U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack this week announced the next steps in a Biden-Harris administration plan to make sure funds from the president’s Justice40 Initiative are going to the communities that need it most.
The steps are part of the department's focus on underserved communities that are not able to deal with issues of underdevelopment and pollution, a recent USDA news release said.
“We must ensure that the programs we support and the investments we make are available to everyone and that we take special steps to ensure that historically underserved communities fully benefit from these investments and prosper as a result of our work,” Vilsack said in the release. He also said that tracking the benefits of investments and doing the right thing for the underserved communities is a primary focus of the USDA’s efforts.
The secretary noted that the USDA has a focus to move forestry, agriculture and rural America into a leading role in the department's climate change and sustainability initiatives.
Biden’s Justice40 Initiative has a goal of delivering a minimum of 40% of investments in affordable and sustainable housing, energy and clean water to areas overtaxed by pollution; the release said. The initiative is part of the government’s strategy to promote environmental equality and drive economic growth in those areas.
