Today, the Biden administration announced the creation of a new office of environmental justice within the White House Council on Environmental Equity (CEQ). House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"Time and time again the Biden administration works to treat the symptom but not the cause. Studies, scorecards and new offices filled with bureaucrats aren't going to do anything to improve the environment. If these officials actually wanted to help hardworking Americans, they'd stop actively thrusting families into energy poverty and work to lower energy costs. The idea that creating a new office and launching new messaging campaigns will do anything other than waste tax dollars is laughable."

Background

The Biden administration today announced a new executive order in a misguided attempt to support environmental justice. Among other things, the order includes the creation of a new office of environmental justice within CEQ and provides no explanation of how it will be funded. Additionally, the executive order creates various new messaging campaigns including screening tools that promise to provide greater transparency without any concrete action.