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119-s-720119th Congress

Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create a new Office of Environmental Justice inside the Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division to coordinate enforcement and boost community participation on environmental justice issues. It would also set up a competitive grant program to help State, local, and Tribal governments build enforcement capacity and support affected communities.

Show full summary
  • Communities facing disproportionate pollution or health harms, including low‑income, Tribal, and Indigenous communities, would get dedicated outreach, complaint pathways, education, and at least biweekly engagement with the office to improve participation in environmental decisions.
  • State, local, and Tribal governments could compete for grants to train staff, hire enforcement personnel, or fund legal and technical assistance, with awards between $50,000 and $1,000,000 and a Federal share up to 80 percent.
  • The office would be led by a Director who would develop and update DOJ's environmental justice strategy every 5 years, run training and continuing legal education, coordinate case tracking across DOJ components, and manage a Senior Advisory Council to advise on EJ matters.

*Authorizes $50.0 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2035 for the grant program and leaves other costs for the new office unspecified.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Grants to boost environmental justice enforcement

If enacted, the bill would create a competitive grant program to help State, local, and Tribal governments enforce laws that affect environmental justice communities. Grants would be $50,000 to $1,000,000 each. The federal share would generally be up to 80 percent unless the Attorney General waives that limit. The Attorney General would have to set up the program within 180 days. The bill would authorize $50 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2035. The Attorney General would report grantees and activities to Congress within 18 months and then every two years.

Low-income community and EJ definitions

If enacted, the bill would define a "low-income community" as a census block group where at least 30% of residents have household income at or below the greater of 80% of area median income or 200% of the Federal poverty line. If enacted, the bill would also define an "environmental justice matter" as a civil or criminal case that may cause disproportionate harm to low-income, minority, Tribal, or Indigenous communities. These definitions would be used to decide who gets grants and which cases get EJ-focused enforcement or attention.

New DOJ environmental justice office

If enacted, the bill would create a permanent Office of Environmental Justice inside DOJ's Environment and Natural Resources Division. The Attorney General would appoint a Director and provide staff and funds. The Director would write a DOJ EJ strategy every five years, run the grant program, coordinate DOJ components and U.S. Attorneys, support training, and track EJ cases. The Director would also have to hold community-facing meetings at least every two months. The bill would create a Senior Advisory Council that must convene within 90 days, meet at least quarterly, issue guidance within 180 days, and report on implementation to Congress.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 2/25/2025

  • Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 2/25/2025

  • Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 2/25/2025

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 2/25/2025

  • Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 2/25/2025

  • Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 2/25/2025

  • Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 2/25/2025

  • Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 2/25/2025

  • Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]

    VT • I

    Sponsored 2/25/2025

  • Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 2/25/2025

  • Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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