There is overwhelming evidence demonstrating that the burden of adverse environmental impacts falls disproportionately on people of color and low-income populations. Environmental justice recognizes that every person has equal dignity and equal rights to a clean and healthy environment and access to information, participation, justice, and remedies in environmental matters. In August 2021, the ABA House of Delegates adopted a Section initiated and sponsored Resolution No. 513 which provided for the ABA to advance environmental justice programs and urge all organizations with law-related practices to consider the perspectives and communities of color, indigenous communities, low-income communities, and other vulnerable populations.

With the passage of Resolution No. 513, the Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER) is continuing the fight to address and redress the disproportionate effects of policies and practices on communities of color, indigenous communities, low-income communities, and other vulnerable populations in the United States and around the world. Through a presidentially appointed ABA-wide Environmental Justice Task Force, SEER is examining the ABA's work around environmental justice. The 13 task force members represent members from SEER, the Civil Rights and Social Justice Section, the Center for Human Rights, the Business Law Section, and both lawyer and nonlawyer experts in environmental justice.

The Task Force will issue a report that identifies any gaps, suggests new policies, outlines legal education needs and share best practices with members, law schools and legal organizations. Other goals of the Task Force include studying federal, state, and local proposals involving environmental justice; working with government entities, such as the Council on Environmental Quality and the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council; and advising the ABA's Governmental Affairs Office on environmental justice advocacy. Building on the Task Forces report and stakeholder engagement, SEER will continue to support projects and programs that advance environmental justice.

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