​AG Bonta joined a coalition of 10 AGs in filing a comment letter opposing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule to remove provisions from its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations that expedite requests for public records that are related to “an environmental justice-related need” and waive fees for such requests. EPA’s proposal would unnecessarily hinder already-overburdened communities from accessing essential information and data regarding the health and safety of their communities. In the letter, the attorneys general urge EPA to withdraw its proposal and leave the environmental justice expedited processing regulations in place.

“Environmental justice can only be achieved when government information is open and accessible to everyone. Communities facing environmental burdens deserve more than empty promises. They deserve transparency,” – AG Bonta