A landmark report from the NAACP found that 39% of Americans living within 3 miles of a coal-fired power plant are people of color, and 78% of all African Americans live within 30 miles of one. This close proximity is linked to higher rates of cancer and morbidity, and underscores the disproportionate impact of pollution on disadvantaged communities.

The Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act would not only expand the Civil Rights Act to prohibit federal policies and programs from disproportionately impacting individuals based on their race, but establish new environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs.