Source: United States Department of Justice News
Remarks as Prepared
Good morning, Environment and Natural Resources Division, and happy Earth Day. I am so thrilled to be seeing all of you in person. Thank you for volunteering to be here on this beautiful day.
I am pleased that Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division is with us. AAG Clarke and the Civil Rights Division are invaluable partners in our work to advance environmental justice for communities around the country, and it is wonderful for us to be volunteering together here today.
I would like to thank Washington Parks & People for partnering with ENRD on this project, and all the work they have done to create beautiful greenspaces in the District of Columbia.
I am honored to be a part of the ENRD team because of the commitment to the environment that is demonstrated every day by all of you, not just on Earth Day. It is fitting that this group, which has done so much to protect the environment throughout the nation, has the longstanding tradition of taking a day to do in-person, local projects like this one.
Please think of your work here today as a celebration of all we have achieved this year. I am very pleased to announce that today we are releasing our Accomplishments Report for Fiscal Year 2021. I encourage you not only to read it, but also to share it with anyone who may be interested in our work and in working with us.
In the past year, ENRD has taken great strides in advancing the interests of the American people in environmental and natural resources matters.
We have fought against the climate crisis, through our enforcement efforts and our defense of client agencies. We have worked to provide a voice and relief to overburdened environmental justice communities through inclusive approaches and processes. We have worked to hold polluters accountable. We have defended the decisions of our client agencies across the many important programs they administer.
And we have had remarkable success in those efforts, with favorable outcomes in 99.4% of our civil enforcement cases, 90.2% of our civil defensive cases, 98.9% of our criminal cases and 100%of our condemnation cases.
This has been a year we should all be proud of. And today, I want us to keep in mind how all actions taken to protect our world add up.
When Marvin Gaye grew up in this neighborhood, he would come to this park to sit by the stream, write music, and sing. Everyone should be able to access safe, green and healthy spaces that give them a place to live and to dream. Your work here today will help provide such a space for the residents of this community.
Thank you for listening, and thank you in advance for everything we will achieve together ― today, and in the upcoming years.