Grijalva Joins Tlaib and Lee to Launch Environmental Justice Caucus in Congress

Arizona Rep. Adelita Grijalva has joined two fellow Democrats in starting a new congressional caucus focused on pollution and its effects on communities. The group, called the Environmental Justice Caucus, was announced this week.

Grijalva, who represents southern Arizona, launched the effort with Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Summer Lee. The three say the caucus will give lawmakers a platform to collaborate with local leaders, advocates and policy experts on environmental justice legislation.

Grijalva said the members share a common background. "Representative Lee and Representative Tlaib and I represent areas in our nation that have major pollution and cleanup and the polluters weren't held accountable, and rarely are," she said.

At the event announcing the caucus, Grijalva pointed to the neighborhood where she grew up, on Tucson's south side, as one such place. The area was designated an EPA superfund site in the 1980s after TCE, a solvent used at nearby military installations, seeped into the water supply. The contamination was linked to cancer and other illnesses.

Grijalva said the caucus will work with community advocates and tribal leaders. It will also build on legislation introduced in the House in 2023 by her late father, Rep. Raúl Grijalva.

That measure, the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act, sought to create requirements, advisory bodies and programs aimed at addressing environmental harms caused by pollution. An identical bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate, but neither version passed its chamber.

Grijalva also criticized the current federal approach to environmental oversight. "Especially under this administration with the gutting of so many departments — NEPA — federal policies, all oversight — it's sort of been thrown out the window," she said.