Middlesex County Environmental Justice
Community Engagement Session
 On June 13th, DEP hosted community members from across Middlesex county to hear about local Environmental Justice concerns. Visit the EJ Community Engagement Sessions page to view the meeting recording.
Transcribed notes are forthcoming.
Announcements
Governor Murphy Announces Filing of
Landmark Inland Flood Protection Rule
Governor Phil Murphy announced the Administration’s upcoming adoption of the landmark Inland Flood Protection Rule to better protect New Jersey’s communities from worsening riverine flooding and stormwater runoff. This rule updates New Jersey’s existing flood hazard and stormwater regulations by replacing outdated precipitation estimates with modern data that account for observed and projected increases in rainfall. These changes will help reduce flooding from stormwater runoff and increase the resiliency of new developments located in flood-prone inland areas. A copy of the rule and additional information are available here.
Attention New Jersey Public Schools, Colleges and Universities: Apply for a Tree-Planting Grant
The Trees for Schools program will provide $2.5 million in grants to New Jersey public school districts, county colleges, and state colleges and universities to fund the planting of trees on campuses across the state. Competitive grants of $10,000 to $500,000 will fund costs associated with planning, site preparation, trees, planting, watering, monitoring, and related expenses over a three-year period. 40% of the grant funding will be set aside for applicants located in overburdened communities. Applications are due on July 13, 2023, for spring 2024 plantings. More information.
NJDEP Launches Interactive Dashboard to Provide Regularly Updated Information on Water Infrastructure Investments
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection launched an interactive dashboard that provides regularly updated information to help local governments and the public track the progress of funding for much-needed drinking water and clean water infrastructure projects that are important to the health and economic vitality of the Garden State. Read the full press release here.
Participation Opportunities
Upcoming Environmental Justice Law Public Hearings
June 29 - Middlesex County Utilities Authority- Title V Renewal (virtual)
July 31 - Stavola (in-person)
Facilities subject to the Environmental Justice Law must facilitate meaningful opportunities for overburdened communities to engage in permitting decisions for pollution-generating facilities through an enhanced public participation process. Subscribe to EJ Law notices by County
Updates Regarding Hearings Subject to EJ Law
Extended: EMR Camden
Comment Period Now Open until July 1
DEP is granting a 30-day extension to ensure community members have ample time to submit comments on the Preconstruction Air Permit Application under the Administrative Order 2021-25. Comments can be submitted via survey monkey, or emailed to Katherine Puccio at US.Permit.Comments@emrgroup.com. Comments can also be mailed to Katherine Puccio at 201 N. Front Street, Camden, NJ 08102.
Funding Opportunities
EPA Clean School Bus Grant Funding and Webinars
EPA has announced the 2023 Clean School Bus (CSB) Grant Program! Under the 2023 CSB Grant Program, the Agency is asking for applications nationwide to award approximately $400 million in competitive grant funding to eligible applicants for the purchase of zero-emission (ZE) school buses, clean school buses, and ZE charging infrastructure. Applications are due by Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at 11:59PM ET.
To assist potential applicants, EPA will host a series of public webinars May through August. Check the Clean School Bus Webinars webpage for upcoming dates.
Murphy Administration Offering $19 Million in Grants to Assist Municipalities with New Stormwater Permitting Requirements
The Murphy Administration announced the availability of $19 million in grants to help municipalities with the transition to new municipal stormwater permitting system requirements designed to better protect NJ's waterways from pollutants in stormwater. These permitting changes will also help mitigate localized flooding that is increasing due to climate change.
Full details of the Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) are available online. Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis through December 31, 2023.
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All New Jersey residents, regardless of income, race, ethnicity, color, or national origin, have a right to live, work, and recreate in a clean and healthy environment. Historically, New Jersey’s low-income communities and communities of color face a disproportionately high number of environmental and public health stressors and, as a result, suffer from increased adverse health effects. New Jersey seeks to correct these outcomes by furthering the promise of environmental justice.
DEP’s Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) aims to improve the quality of life in New Jersey’s most vulnerable communities by educating and empowering communities who are often outside of government decision-making processes and guiding DEP’s programs and other state departments and agencies in implementing environmental justice.
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