As Marylanders, we pride ourselves on our commitment to equality and justice for all. But our government doesn’t always adhere to these principles. For decades, Maryland agencies have allowed companies and others to build wastewater treatment plants, mining operations, major highways, and other projects in or near low-wealth communities and communities of color. These projects often threaten public and environmental health – but state agencies don’t fully consider how they harm people, communities, or our planet or seek meaningful input from affected communities. The result: These communities pay a heavy price with their jobs, with their health, and with their lives.

Fortunately, there is a solution. The Climate Equity Labor Act (sponsored by Delegate Regina T. Boyce (Baltimore City) and Senator Michael Jackson (Prince George's County) will help end environmental racism by strengthening the process to obtain permits for projects that threaten our air, land, water, and people. Specifically, it will enable key state agencies, like the Maryland Department of Environment,  to fully assess the health and environmental impacts of such projects on marginalized communities and prioritize these communities for public protection.