Bondi axes Biden-era environmental justice order

Energy & Environment

The Big Story

Bondi axes Biden-era environmental justice order

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in a memo Wednesday that the Justice Department will reverse a Biden-era directive to prioritize enforcement of environmental laws in disadvantaged and low-income communities.

Bondi’s predecessor, Merrick Garland, issued guidance in 2022 directing the department to enforce environmental laws with emphasis on communities that have historically been underserved by such enforcement, including those that are low-income and majority racial minority.

On Wednesday, Bondi, who was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday, rescinded Garland’s memo, along with any similar guidance for U.S. attorneys “to ensure that the Department engages in the even-handed administration of justice.”

Garland’s original directive was accompanied by the creation of the Justice Department’s Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ), which The Washington Post reported was disbanded after Trump’s inauguration.

The OEJ website now redirects to an error message. The Hill has reached out to the Justice Department for comment.

Read more at TheHill.com.

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