Related Content
Press Release
New Haven, Conn. – Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today affirmed the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to ensure environmental justice for all Connecticut residents.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy aims to ensure that all people, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, receive fair treatment and meaningful involvement with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. In coordination with local, state, federal and tribal partners, as well as members of the community, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is identifying areas of environmental justice concern in Connecticut. The Office will use all available federal civil and criminal enforcement tools, including environmental protection laws, civil rights laws, the False Claims Act, and worker safety and consumer protection statutes, to advance environmental justice by seeking timely and effective remedies for injury to natural resources, and to correct systemic environmental violations and contaminations in underserved communities that have been historically marginalized and overburdened, including low-income communities and communities of color.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to delivering justice to the residents of Connecticut who are disproportionately burdened by the health and economic impacts of environmental hazards,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “Every resident of the State of Connecticut benefits from rigorous enforcement of federal environmental laws that safeguard a healthy environment.”
U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery has appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne F. Thidemann as the District of Connecticut’s Environmental Justice Coordinator, and encourages Connecticut residents to report environmental justice concerns to Assistant U.S. Attorney Thidemann at anne.thidemann@usdoj.gov. Environmental, health and safety concerns can also be reported to the following agencies:
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and representing the federal government in civil litigation. The District is composed of approximately 68 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and approximately 57 staff members at offices in New Haven, Hartford and Bridgeport.