Attorney General James Files Injunction Against Trump’s EPA Order
The Clean Air Coalition stands behind the New York Attorney General James’ preliminary injunction motion filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on June 8th, 2020. Nine million people in New York State alone live in vulnerable zones close to facilities that are regulated by the EPA and are currently more vulnerable to COVID-19 due to air and water pollution. Attorney General James’ swift actions to protect the health and dignity of environmental justice communities in New York and throughout the nation is a beacon of hope for poor and working class people and people of color living on the borders of toxic and dangerous industries. Read more in the Buffalo News.
The preliminary injunction motion, more commonly known as a “cease and desist”, follows AG James and a coalition of eight other states across the country’s landmark lawsuit filed on May 13th 2020 in response to the EPA’s broad suspension of environmental protections and regulation reporting requirements on March 26th, 2020.
As our country faces the impacts of systemic racism on Black people and other people of color, it is our duty to place the blame where blame is due. The disregard for the health, dignity and safety of communities of color and poor and working class white communities is a direct symptom of a white supremacist culture that values profit over people’s lives. The EPA’s suspension of environmental laws and regulations is directly tied to a legacy of cutting public services, public health and holistic public safety programs, laws and policies that benefit Black, people of color and poor and working class white people for the sake of profit and control of the white, owning class.
It remains critically important that the State of New York follow the lead of environmental justice communities in calling the EPA’s suspension of environmental regulations what it is; a callous and cruel disregard for the health and wellbeing of communities of color and poor and working class people during a public health pandemic. Our members throughout Western New York depend on the EPA to do their job to keep us safe.
Clean Air applauds Attorney General James’ suit which outlines the direct impact the EPA’s actions have had and will have on communities of color, and white poor and working class people, living in environmental justice communities. Attorney General James’ preliminary injunction motion will begin again the necessary work of reporting and enforcement that the EPA is charged with for our people.
Read the full complaint below