Justice Department Celebrates Two-Year Anniversary of Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy and Office of Environmental Justice

The Justice Department today marked the second anniversary of its Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy (CEJES) and Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ). The Justice Department will be incorporating those efforts into developing an Environmental Justice Strategic Plan, as directed by the President’s Executive Order “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.” The new strategic plan will further address environmental justice and help develop and capture the Justice Department's vision, goals, priority actions and metrics to address and advance environmental justice. The Justice Department is organizing virtual and in-person listening sessions to obtain public input on draft goals and actions.

“The Justice Department is committed to securing relief for environmental justice communities,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “We commemorate OEJ’s two-year anniversary and appreciate OEJ’s efforts to create a new strategic plan that ensures compliance with all applicable federal laws, particularly in areas where pollution and degradation have historically been most pronounced.”

“We’re proud of how, for two years, the Justice Department’s Office of Environmental Justice and comprehensive enforcement strategy have benefited overburdened and underserved communities throughout our nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Now, we’re taking another step to refine our efforts and create a new strategic plan.”

“It is an honor to lead this effort to develop an Environmental Justice Strategic Plan that builds upon the important work we have already done to implement the Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy,” said OEJ Director Cynthia Ferguson. “Our upcoming listening sessions give the public an opportunity to provide input to help shape the development and implementation of the new strategic plan.”

The draft Environmental Justice Strategic Plan includes goals to prioritize cases, meaningfully engage with impacted communities, increase education and collaboration and assess and evaluate environmental justice in the Justice Department’s climate adaptation efforts. The strategic plan will be discussed at virtual and in-person listening sessions. The two virtual listening sessions will be held on:

• May 29 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET and
• May 30 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET.

To attend one of the virtual sessions, please visit OEJ’s website and register by May 23 to receive a link. To find out if there will be an in-person listening session near your area, visit OEJ’s website where the dates and locations will be posted once they are confirmed. Listening sessions will start with an overview of the draft Environmental Justice Strategic Plan goals and objectives followed by an opportunity for the public to provide feedback. Each virtual and in-person listening session will cover the same material. The public may also provide written comments on the draft Environmental Justice Strategic Plan by emailing OEJ@usdoj.gov, completing the online survey on OEJ’s website or mailing the Office of Environmental Justice, U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division, P.O. Box 7611, Washington, D.C. 20044-7611.

The Justice Department launched OEJ on May 5, 2022, along with the CEJES. Last year marked the first anniversary of OEJ and the first-ever CEJES annual report. Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in conjunction with five other federal agencies, released an interagency statement reaffirming their commitment to upholding civil rights laws including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and furthering environmental justice initiatives.