New HHS Office Will Fight Environmental Injustices That Affect Health

July 28, 2022 by Alec Stone MA, MPA, Former ONS Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy

To address and protect the health of communities disproportionally affected by pollution and other environmental problems, the Biden-Harris administration created (https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/05/31/biden-harris-administration-establishes-hhs-office-of-environmental-justice.html) a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) office in May 2022.

The Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) falls under the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity, a part of HHS. OEJ is tasked (https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oej/about/index.html) with:

“Health is closely connected to the environments where people spend the most time— neighborhoods, workplaces and outdoor spaces,” Admiral Rachel Levine, MD, assistant secretary for health, said (https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/05/31/biden-harris-administration-establishes-hhs-office-of-environmental-justice.html). “Millions in the United States are at risk of poor health because they live, work, play, learn and grow in or near areas of excessive pollution and other environmental hazards. The OEJ is an important avenue through which their well-being and quality of life are receiving our full attention.”

OEJ’s establishment stems from President Biden’s Executive Order 14008 (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/), which tasked the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council with creating a plan to address current and historical environmental injustices.

“The blunt truth is that many communities across our nation—particularly low-income communities and communities of color—continue to bear the brunt of pollution from industrial development, poor land use decisions, transportation, and trade corridors,” Xavier Becerra, secretary of HHS, said (https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/05/31/biden-harris-administration-establishes-hhs-office-of-environmental-justice.html). “Meeting the needs of these communities requires our focused attention. That’s why HHS is establishing OEJ.”

The environment is just one of the many factors that can affect a person’s health, including putting them at risk for developing cancer. Advocating for those who are at a high risk (https://www.ons.org/make-difference/ons-center-advocacy-and-health-policy/position-statements/oncology-nursing-specialty) for cancer can help all persons, especially those in overlooked communities.


Copyright © 2022 by the Oncology Nursing Society. User has permission to print one copy for personal or unit-based educational use. Contact pubpermissions@ons.org for quantity reprints or permission to adapt, excerpt, post online, or reuse ONS Voice content for any other purpose.