Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined forces with a coalition of 20 attorneys general in an amicus brief supporting a lawsuit against the EPA's sudden termination of the Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program. According to details from the Illinois Attorney General's office, the coalition contends that the EPA's actions violate clear congressional mandates and constitutional principles.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Raoul asserted, "The EPA’s congressionally mandated grants are essential to communities that face overlapping environmental and public health crises." He emphasized the necessity of equal environmental justice for residents of impacted communities, which often include rural or low-income areas. His resolve appears unflinching to fight for the funding that is critically needed and has been unlawfully withheld, as mentioned in the amicus brief filed in the case of Appalachian Voices v. EPA.
The grant program, established by Congress through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, was designed to distribute $3 billion in funding to aid communities that are disproportionately affected by pollution and climate change. Due to the unexpected cancellation of the grants, these communities have been dealt a harsh blow, sparking staff layoffs, programming halts, and freezes on hiring. A pressing example is one $2.7 million grant directed to tackle sewage backups along the Chicago-Calumet River system, which is now in jeopardy.
Attorney General Raoul, alongside the coalition, is pressing the court to stay the termination of the program while the lawsuit proceeds. They argue that by axing the program so abruptly, the EPA causes ongoing harm across communities of color and low-income groups, already burdened heavily by disproportionate pollution and the escalating effects of climate change. These areas, often stricken with limited resources, are faced with greater challenges in recuperating from severe weather events and mitigating climate impacts.
The attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington have joined Raoul in this brief. Raoul’s Environmental Enforcement Division, known for its role in prosecuting civil environmental laws and recovering millions from polluters, reinforces this legal muscle. Residents are encouraged by Raoul to report environmental justice and other environmental concerns to his office via email at [email protected].
