Millennials 4 Environmental Justice is providing an examination of some of the major promises or policies of the 2020 Democratic and Republican presidential candidates that would impact or have impacted environmental justice. This inconclusive list was created to start conversations about the importance of choosing a candidate who is working for your interest. We hope that this will guide you to making an informed decision on November 3rd.
Environmental Health
Joe Biden
Biden plans to expand the EPA’s EJSCREEN tool (an environmental justice mapping tool) developed during his time as VP, by creating a data-driven Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool to identify communities threatened by the cumulative effects of climate change, economic and racial inequality, and environmental pollution. He will then use that information to target interventions that reduce emissions and improve air and water quality. [1]
Donald Trump
The Trump administration rescinded the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan and replaced it with the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, which shifts responsibility for setting emissions standards from the federal government to individual states. [2] They also rescinded many other regulations concerning emissions standards and expanded oil and gas drilling. [3]
Community Urban Planning
Joe Biden
Biden plans to utilize clean energy investments by directing 40% of the benefits from these investments to disadvantaged communities identified by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool. These investments will take the form of programs for clean energy and energy efficiency deployment, clean transit and transportation, affordable and sustainable housing, training and workforce development, remediation and reduction of legacy pollution, and development of critical clean water infrastructure. [4]
Donald Trump
The Trump administration established Opportunity Zones in 2017, which are 8,760 communities that have high poverty rates and a lower than average median family income. Companies are incentivized to invest in these communities through capital gains tax relief. The goal is to foster economic revitalization and job creation in low-income communities [5] however, there is no evidence that job creation has been achieved. [6]
Food Security
Joe Biden
Biden supports the passage of the FEMA Empowering Essential Deliveries Act which would temporarily allow the federal government to pay restaurants to prepare meals for natural disaster victims during national emergencies. He has also pledged to increase SNAP benefits by 15% during the current recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and provide low income families with an extra $100 per month in nutritional support temporarily. [7]
Donald Trump
The Trump administration’s 2021 budget proposes a $180 billion deduction from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over the next 10 years [8]. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic his USDA has helped feed hungry families by buying produce, dairy and meat products that would otherwise go to waste due to the closures of restaurants. They were distributed to food banks and other non-profits serving those in need. [9]
Economic Development
Joe Biden
Biden plans to tackle racial bias in housing valuation that leads to homes in communities primarily comprised of people of color to be valued at tens of thousands of dollars below majority-white communities when all other factors are the same by establishing a national standard for housing appraisals. [10]
Donald Trump
President Trump signed an executive order that expanded federally funded apprenticeship programs and on-the-job training to help develop in-demand skills without attending college and established the Workforce Development Advisory Council, which has created training opportunities for 6.5 million Americans. [11]
The Biden plan to secure environmental justice and equitable economic opportunity. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://joebiden.com/environmental-justice-plan/
Adler, D., Wentz, J., and Webb, R. (20 June 2019). Four important points about EPA’s Affordable Clean Energy Rule [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://blogs.law.columbia.edu/climatechange/2019/06/20/four-important-points-about-epas-affordable-clean-energy-rule/
Energy and environment: President Donald J. Trump achievements. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.promiseskept.com/achievement/overview/energy-and-environment/#
The Biden plan to secure environmental justice and equitable economic opportunity. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://joebiden.com/environmental-justice-plan/
President Donald J. Trump is Lifting Up American Communities That Have Been Left Behind (17 April 2019). Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-lifting-american-communities-left-behind-2/
Trump’s Unsupported Claim About Opportunity Zone Investments (24 June 2020) Retrieved from https://www.factcheck.org/2020/06/trumps-unsupported-claim-about-opportunity-zone-investments/
Joe Biden urges Donald Trump to address hunger crisis. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://joebiden.com/joe-biden-urges-donald-trump-to-address-hunger-crisis/
https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/presidents-2021-budget-would-cut-food-assistance-for-millions-and-radically
USDA farmers to families food boxes. (20 August 2020). Retrieved from https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food-to-usda/farmers-to-families-food-box
The Biden plan for investing in our communities through housing. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://joebiden.com/housing/
Economy and jobs: President Donald J. Trump achievements. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.promiseskept.com/achievement/overview/economy-and-jobs/
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