Pass McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act

The impact of environmental pollution and degradation, including the worsening effects of climate change, has a profound impact on communities’ mental and physical health. For example, numerous studies have shown that air pollution leads to higher levels of stress, depression, and even death for individuals with serious mental illness.[2] Recent research has shown that air pollution affects brain development and the mental health of children, with one large study finding that air pollution “is significantly associated with increased risk of psychiatric disorders.”[3] The authors of this study suggest that neuroinflammatory mechanisms may be to blame. A recent meta-analysis of more than 100 studies found that nearly three-quarters showed that mental health symptoms worsened after exposure to high levels of air pollution.[4] The study’s lead author remarked, “People who breathe polluted air experience changes within the brain regions that control emotions, and as a result, they may be more likely to develop anxiety and depression than those who breathe cleaner air.”[5] Yet another study found that exposure to air pollution was associated with an increase in psychiatric visits to emergency departments among children.[6]

Given the long history of higher levels of environmental pollution in and around Black and other communities of color,[7] including the siting of pollution sources such as highways and industry, it is essential that Congress take affirmative steps to eliminate the sources of pollution and the inequitable effects. The A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act would be a major step in the right direction of addressing these injustices by providing resources, engaging with affected communities, fixing inequitable practices, and ensuring meaningful remedies.