Washington, D.C. – Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued the following statement today in response to the Trump administration’s recent announcement that it will repeal the Clean Power Plan:
“This is a direct attack on the rights of low-income African American, Latino and other minority communities who, too often, are subject to higher rates of exposure to toxic chemicals and power plants, and are increasingly vulnerable to catastrophic climate-related events. Moreover, minority communities are disproportionately living in the shadow of power plants and other dangerous industries that must be regulated. Recently, we witnessed the inequitable impact environmental disasters play on communities of color after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, one of the most racially segregated cities in the country, and as the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico continue to reel from the impact of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.
“Enacted following the receipt of more than 4 million public comments and hundreds of meetings with stakeholders, the Clean Power Plan reflects the careful and considered judgment of how best to respond to climate change and its impacts. Secretary Scott Pruitt’s actions threaten efforts to address climate change and promote environmental justice across our country.”
About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 54th year, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is continuing its quest “Move America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.
Contact:
Derrick Robinson
press@lawyerscommittee.org
202-662-8382
