Institute for Policy Integrity To: Re: DOE’s EJ Strategic Plan should include objectives under Goals 1 and 3 to develop

Background On October 31, 2023, DOE changed the name of the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity to the Office of Energy Justice and Equity (OEJE) to “better reflect DOE’s commitment to energy justice and tackling the climate crisis through equity-centered solutions.”3 OEJE’s mission states that the office “develops and executes Department-wide policies to implement applicable legislation and E. [...] .to advance equity for racial and ethnic minorities and other disadvantaged communities and individuals in accordance with Public Law 95-619 and Executive Orders 12898, 13985 and 14008.”5 OEJPA provides a number of tools and other research for DOE staff through its Policy and Analysis divisions.6 Presidential executive orders call on DOE to consider the impacts of their decisions on environmental. [...] identify and address opportunities through regulations, policies, permits, or other means to improve accountability and compliance with any statute the agency administers that affects the health and environment of communities with environmental justice concerns.”9 Agencies must complete the EJ Strategic Plan within 18 months of the issuance of the Order and must update the plan every four years.10. [...] Proposed Goals 1 and 3 of DOE’s EJ Strategic Plan RFI include “building the technical capacity of DOE staff” and “recognizing and repairing harms to communities and the environment.”13 However, currently there are no specific DOE guidance documents that establish a comprehensive agency-wide framework for how DOE staff should consider environmental justice in its decisionmaking to accomplish these. [...] The draft revision reflects advancements in the state of the science, new peer-reviewed guidance documents, and priorities and directions related to the conduct of environmental justice analysis, including Executive Order 14096.