Source: United States Department of Justice News
Louisville, KY – Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, announced today that his office, to advance environmental justice, has implemented a new procedure for members of the public to report environmental violations. Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
U.S. Attorney Bennett has implemented this public reporting procedure as part of the Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy. This Strategy seeks to provide “timely and effective remedies for systemic environmental violations and contaminations and for injury to natural resources in underserved communities that have been historically marginalized and overburdened, including low-income communities, communities of color, and Tribal and Indigenous communities.”
“Our plentiful natural resources are part of what makes the Commonwealth such a special place to live and work,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We are committed to protecting these natural resources and the health and safety of all citizens in this district—including those who have historically been ignored or marginalized—from pollution and contamination.”
Members of the public who have concerns about environmental violations in the Western District of Kentucky can now report them to the U.S. Attorney’s office by email at usakyw.envjustice@usdoj.gov. The Office’s public reporting procedures are in addition to other methods of reporting environmental concerns to the federal government, such as the online portal maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations. Additional information about the district’s efforts to advance environmental justice may be found on the district’s website at https://justice.gov/usao-wdky/programs/envjustice.
In furtherance of the Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Strategy, U.S. Attorney Bennett has appointed Assistant United States Attorney A. Matthew Weyand as Environmental Justice Coordinator for the Western District.
####