On March 18th, several CHI members including Policy Director for the Redstone Center, Rachel Clark, and CHI Program Manager, Katie O'Donnell, delivered oral testimony at a public hearing before the District Committee on Transportation and the Environment on the Environmental Justice Amendment Act of 2023. In short, the Environmental Justice Amendment Act of 2023 would:
- Establish a “cumulative impact statement” process that must be completed to obtain District permits and other relief for environmentally harmful actions in overburdened communities;
- Establish a “modified cumulative impact statement” to assess District agency plans that impact the siting of significant sources of environmental harm in overburdened communities;
- Establish forms of accountability to ensure that these processes are enforceable and result in meaningful progress for overburdened communities; and
- Establish an environmental justice division at the Department of Energy & the Environment.
O'Donnell's testimony was delivered on behalf of the over 20 CHI members who signed written comments in support of the Act, providing support and further recommendations on conducting cumulative impact assessment and considerations for the establishment of a new DOEE Environmental Justice Division. The CHI testimony is linked here.