{"id":6107,"date":"2026-07-09T16:41:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T20:41:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weact.org\/?post_type=update&p=6107"},"modified":"2026-07-09T16:41:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T20:41:05","slug":"facing-ongoing-federal-attacks-u-s-environmental-justice-leaders-gather-to-ramp-up-protections-to-keep-communities-safe","status":"publish","type":"update","link":"https:\/\/weact.org\/es\/updates\/facing-ongoing-federal-attacks-u-s-environmental-justice-leaders-gather-to-ramp-up-protections-to-keep-communities-safe\/","title":{"rendered":"Facing Ongoing Federal Attacks, U.S. Environmental Justice Leaders Gather to Ramp Up Protections to Keep Communities Safe"},"template":"","class_list":["post-6107","update","type-update","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","update_type-blog","focus_tax-movement-building","person_tax-ashley-sullivan"],"acf":{"details":{"":null,"featured_image":6111,"update_type":[364],"focus_area":[11],"authors":[207],"abstract":""},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_hero_links","acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_hero_links":{"title":"","abstract":"","links":null}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"Following over a year of ongoing Federal attacks, Environmental Justice organizations from across the U.S. gather to push for policies that address legacy harm and create healthier, safer neighborhoods for everyone.\u00a0<\/i><\/strong>\r\n\r\nOver 80 environmental justice leaders gathered from across the U.S. this June to advance fair policies and envision a better future together as part of the<\/span> Environmental Justice Leadership Forum<\/span><\/a>, standing in solidarity in the face of ongoing Federal attacks. The groups are working together to ensure local efforts like the<\/span> Chicago cumulative impacts ordinance<\/span><\/a> - which still needs to be passed - and the<\/span> new Illinois state environmental justice bill<\/span><\/a> set the bar for cities and states across the nation. While groups<\/span> celebrated Juneteenth,<\/span><\/a> they also reflect on<\/span> continued overt attacks on our rights and protections<\/span><\/a>, and the legacy of 250 years of the U.S. creating ongoing environmental harms to people of color and low-income communities. In light of this, environmental justice groups gathered in Chicago to continue to advance climate and environmental justice policies as a branch of civil and human rights, and underscored that in this dangerous moment, we require strong and rapid rollout of localized efforts like cumulative impact bills, as well as support in Congress.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"For too long the state issued permits like a rubber stamp, and our neighborhood paid the cumulative price. Now Illinois has to look at the whole picture before adding another burden to communities like ours,\" <\/span>said Cheryl Johnson, Executive Director of People for Community Recovery<\/b> on the<\/span> Illinois environmental justice bill.<\/span><\/a>\r\n\r\n\u201cBut the work is not over.\u201d <\/span>shared Johnson<\/b>. \u201cDecades of broken zoning and land use policies have concentrated toxic pollution in Chicago\u2019s vulnerable communities on the West and South Sides. We need the Hazel M. Johnson Cumulative Impacts Ordinance, named in honor of my mother, to further the work she started to stop our communities from being used as \u2018sacrifice zones.\u2019 The<\/span> proposed ordinance<\/span><\/a> is about making sure all Chicagoans have clean and safe water, air and soil.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe efforts in Chicago<\/span> echo organized initiatives across the U.S<\/span><\/a> to realize<\/span> cumulative impacts laws<\/span><\/a> like those in New Jersey and New York, represented by groups within the EJLF including the<\/span> New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance<\/span><\/a> and by<\/span> WE ACT for Environmental Justice<\/span><\/a>. As<\/span> voting rights are being dismantled<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> data center buildouts threaten community rights and safety<\/span><\/a>, and Federal clean air and health protections are being<\/span> rolled back at a level not seen in the last 50 years<\/span><\/a>, State and local governments must commit to tangible action right now to protect communities health and well-being.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Frontline leaders bring expertise in validating their lived experiences with data, creating incredible projects to provide clean energy jobs and invigorate their neighborhoods, and have shaped proactive policies, while knocking down the hurdles that protect some of the biggest, most well-funded polluters in history, to achieve justice. They are unstoppable, and that is powerful. We know that Federal attacks on environmental justice are proof that we can and do win, and we will continue to organize to make sure every community across the U.S. has clean air, water, land and can live in health and safety.\" <\/span>said Denise Patel, National Organizing Director at WE ACT for Environmental Justice\u00a0<\/b>\r\n

Learn more about the convening and the EJLF here.<\/a>\r\n<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n \r\n\r\nAbout People for Community Recovery\r\n<\/b>People for Community Recovery's mission is to enhance the quality of life of residents living in communities affected by environmental pollution.We advocate, educate, and organize on community-identified priorities including environmental and climate justice, safe and affordable housing, economic equity and community health. Follow us @pcrchi. Learn more at<\/span> peopleforcommunityrecovery.org.<\/span><\/a>\r\n\r\nAbout the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum\r\n<\/b>The<\/span> Environmental Justice Leadership Forum (EJLF)<\/span><\/a>, a national coalition of nearly 42 organizations in 24 states and D.C., who work to ensure that a diverse grassroots perspective is reflected in federal, state, and local programming and policy decisions. Organizations are based in red, blue, and swing states, including those in Appalachia, the Deep South, Northwest, Midwest, Northeast and Southwest regions. EJLF members represent Black, Latinx, Indigenous and low-income communities in large cities to rural areas. These groups are actively working together to advance key climate justice and environmental policy to ensure the protection and advancement of communities of color and low-income communities throughout the U.S. The EJLF is hosted by<\/span> WE ACT for Environmental Justice.<\/span><\/a> Follow us @ejforum @weact4ej. Learn more at<\/span> ejforum.org<\/span><\/a> and<\/span> weact.org<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u00a0<\/span>","include_drop_cap":false}}]},"yoast_head":"\nFacing Ongoing Federal Attacks, U.S. Environmental Justice Leaders Gather to Ramp Up Protections to Keep Communities Safe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The 2026 Environmental Justice Leadership Forum convening in Chicago with partners People for Community Recovery advanced movement building.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/weact.org\/es\/updates\/facing-ongoing-federal-attacks-u-s-environmental-justice-leaders-gather-to-ramp-up-protections-to-keep-communities-safe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"es_MX\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Facing Ongoing Federal Attacks, U.S. Environmental Justice Leaders 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