This month USEPA announced its $25,000 "environmental justice" grant to a tenants organization to "prevent and treat issues with bed bug infestations."
This announcement is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, traditionally "justice" has been a matter for courts to dispense, adjudged based upon an evidentiary trial or hearing and applicable law. Now, it appears that administrative agencies can dispense "justice", perhaps by internal decision-making and without a public hearing.
But what is "environmental justice"? EPA's Environmental Justice Small Grants Program Fact Sheet discloses the following quote, in part, attributed to Administrator Jackson: "We must take special pains to connect with those who have been historically underrepresented in EPA decision-making, including the disenfranchised in our cities and rural areas, communities of color, native Americans, people disproportionately impacted by pollution and small businesses, cities, and towns working to meet their environmental responsibilities. Like all Americans, they deserve an EPA with an open mind, a big heart and a willingness to listen." It still is not entirely clear what "environmental justice" may be or how it is to be determined, but it does seem to have a flavor of social engineering.
A second interesting observation is to learn that bed bugs are jurisdictional for EPA. It is obvious that EPA is concerned with issues involving safe drinking water, wastewater, clean air, and solid waste. However, it is less obvious that EPA also is fighting insects. Is there any limit to its "big heart"? For example, will stray cats be next?
When I was a small child, my parents often sent be to bed with "sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite." As an adult, I now can sleep tight knowing that EPA will put the bite on my bed bugs.
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