April was a month of both celebration and forward motion for environmental justice. The month kicked off with Earth Day, and this year’s theme rang loud and clear: no environmental solution is complete without justice. From coast to coast, Earth Day events highlighted the work being done in underserved communities – urban tree plantings in formerly redlined neighborhoods, clean-ups of rivers that run past public housing, solar panel installations for low-income households – underscoring that climate action and environmental repair must benefit everyone. In Washington D.C., the Biden-Harris Administration released its annual Environmental Justice Scorecard update, detailing how over $600 billion in federal investments are now being directed to disadvantaged communities under various programs.

This report showed tangible results: hundreds of water infrastructure projects in Appalachian and rural towns, Superfund cleanups accelerated in predominantly minority areas, new electric school buses rolling out to reduce kids’ exposure to diesel exhaust. It’s evidence that policies like the Justice40 Initiative are not just promises on paper – they’re delivering real improvements in people’s lives. Meanwhile, grassroots groups kept the pressure on to ensure those dollars are spent where most needed. In New York, advocates marked Earth Day by pushing state officials to implement a newly passed law requiring 35-40% of climate funds go to frontline communities, mirroring the federal Justice40 commitment. And on the West Coast, activists used Earth Day to launch a campaign for cleaner port operations to help neighborhoods plagued by diesel pollution. All told, April’s activities carried a hopeful message: after decades of inequality, resources and attention are finally flowing to the communities that have borne the brunt of pollution. There is much work ahead, but this infusion of investment – and the community oversight that accompanies it – is a game changer worth celebrating.