Too often polluting power plants, electrical substations, and gas compressor stations are concentrated in communities where people of color, low-income people, and limited English proficient speakers live and work. Clean Water Action is both working with community partners to support grassroots campaigns opposing specific projects as well as pressing for legislation to protect environmental justice communities from continuing to be overburdened by more polluting facilities.
Clean Water Action is currently supporting An Act relative to energy facilities siting improvement to address environmental justice, climate, and public health - H.3187/S.2113. The years-long fight to prevent a polluting substation from being constructed in East Boston demonstrates that environmental justice (EJ) communities still do not have enough power to stop polluting facilities from being built in their neighborhoods. This bill requires a cumulative impact assessment and an EJ impact statement before the Energy Facilities Siting Board approves any electricity generating facility or oil, gas, or substation facility. Additionally, it prohibits the approval of electricity generating facilities or substations if the EJ impact statement shows that they would result in public health or other harms to EJ populations.
