Trump administration cancels program to protect Alabamans from raw sewage

On January 20, President Trump's first day back in office, he issued an executive order requiring the federal government to terminate "all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and 'diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility' …mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear." The executive order specifies that this includes all "environmental justice" programs.

Buzzwords aside, what does this policy look like in practice?

On Friday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a press release announcing the termination of a 2023 "environmental justice settlement agreement that stemmed from the investigation launched by the previous administration targeting Lowndes County, Alabama." The press release said the move was part of the administration's commitment "to serving every individual with dignity and respect."

Strangely, the press release did not mention the substance of the settlement agreement between Alabama and the DOJ or why it was implemented.

In 2021, the DOJ launched an investigation into the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). The 18-month investigation found that the ADPH and the Lowndes County Health Department "engaged in a consistent pattern of inaction and/or neglect concerning the health risks associated with raw sewage" in Lowndes County. About 72% of the county's residents are Black, but "despite ADPH’s awareness of the issues and the disproportionate burden and impact placed on Black residents in Lowndes County, it failed to take meaningful actions to remedy these conditions."

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