February 18, 2022

The White House released the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) new Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool that shows which communities are deemed disadvantaged and therefore eligible for the President’s plan to steer 40 percent of the benefits from federal investments in climate and clean energy towards communities most affected by pollution.

The tool assesses census tracts along eight different environmental metrics: (1) climate change; (2) clean energy and energy efficiency; (3) clean transportation; (4) affordable and sustainable housing; (5) remediation and reduction of legacy pollution; (6) critical clean water and waste infrastructure; (7) health burdens; and (8) training and workforce development. Any tract that exceeds certain levels in at least one of these metrics, and that also exceeds a socioeconomic indicator—such as low-income levels or especially low rates of high school graduates—is considered disadvantaged.

CEQ plans to seek comments on the tool for 60 days in a subsequent Request for Information that will be published in the Federal Register soon.

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