Environmental Justice Screening Tool Act of 2025
Summary
The Environmental Justice Screening Tool Act of 2025 directs the EPA Administrator to develop a geospatial mapping tool to identify disproportionately burdened communities within one year of enactment. This tool, the 'Environmental Justice Screening Tool,' will use various environmental, climate, health, economic, and social factors to determine thresholds for disproportionate burden within census tracts.
The EPA Administrator is required to solicit feedback from various stakeholders and provide annual reviews and reports to Congress on the tool's implementation and updates. Federal departments and agencies are directed to adopt the tool for prioritizing resources to benefit identified communities.
Expected Effects
This act will likely lead to increased awareness and focus on environmental justice issues at the federal level. It will also likely result in the reallocation of resources to communities identified as disproportionately burdened. The geospatial mapping tool will provide a standardized method for identifying these communities, potentially leading to more consistent and targeted interventions.
Potential Benefits
- Provides a standardized tool for identifying disproportionately burdened communities.
- Directs resources to communities facing environmental and health disparities.
- Increases transparency and public awareness of environmental justice issues.
- Promotes interagency coordination in addressing environmental burdens.
- Allows for data-driven decision-making in environmental policy.
Potential Disadvantages
- The effectiveness of the tool depends on the accuracy and availability of data.
- The tool's implementation may face challenges due to limited resources or political opposition.
- The definition of 'disproportionately burdened' may be subject to interpretation and debate.
- The tool may not fully capture the complexities of environmental justice issues at the local level.
- The adoption of the tool across federal agencies may be inconsistent.
Constitutional Alignment
The Environmental Justice Screening Tool Act appears to align with the Constitution's broad goals of promoting the general welfare, as stated in the Preamble. Congress has the power to enact legislation necessary and proper for carrying into execution the powers vested by the Constitution, including addressing environmental issues that affect public health and well-being.
The Act's focus on data collection and analysis aligns with the government's role in informing policy decisions. However, the Act's implementation must respect individual liberties and due process rights, as guaranteed by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).