Wyden, Merkley Join Bill to Codify DOJ’s Office of Environmental Justice
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are joining legislation that would permanently codify the Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, in the wake of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s recent order eliminating all environmental justice efforts at the department.
Bondi’s directive followed Donald Trump’s executive order ending all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives across federal agencies. As a result, programs combating pollution in communities of color, indigenous people, and low-income areas were effectively shut down in Oregon and nationwide. The Trump administration also terminated several division attorneys responsible for prosecuting environmental violations.
“The attack on environmental justice is an attack on the millions of Americans relying on clean air and clean water across our country,” Wyden said. “Federal agencies have a responsibility to protect our communities – not tear down solutions that keep people healthy for generations. Trump and his oil-loving cronies are not just making the climate crisis worse. They are also harming the most vulnerable communities in America.”
“Everyone, in every corner of Oregon—and across the country—deserves clean air, clean water, and protection from climate chaos. Unfortunately, the dismantling of environmental justice efforts by the Trump Administration has left our most vulnerable communities exposed to even greater risks,” Merkley said. “The Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act addresses these disparities by codifying vital protections, holding polluters accountable, and ensuring that every community, especially those most impacted by climate disasters and toxic pollution, has the necessary tools to secure a healthier, safer future.”
The legislation would strengthen efforts at the Department of Justice to enforce environmental laws, hold polluters accountable, and support state and local environmental enforcement capacity. The Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act would also authorize $50 million in annual grant funding to assist state and local governments with their own environmental enforcement efforts.
Senator Wyden is a longtime champion of environmental justice. In 2019, Wyden and his colleagues introduced legislation to overhaul the federal energy tax code, create jobs, and combat climate change. In 2022, Wyden’s Clean Energy for America Act was enacted as part of the Inflation Reduction Act – significantly lowering carbon emissions while reducing energy costs. In 2024, Wyden announced a federal investment of $20 million for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde to build a safe, accessible shelter for communities affected by the rising climate crisis.
The bill was introduced by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and in addition to Wyden and Merkley, the bill was co-sponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md, and U.S. Representatives Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas., Diana DeGette, D-Colo., Tim Kennedy, D-N.Y., Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., Doris Matsui, D-Calif., LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., Dina Titus, D-Nev., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.
The text of the bill is here.
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