President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday directing federal agencies to prioritize investment in disadvantaged communities disproportionately affected by pollution and climate change. The order will create a new Office of Environmental Justice in the White House Council to coordinate all environmental justice efforts across the federal government. Moreover, agencies will have to work more closely with impacted communities and fill the gaps in scientific data to tackle the impacts of pollution on people’s health. In addition, the order mandates federal agencies to notify nearby communities about the release of toxic substances from federal facilities. Biden criticized Republicans for “safeguarding handouts for Big Oil companies” and “fighting to make it easier for oil and gas companies to pollute the air we breathe” while contrasting his administration's historic environmental justice and climate agenda with the GOP's policies.