WA AGO 2024 Environmental Justice Report

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In 2020, I launched the Environmental Justice Initiative at the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to strengthen environmental policies and enforcement with meaningful involvement from the people most affected by environmental issues. Environmental justice is defined as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, rules, and policies.” Dr. Robert Bullard, known as the father of environmental justice, describes the idea in plain terms: “Environmental justice is nothing more than this whole principle: people have the right to a clean, healthy, sustainable environment without regard to race, color, national origin. It’s just that simple.” Some communities, particularly low-income and Black, Indigenous, and communities of color, have historically borne, and continue to bear, a disproportionate number of environmental harms. Environmental harms include lack of access to heating or cooling systems, proximity to high pollution areas, and adverse health impacts, such as increased rates of asthma, cancer, and preterm births, from harmful environmental factors. In 2021, the Legislature passed the Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act. My office remains the only agency to opt-in to implementing the HEAL Act. The HEAL Act is the result of decades of hard work by community activists, organizers, individuals, and groups, particularly Black, Indigenous, and people of color, across Washington. This report details my office’s actions and activities to further environmental justice. look forward to the continued work toward achieving environmental justice for all Washingtonians. Sincerely, 2024…

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