n, and you won’t do that without child care.”[12]This initiative and others confirm that now is not the time for educational institutions and companies to abandon their commitment to DEI objectives.Footnotes[1] See, e.g., H.B. 3682, 88th Leg. Sess. (Tex. 2023); S.B. 261 (Ga. 2023); S.B. 680 (Mo. 2023); C. Mandler, Florida Bill Targeting “Diversity, Equity, or Inclusion” on College Campuses Advances to State Senate, CBS News (Mar. 16, 2023), https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-hb-999-diversity-equity-inclusion-college-campus-bill-advances/; Kacen Bayless, Missouri Lawmakers Consider Banning Diversity Hiring Requirements for Public Colleges, Kan. City Star (Mar. 6, 2023), https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article272818355.html. [2] See H.B. 999, 2023 Leg. Sess. (Fla. 2023). [3] Kate McGee, Texas A&M University System Bans Diversity Statements from Job Applications, Tex. Trib. (Mar. 2, 2023), https://www.texastribune.org/2023/03/02/texas-am-system-dei/. [4] Exec. Order No. 14091, 88 Fed. Reg. 10825, 10830 (Feb. 16, 2023). [5] Biden-Harris Administration Launches Initiative to Promote Equal Opportunity, Expand Workforce for Federally Funded Jobs in Large Infrastructure Projects, U.S. Dept. Labor (Mar. 14, 2023), https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ofccp/ofccp20230314. [6] ICYMI: Experts Agree: Chips Manufacturing and National Security Bolstered by Childcare, White House (Mar. 8, 2023), https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/08/icymi-experts-agree-chips-manufacturing-and-national-security-bolstered-by-childcare/. [7] Budget of the U.S. Government: Fiscal Year 2024, Off. Mgmt. & Budget 73 (2023). [8] Id. at 79. [9] Mayor Adams Signs Package of Bills to Improve Diversity Within FDNY, NYC (Nov. 28, 2022), https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/865-22/mayor-adams-signs-package-bills-improve-diversity-within-fdny#/0. [10] Pamela Langham, An Overview of Maryland’s New Corporate Diversity Statute, MBSA (Mar. 3, 2023), https://www.msba.org/an-overview-of-marylands-new-corpo

Recently, two Federal policies have been released that could have a significant effect upon environmental remediation and the emergency response procedures and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The recent train derailment in Palestine, Ohio, may bring them into sharper focus. The regulated community may find it useful to take notice of these directives.Executive Order 14091 (dated February 16, 2023) Executive Order 14091, “Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,” was published in the Federal Register on February 22, 2023. (See 88 FR 10825.) The stated policy of this ambitious new Executive Order is to “take additional actions across the Federal Government … to continue the work begun with Executive Order 13995 (released on January 20, 2021), to combat discrimination and advance equal opportunity by … redressing unfair disparities and removing barriers to Government programs and services.” Therefore, it is the intent of this new Executive Order to advance an ambitious “whole of government approach to racial equity and support for underserved communities and to continuously embed equity into all aspects of Federal decision-making.” Among other matters, the Federal Government will “deliver environmental justice and implement the Justice 40 initiative,” which directs the investment of substantial sums of federal money into underserved, environmental justice communities.This Executive Order establishes an “equity-focused leadership” across the Federal Government, directing the creation of “Agency Equity Teams” within 30 day