U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves is taking aim at environmental and civil injustices in the nation's capital with the creation of a new unit dedicated to these very issues. According to a press release by the U.S. Attorney's Office of the District of Columbia, the Affirmative Civil Rights and Environmental Justice Unit has been established with the motive to enforce federal civil rights and environmental laws within the District of Columbia and prioritize community outreach.
"Protecting civil rights within our district is a high priority for both the Department and our Office," Graves stated, acknowledging the disproportionate impact of environmental issues on communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. "We are also committed to to aggressively address those issues as part of this new unit," he emphasized. This new frontier in justice is expected to reinforce the Constitution's promise and the country's laws to ensure residents live and work in environmently safe conditions.
Leading the charge will be Deputy Civil Chiefs John Truong and Diana Valdivia, outfitted with a dedicated team of three Assistant U.S. Attorneys including Carlos Andino, Christopher Hair, and Sean Tepe. Their mission will encompass a broad spectrum of civil rights concerns such as discrimination, housing, disability access, and sexual harassment. The unit's enforcement arm will extend in coordination with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and Environmental and Natural Resources Division, leveraging both local and federal resources.
The Justice Department's prerogative to modernize its approach against discrimination two-fold aligns with its environmental justice objectives, recently embellished by the establishment of the Office of Environmental Justice. It's this coordination that aspires to widely promote the welfare and the blessings of liberty throughout the District. Such comprehensive efforts are seen as a significant stride toward equality and environmental stewardship, hoping to inspire a healthier, just society.
