OEJ Newsletter - August 1st

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Announcements

DEP Announces First EJ Law Decision on Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission

On July 18th, DEP issued an official decision to authorize Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) to continue in the subsequent DEP permitting processes for the construction and emergency operation of a standby power plant. This decision is made on the grounds that the facility serves compelling public interest and includes special conditions that PVSC must operate under. Special conditions for the facility have been devised based on stakeholder input received throughout the public engagement process.

Special conditions set in the decision include a requirement that the power plant only be operated during emergencies and for routine maintenance checks, that PVSC install solar panels and transition to green renewables, and that air pollution control equipment be installed for existing uncontrolled boilers. Learn more online. 

EJMAP Stressor Summary Update 

Twice a year – on Jan. 31 and July 31 – DEP refreshes the New Jersey Environmental Justice Mapping, Assessment and Protection (EJMAP) tool with any data made publicly available since the previous update. The most recent update has been completed and includes new stressor data as shown on the Stressor Summary tab in EJMAP. Any permit application submitted on or after Wednesday, July 31 is now governed by new stressor data layer for analysis. A summary addendum explaining which stressors were updated, as well as an updated technical guidance document detailing which data sets were used, are now available on the Office of Environmental Justice website. Learn more online.   

The Office of Environmental Justice's EJ Directory is Here!

The Environmental Justice Directory is a public database comprising community-based organizations, advocates, and concerned residents with interest in environmental justice. It aims to facilitate robust engagement and collaboration between environmental justice stakeholders and state and local government and companies involved in environmental justice initiatives across New Jersey.

Joining the EJ Directory is free. Directory members may be contacted by companies subject to the EJ Law, state agencies, or other entities seeking to inform communities about upcoming public engagement opportunities. This proactive approach fosters informed participation and strengthens community voices in environmental decision-making processes.

Become a directory member today to stay informed, connect with advocates, and amplify your impact. Learn more online. 

NOAA Awards DEP 72 Million to Advance Climate Resilience Projects in NJ

NJ representatives convened last week to announce $72 million in federal grant money awarded to the DEP to support critical climate resilience projects through the Building a Climate Ready NJ initiative. Administered through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the grant’s funds will enhance resilience in many of New Jersey’s most densely developed municipalities and commit resources to help overburdened communities implement projects that protect against the worsening impacts of climate change.

The grant will also enable partnerships with multiple organizations to empower communities through education and workforce training on climate change concerns. Learn more online. 

DEP and Partners Announce Record NJ Water Bank Infrastructure Investments

On July 22nd, representatives from DEP, EPA, and the NJ Infrastructure Bank came together to celebrate a historic annual investment in water infrastructure through the NJ Water Bank. In Fiscal Year 2024, the Water Bank provided financing for 116 clean water projects (wastewater and stormwater treatment) and 31 drinking water projects, totaling a combined $1.078 billion in infrastructure financing. This record funding is being used in overburdened communities throughout the state to replace lead and galvanized service lines, install PFAS treatment systems, mitigate stormwater discharges, address combined sewer overflows, upgrade wastewater treatment, reduce flooding, and more. Funding recipients included the city of Trenton, Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority, and the city of Camden. Learn more online.

DEP Kicks Off the 2024 Youth Inclusion Initiative 

On July 8th, The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection officially launched its fourth annual Youth Inclusion Initiative program, which partners with community-based organizations to give young people from overburdened communities the opportunity to learn about various careers in the environmental field through interactive skill-building activities. Participants, ages 16 to 20, engage with Community Host organizations and DEP professionals to learn technical skills and complete community projects. Through these hands-on experiences, DEP hopes to empower the next generation of environmental leaders and provide opportunities for communities that have disproportionately less open space or historically lack natural lands access. Host Community Organizations include The Work Group in Camden, Groundwork Elizabeth, and the Ironbound Community Corporation in Newark. Learn more online.

Murphy Administration Releases Extreme Heat Resilience Action Plan

On July 19th, the Murphy Administration officially finalized and released the NJ Extreme Heat Resilience Action Plan. Developed by the New Jersey Interagency Council on Climate Resilience, the plan sets 136 specific actions to be implemented by individual agencies (or across multiple agencies) to mitigate the effects of extreme heat, one of the deadliest climate-related hazards facing New Jersey residents.

Over 80 of the priority actions outlined in the plan are dedicated to Building Resilient and Healthy Communities, including efforts to work with overburdened communities to address the impacts of urban heat islands, increase tree canopy in urban areas, increase access to cooling centers, and encourage count-level extreme heat planning that focuses on vulnerable populations. Learn more online. 

Biden-Harris Administration Release Phase Two of
the Environmental Justice Scorecard

Last week, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the second phase of its Environmental Justice Scorecard. The Environmental Justice Scorecard was created at the direction of President Biden to assess the federal government’s progress on advancing environmental justice, to provide transparency for the public, and to increase accountability for federal agencies. The Phase Two Scorecard outlines actions taken by federal agencies to advance environmental justice in Fiscal Year 2023 including Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, the implementing and enforcing environmental and civil rights laws, as well as administrative efforts to center environmental justice in decision-making and embed environmental justice throughout the federal government.

Participation Opportunities 

Upcoming Environmental Justice Law Public Hearings

August 7- Shell Oil Newark Terminal, AO-25 (hybrid)

August 22- Calpine/Sherman Ave Energy Center, EJ Rule (hybrid)

September 18- Citgo - Linden Title V Renewal, AO-25 (virtual)

September 19- Reworld - Union Title V Renewal, AO-25 (virtual)

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

DEP Seeking Public Comment on 2024 NJ Ambient Air Quality Network Plan 

DEP's Bureau of Air Monitoring is now accepting comments on the 2024 Draft NJ Ambient Air Quality Network Plan. This document provides a complete description of the air monitoring network, and summarizes changes made in the previous year as well as changes planned within the next year. New Jersey operates 28 air monitoring stations throughout the state, keeping track of air quality in order to identify pollutants, revitalize affected communities and protect public health.

Public comments will be accepted through August 16th, 2024. Comments can ve submitted by email to bamweb@dep.nj.gov. Learn more online.

Register Now for IAC's Heat Focused Webinar

Join the New Jersey’s Interagency Council on Climate Resilience for an upcoming webinar on August 13th at 11am. NJ Interagency Council on Climate Resilience Asks: Has it Always Been This Hot in NJ? is the first in a new series of heat-focused virtual learning opportunities for residents and will feature a panel of climate and weather experts. The panel will discuss NJ's warming temperature, it's current and projected impacts, and the role of the Urban Heat Island effect in temperature rise. More information is available online. 

Funding and Technical Assistance Opportunities

In case you missed it, see below for opportunities that provide funding and assistance for projects related to green infrastructure, climate change, healthy communities, and more.

Deadline to Request Community Change Grants Program (CCGP) Technical Assistance

To provide eligible applicants with the most effective technical assistance (TA) possible, and in light of the of the fast-approaching November 21, 2024, Community Change Grants Program (CCGP)application deadline, EnDyna, EPA’s TA contractor, will stop accepting new requests for TA after August 16, 2024. 

Eligible entities that are interested in receiving TA for CCGP application preparation must submit a complete TA intake form by August 16, 2024. More information is available online. 

TCTAC Training Series: How to Meaningfully Engage and Influence Government Decisionmaking on Environmental Justice

WE ACT’S EPA Region 2 Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center, in collaboration with the NYU Institute for Policy Integrity has launched a new six-part training series for Environmental Justice communities. These trainings will focus on providing Environmental Justice communities with the tools to effectively engage with government at all levels.

The first session in the series, Understanding Environmental Justice Laws and Policies, will take place on August 22, 2024 from 5:00 – 6:00 pm. This training will present a high-level overview of key laws and policies that require the consideration of Environmental Justice (EJ) issues in decisionmaking at the federal and state level for New York and New Jersey. Learn more online. 

Funding Available for Community Forestry Corps Youth Employment & Fellowship Programs

The Center for Regenerative Solutions (CRS) and Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), through USDA Forest Service Inflation Reduction Act Funding, have opened applications for capacity-building and workforce development grants. These grants are designed to help disadvantaged communities accelerate urban forestry through the launch and management of Community Forest Corps and Fellowship programs.

A Community Forest Corps sustains tree canopy in climate-vulnerable communities by employing youth to provide community-based tree care while also gathering critical urban heat data essential to developing urban forestry-based cooling strategies. The Urban Forestry Equity Fellowship Program places individuals from diverse backgrounds in areas that have made progress toward implementing urban forestry initiatives and are committed to collecting urban heat data and enhancing tree care and maintenance through a Community Forest Corps.

Applications are due August 23rd by 5pm.  More information is available online. 

Applications Now Open for the Arbor Day Foundation Community Roots Program Grant!

In partnership with the USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry Program, the Arbor Day Foundation has established the Community Roots Grant Program to support community forestry projects in underserved underrepresented communities. With over 4 million dollars in total funding available, the ADF will support community-led initiatives, including investments in tree planting and maintenance, planning, and capacity building. ADF will prioritize project proposals that seek to increase tree canopy and address challenges such as lack of access to green space, limited opportunity for green jobs, food insecurity, and urban heat in environmental justice communities. Community-based organizations and non-profits are eligible to apply. 

Applications are due August 12th, 2024. Learn more online.