Disadvantaged Community
A community designated by federal or state government as bearing a heavy combination of environmental, economic, and health burdens, qualifying it for targeted investment under programs like Justice40.
Related terms
Overburdened Community A term officially adopted by the EPA and state governments to describe minority, low-income, tribal, or indigenous populations that experience a disproportionate amount of environmental harm and health risk compared to the general population. Environmental Justice The principle that all people, regardless of race or income, deserve equal protection from environmental hazards and equal access to a healthy environment. Justice40 A federal initiative directing 40% of the benefits from certain environmental, climate, and clean-energy investments to disadvantaged communities. Federal Cleanup Funds Money allocated by Congress (under programs like Superfund, the Inflation Reduction Act, and Justice40) to remediate contaminated land or fund environmental health work in disadvantaged communities. Cumulative Burden Threshold A scoring cutoff (for example, the top 5% nationally for both poverty and pollution exposure) above which a neighborhood becomes officially designated as a disadvantaged or overburdened community, qualifying it for federal cleanup funds and protections.