WASHINGTON _ People of color and lower-income communities are often harder hit by the adverse effects of environmental hazards, so congressional Democrats are pushing legislation aimed at reducing the harm vulnerable communities face.
According to the Center for Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan, on average, people of color makeup 56% of the population living in neighborhoods with toxic release inventory facilities, compared with 30% elsewhere.
Such facilities are run by companies that must report how much of each toxic chemical is released into the environment and/or managed through recycling, energy recovery, and treatment.
