Federal EPA plans to close all environmental justice offices

The Trump administration intends to eliminate Environmental Protection Agency offices responsible for addressing the disproportionately high levels of pollution facing poor communities, according to a memo from Lee Zeldin, the agency administrator (Source: “E.P.A. Plans to Close All Environmental Justice Offices,” New York Times, March 11).
 
In the internal memo, viewed by The New York Times, Zeldin informed agency leaders that he was directing “the reorganization and elimination” of the offices of environmental justice at all 10 EPA regional offices as well as the one in Washington.
 
Mr. Zeldin’s move effectively ends three decades of work at the EPA to try to ease the pollution that burdens poor and minority communities, which are frequently located near highways, power plants, industrial plants and other polluting facilities. Studies have shown that people who live in those communities have higher rates of asthma, heart disease and other health problems, compared with the national average.