 2022, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a request for information to solicit feedback on the beta version of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJS Tool). On January 27, 2021, Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” required the CEQ to create the CEJS Tool, highlighting disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution in order to implement the Justice40 Initiative goal of directing 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments to certain disadvantaged communities. The beta version of the CEJS Tool identifies a community as disadvantaged if (1) it is above the threshold for one or more climate or environmental indicators, and (2) it is above the threshold for one or more socioeconomic indicators. CEQ seeks comments on improving the methodology, incorporating cumulative impacts, and availability of relevant datasets. Comments are due by April 25, 2022.
- Read the Federal Register notice here.
- Submit comments here.
- Advocacy contact: Astrika Adams at (202) 798-7750.