Environmental Justice Definitions
This document provides a primer on common definitions for terms that describe “environmental justice” communities. These terms are utilized for federal and state government programs, with some definitions tailored to the problem a particular grant is trying to address.
Federal Government Funding Programs
| Program Name | Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) | Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA); Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) | American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) |
| Date Signed | Aug 16, 2022 | Nov 15, 2021 | Mar 10, 2021 |
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Commonly Used Terms
Distressed Municipalities (Link to Distressed Municipalities Map, 2022)
- State statute defined - CGS 32-9p
- Managed and updated annually by Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) (Link to DECD’s webpage)
- Based on high unemployment and poverty, aging housing stock, low or declining rates of growth in job creation, population, and per capita income
- A distressed municipality includes municipalities that no longer meet the threshold requirements but are still in a 5-year grace period.
- Example Application:
- CGS 22a-20a: Considered as an “environmental justice community”
Vulnerable Communities
- State statute defined – CGS 16-243y
- Populations or communities that are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change, environmental hazards, pollution, and other environmental injustices. These populations are at much higher risk of experiencing adverse health outcomes and most often include, for example, those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, people of color, children, elderly individuals, individuals with chronic health conditions, homeless individuals, and individuals with mental health conditions.
- Includes: Environmental justice communities pursuant to section 22a-20a, communities eligible for community reinvestment pursuant to section 36a-30 and the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, 12 USC 2901 et seq. as amended from time to time, populations with increased risk and limited means to adapt to the effects of climate change
Environmental Justice Communities (Link to EJ Communities Map, 2022)
- State statute defined - CGS 22a-20a(a)(1)
- A US census block group, as determined by the most recent US census for which 30% or more of the population consists of low-income persons and have an income below two hundred% of the federal poverty level; OR a distressed municipality, as defined in CGS 32-9p
- Application:
- CGS 22a-20a: income below two hundred percent of the federal poverty level
- E-bike Incentive program: income below three hundred percent of the federal poverty level
Disadvantaged Communities (Link to CEJST)
- Federally defined by Justice40, which came out of President Biden’s EO 14008 with the goal of 40% of overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities.
- Justice 40 initiatives are being implemented through funding from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) also known as Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
- Applications:
- Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) is utilized by federal grant programs to identify “disadvantaged communities” that are marginalized and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment.
Energy Communities
- Federally defined – Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) targets investments to places that have historically been at the forefront of fossil fuel energy production.
- These communities were home to coal mines and plants that are no longer in service OR are communities reliant on fossil fuel employment and revenue that are currently seeing high unemployment.
- Applications:
- IRA Bonus Mapper - shows locations for energy projects that are eligible for a bonus of 10% under the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and Production Tax Credit (PTC)
Low-income Communities
- Federally defined – Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) targets solar and wind development that benefits low-income communities
- Applications:
- IRA Bonus Mapper - shows locations where qualifying solar and wind projects are eligible for a 10-percentage point bonus credit on ITC
Environmental Justice Mapping Tools
Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), President Biden’s EO 14008
- 8 key categories: climate change, energy, health, housing, legacy pollution, transportation, water and wastewater, workforce development
- Pinpoint communities that bear these burdens, identifying those that are both overburdened and underserved, and are therefore a “disadvantaged community”
- Department of Energy (DOE) funding recipients can use the DOE Disadvantaged Communities (DAC) score to understand the energy burdens experienced by census tracts in CEJST tool (link to Energy Justice Mapping Tool)
- EPA’s environmental justice mapping and screening tool that identifies areas with people of color and/or low-income populations, potential environmental quality issues, a combination of environmental and demographic indicators that are greater than usual
- Combines 13 environmental indicators and 7 socioeconomic indicators
DEEP/UConn CIRCA’s Environmental Justice Screening Tool (still under development)
- Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA)
- Tool that identifies communities where pollution burdens, health sensitivities, and/or social stressors could have a disproportionately harmful impact on vulnerable populations facing chronic health conditions and social stressors.
- Link to Fact Sheet that describes 24 socioeconomic indicators and 25 environmental indicators
CDC Social Vulnerability Index (CDC-SVI)
- Used in IIJA-funded FEMA Programs: Flood Mitigation Assistance and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)
- Uses 16 U.S. Census variables to help local official identify communities that may need support before, during, or after disasters
- Social Vulnerability: potential negative effects on communities caused by external stresses on human health
Content last updated January, 2024