Abstract
Private citizens need an avenue for justice through the judicial system on the siting of hazardous facilities. The health impacts of exposure to toxic facilities—like cancer, respiratory illnesses, and birth defects—are severe and victims deserve their day in court. While initiatives by government agencies and grassroots organizations provide influential roads to improvement, the judiciary stands to only bolster the efficacy of the work in the environmental justice field. The most effective way to include the courts is through the legislature creating a cause of action targeting the issues that communities face. Solutions to the issue of citizen standing in challenging discriminatory effects of siting toxic facilities include amending the Fair Housing Act and adding stronger policies to both the Environmental Justice For All Act and President Biden’s Justice40 executive order.
Recommended Citation
Lauren Cormany, Standing in the Way of Environmental Justice, 2024 ULR 167 (2024).