U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) and co-chair of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, today applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement of $100 million in funding for environmental justice grants.

“We have a moral obligation to ensure that all Americans—whether they live on the other side of town or the other side of the country—are free from the burdens of pollution,” said Senator Carper. “Unfortunately, that has not always been the case for many low-income, minority, and indigenous communities across our nation. For years, environmental justice leaders have highlighted these injustices and rightfully called on us to do more.

“When we developed the Inflation Reduction Act, I urged my colleagues to embrace the Golden Rule and support robust clean air and climate investments for disadvantaged communities,” Carper continued. “Thanks to our legislative success, the tireless work of stakeholders, and the commitment of the Biden-Harris administration, we are now seeing the single-largest investment ever from EPA to advance environmental justice. This is just the start of the $3 billion in funding for environmental justice grants included in the Inflation Reduction Act. My hope is that these historic provisions to address legacy pollution and reduce harmful emissions will make their way into communities with the greatest need.”

As EPW Chairman, Senator Carper authored more than $41 billion in programs under the Inflation Reduction Act to address climate change and advance environmental justice. This included $3 billion in competitive 3-year grants for EPA to award to state, local, and tribal governments, along with community-based nonprofit organizations, for financial and technical assistance to address clean air and climate pollution in disadvantaged communities.

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