H.R. 2995

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2995 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2995

To advance environmental justice by addressing cumulative impacts and 
underenforcement, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 24, 2025

Ms. DeGette introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To advance environmental justice by addressing cumulative impacts and 
underenforcement, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Protection from Cumulative Emissions 
and Underenforcement of Environmental Law Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL 
STRESSORS.

(a) Proposed Protocol.--
(1) Publication.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall publish a 
proposal for a protocol for assessing and addressing the 
cumulative public health risks associated with multiple 
environmental stressors.
(2) Environmental stressors.--The environmental stressors 
addressed under the proposed protocol published under paragraph 
(1) shall include--
(A) impacts associated with global climate change, 
including extreme heat, extremes in temperature change, 
drought, wildfires, sea level rise, flooding, storms, 
water shortage, food shortage, ecosystem disruption, 
and the spread of infectious disease;
(B) exposure to pollutants, emissions, discharges, 
waste, chemicals, or other materials subject to 
regulation under the Clean Air Act, the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the 
Toxic Substances Control Act, the Solid Waste Disposal 
Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, the Emergency 
Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, and 
other laws administered by the Administrator; and
(C) other environmental stressors determined by the 
Administrator to impact public health.
(3) Public comment and hearings.--During the 90 days 
following publication of the proposed protocol under paragraph 
(1), the Administrator shall--
(A) allow for public comment on such proposed 
protocol; and
(B) hold at least 4 public hearings on such 
proposed protocol at times and in locations intended to 
maximize public input.
(b) Final Protocol.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall--
(1) finalize the proposed protocol published under 
subsection (a) by revising such proposed protocol as the 
Administrator determines necessary based on public comments 
received in writing and during the public hearings held 
pursuant to such subsection; and
(2) publish in the Federal Register the final protocol for 
assessing and addressing the cumulative public health risks 
associated with multiple environmental stressors.
(c) Implementation.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall implement the final 
protocol described in subsection (b).

SEC. 3. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR COMMUNITIES OVERBURDENED BY 
ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLATIONS.

(a) Identification of Communities.--Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall, in 
consultation with co-regulators in State and local agencies, identify 
at least 100 communities--
(1) that are environmental justice communities; and
(2) in which there have been, over the previous 5 years, a 
number of violations of environmental law that the 
Administrator determines to be greater than the national 
average of such violations.
(b) Analysis and Recommendations.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this section, with respect to each community 
identified under subsection (a), the Administrator shall--
(1) undertake an analysis of the conditions that have led 
to the number of violations described in subsection (a)(2), 
including through engagement with the residents of each such 
community;
(2) identify the root cause of the number of violations 
described in subsection (a)(2); and
(3) identify measures that the Administrator shall take, in 
coordination with co-regulators in State and local agencies, to 
reduce the number of violations of environmental law to a 
number that the Administrator determines to be significantly 
below the national average.
(c) Implementation.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall complete the 
implementation of the measures identified under subsection (b)(3).

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) Community of color.--The term ``community of color'' 
means a geographically distinct area in which the population of 
any of the following categories of individuals is higher than 
the average population of that category for the State in which 
the community is located:
(A) Black.
(B) African American.
(C) Asian.
(D) Pacific Islander.
(E) Other non-White race.
(F) Hispanic.
(G) Latino.
(H) Linguistically isolated.
(3) Environmental justice community.--The term 
``environmental justice community'' means a community with 
significant representation of communities of color, low-income 
communities, or Tribal and indigenous communities, that 
experiences, or is at risk of experiencing higher or more 
adverse human health or environmental effects.
(4) Low-income community.--The term ``low-income 
community'' means any census block group in which 30 percent or 
more of the population are individuals with an annual household 
income equal to, or less than, the greater of--
(A) an amount equal to 80 percent of the median 
income of the area in which the household is located, 
as reported by the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development; and
(B) 200 percent of the Federal poverty line.
(5) Tribal and indigenous community.--The term ``Tribal and 
indigenous community'' means a population of people who are 
members of--
(A) a federally recognized Indian Tribe;
(B) a State-recognized Indian Tribe;
(C) an Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian community 
or organization; or
(D) any other community of indigenous people 
located in a State.
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