On May 5, 2022, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, along with
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S.
Regan, announced a series of initiatives
intended to “secure environmental justice for all
Americans.” These initiatives include the creation of the
Office of Environmental Justice within the Justice Department
(DOJ), a new environmental justice enforcement strategy and the
restoration of the use of supplemental environmental projects
(SEPs) in civil settlement agreements.
EPA defines environmental justice as
“the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people
regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect
to the development, implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” Consistent
with President Biden's Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate
Crisis at Home and Abroad, in which the President emphasized the
role of environmental justice in the
