The Justice40 Initiative aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits from federal investments in climate and clean energy are directed to disadvantaged communities.
The Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) is a specialized screening tool to identify areas most in need of support. Many areas in Indianapolis with Black populations higher than 60% have been labeled “disadvantaged,” meaning they have been marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
What is the Justice40 Initiative and why does it matter?
During his State of the Union Speech in 2022, President Joe Biden promised the American people that he would create jobs, and “Do it all to withstand the devastating effects of climate change and promote environmental justice.”
The Justice40 Initiative was introduced shortly thereafter and focuses on sending clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing and other investments to disadvantaged communities. Executive Order 14096 was signed in April 2023 to ensure this happened.
In Indianapolis, the CEJST tool has identified several areas with high Black and minority populations as potential recipients of these investments. For example, the Martindale-Brightwood area has nearly 90% Black residents and is identified as being disadvantaged for a number of reasons:
- Low income (80th percentile)
- Energy cost (90th percentile)
- Asthma (94th percentile)
- Diabetes (99th percentile)
- Heart Disease (95th percentile)
- Low life expectancy (94th percentile)
- Historic underinvestment
- Unemployment (97th percentile)
These numbers signify that the Justice40 Initiative will be targeted towards communities like Martindale-Brightwood to create a more sustainable environment. According to this tool, 156 out of a total 1511 Indiana census tracts are disadvantaged.
What is being implemented in my community? What is Indiana doing to help?
There has been some concern regarding Justice40 and the implementation, namely concern from the Indiana Alliance for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
In July of 2022, shortly after the Executive Order was signed by Biden, INDOT announced it would use more than $100 million to install electric vehicle charging stations across the state. This announcement was met with concern from the alliance, who felt the charging stations were not placed in the areas allocated by the CEJST.
While there was concern from the Indiana Alliance for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, INDOT assured residents the charging station would provide 80% of disadvantaged residents access to electric vehicle charging by the end of the program.
On May 2, 2024, the EPA announced more than $65 million of funds from the Justice40 initiative would be used to help Indiana identify and replace lead pipes for drinking water.
“The science is clear. There is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” Michael S. Regan, EPA Administrator, said in a press release.
These funds are part of a larger $15 billion investment for pipe replacement nationwide. Justice40 mandated that 49% of the funds to Indiana and other states be allocated to disadvantaged communities.
What investments will there be in the future?
In December, it was announced that the Biden administration had tasked 11 organizations to allocate $600 million in grant funding under the Justice40 Initiative. In April, the grantmakers issued press releases stating they expected to begin to see project proposals and to gauge what people in the disadvantaged communities need.
While the money has begun to flow downstream, it will likely be months before the projects are implemented in our local communities.
This story will be updated as new grants and funding make their way into Indiana organizations.
For more information about Justice40, visit whitehouse.gov to learn more.
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Contact Health and Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
