Democratic presidential hopeful Julián Castro believes that minorities are disproportionately affected by the weather and has plans for legislation to change this.
During CNN’s Climate town hall, Castro was faced with a question from a nurse who works at a hospital in a low income area. The nurse claimed that his patients “suffer the most from climate change” and are victims of “environmental racism,” prompting Castro to unveil his plan to deal with this issue. (RELATED: Biden’s Eye Gets Bloody During CNN Town Hall)
“I know that too often times it’s people who are poor, communities of color, who take the brunt of storms that are getting more frequent and more powerful,” Castro began. “My plan actually calls for new civil rights legislation to be able to address environmental injustice.”
Julián Castro says his plan calls for new civil rights legislation to address environmental racism. “I know that too often times it’s people who are poor, communities of color, who take the brunt of storms that are getting more frequent and more powerful.” #ClimateTownHall pic.twitter.com/0kK3mrBGqg
— CNN (@CNN) September 4, 2019
The candidate also said that he “connect[s] the dots to places like Flint, Michigan” and wants to give people like the residents of Flint the “tools to fight back” against the “tremendous injustice” of environmental racism.
According to Castro, the fact that many government-funded public housing projects are near polluted areas is “the environmental injustice and racism that we’re dealing with.”
He also explained how he opposes the ruling of a “Supreme Court case a few years ago” which prevents private individuals from suing those who produce pollution. Castro may have been referencing the 7-2 ruling of CTS v. Waldburger.