U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan recently toured historically marginalized communities in Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana, hearing firsthand accounts from residents on the impact of pollution.
The ‘Journey to Justice’ tour aimed to spotlight environmental concerns in marginalized communities across the country, a Nov. 22 EPA release said. Regan highlighted the benefits of President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Build Back Better agenda throughout the tour. Stops included schools, neighborhoods, water treatment facilities and roundtable discussions on the environment.
"This is a huge opportunity for this country. It's a huge opportunity for these environmental justice communities that have disproportionately been impacted for far too long," Regan said in the release.
Regan hopes to partner with local mayors, governors and elected officials to ensure that resources go to projects that will benefit those who need them the most, the release said. Projects include investments in water infrastructure, Superfund, Brownfields and air quality improvements.
Moving forward, Regan‘s goal is to incorporate environmental justice and equity into all functions of the EPA, a report by Nola.com said.
Before his role with the EPA, Regan oversaw the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality where he created its first-ever environmental justice advisory committee, emphasizing his commitment to environmental justice issues across the country, according to Nola.com.
