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U.S. NEWS Friday 6 May 2022
Biden to crack down on polluters in poor, minority areas

By MATTHEW DALY said. The new office “will
Associated Press prioritize meaningful and
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fol- constructive engagement
lowing through on a cam- with the communities most
paign promise, the Biden affected by environmental
administration on Thursday crime and injustice,’’ Gar-
announced a wide-rang- land said. “Whenever pos-
ing enforcement strategy sible, these efforts will re-
aimed at holding industrial spond directly to commu-
polluters accountable for nity needs and concerns.’’
damage done to poor and Environmental Protection
minority communities. Agency head Michael Re-
The strategy includes cre- gan said the “partnership”
ation of an Office of Envi- between his agency and
ronmental Justice within the Justice Department
the Justice Department to “has never been stron-
focus on “fenceline com- ger” and will ensure that
munities” that have been the federal government
exposed to air and water does all it can “to protect
pollution from chemical overburdened and under-
plants, refineries and other served communities across
industrial sites. America.’’
The plan also reinstates a The strategy follows a series
dormant program that al- Environmental Protection Agency administrator Michael Regan speaks alongside Attorney of enforcement actions an-
lowed fines paid by indus- General Merrick Garland at a news conference to announce actions to enhance the Biden nounced by Regan in Jan-
administration’s environmental justice efforts, Thursday, May 5, 2022, at the Department of Justice
try as part of a settlement in Washington. uary to address air pollu-
go to river cleanup, health Associated Press tion, unsafe drinking water
clinics or other programs and other problems afflict-
that benefit the environ- communities have faced ernment approach. and racial equity. ing minority communities in
ment or public health. The barriers to accessing the In a related develop- CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory three Gulf Coast states that
program was used by presi- justice they deserve,’’ he ment, the White House called White-Newsome “a Regan toured in Novem-
dents from both parties be- said. “No American should announced Thursday that strong and effective cham- ber.
fore being eliminated in the have to live, work or send advocate Jalonne White- pion for communities that The plan includes unan-
Trump administration. their kids to school in a Newsome will lead environ- have been overburdened nounced inspections of
“Although violations of our neighborhood that carries mental justice efforts at the by pollution and subjected chemical plants, refineries
environmental laws can an unfair share of environ- White House Council on En- to decades of environmen- and other industrial sites
happen anywhere, com- mental hazards,’’ added vironmental Quality. White- tal injustice.’’ and installation of air moni-
munities of color, indige- Associate Attorney Gener- Newsome succeeds Ceci- On enforcement, the strat- toring equipment in Louisi-
nous communities and low- al Vanita Gupta. lia Martinez, who stepped egy unveiled Thursday is ana’s “chemical corridor”
income communities often President Joe Biden had down in January. intended to guide the work to enhance enforcement
bear the brunt of the harm promised during the 2020 White-Newsome, of Michi- of employees throughout at a series of chemical and
caused by environmental campaign that he would gan, is founder and CEO of the Justice Department, plastics plants between
crime, pollution and cli- establish an environmental Empowering a Green En- including U.S. attorneys New Orleans and Baton
mate change,’’ Attorney justice division within the vironment and Economy, across the country who will Rouge. The region contains
General Merrick Garland Justice Department and a consulting firm focused begin a renewed focus on several hotspots where
said at a news conference. elevate environmental jus- on climate change, public environmental justice is- cancer risks are far above
“And for far too long, these tice issues in an all-of-gov- health and environmental sues, Garland and Gupta national levels.q

U.S. Cyber Command team helps

Lithuania protect its networks

WASHINGTON (AP) — The The three-month operation ing able to identify malware
Pentagon’s cyber arm says coincided with Russia’s war and tradecraft our adver-
a team spent months work- against Ukraine and was saries were using, and then
ing with officials in Lithuania part of an ongoing effort sharing that broadly with
to help protect govern- by the Cyber Command to a commercial provider,”
ment networks there from work with foreign govern- Gen. Paul Nakasone, the
cyberattacks. ments that want help pro- head of the Cyber Com-
The U.S. Cyber Command tecting their networks. mand, said Wednesday in
mission, known as a hunt for- In the last several years, describing the operations.
ward operation, involved the Cyber National Mission The start of the Lithuania
a specialized team that Force has conducted 28 operation predated the
worked side-by-side with hunt forward operations in Russia-Ukraine war, which
Lithuanian officials to iden- 16 countries, including Es- was launched by Russia on
tify vulnerabilities and root tonia, Ukraine, Montenegro Feb. 24 and has involved
out any malicious cyber and North Macedonia. persistent hacking by Rus- U.S. Cyber Command head, National Security Agency Director
activity on the networks of “These were countries that sian forces though caused and Central Security Service Chief Gen. Paul Nakasone attends
the country’s foreign affairs had asked for our assis- ultimately less damage a Senate Armed Services hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington,
ministry and defense sys- tance, deploying our de- than many observers had Tuesday, April 5, 2022.
tems. It ended this month. fensive teams forward, be- anticipated.q Associated Press