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Environmental Justice Newsletter
August 15, 2024
Summary of Important Dates
Announcements
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.
In addition, Inspections, Violations, and Incidents by Site reports developed by DEP’s Office of Enforcement Policy (OEP) are now accessible for each Site through the pop-up configuration for each applicable facility within the Facilities Tab of EJMAP. These reports provide an overview of how a Site is regulated and an understanding of whether it is meeting its permitted obligations. The pop-ups in the Facilities tab also include links to OEP's actual inspection reports and enforcement actions in DataMiner.
A summary addendum explaining which stressors were updated, as well as an updated technical guidance document detailing which data sets were used and the tool's new functions, are now available on the Office of Environmental Justice website. Learn more online.
Participation Opportunities
Upcoming Environmental Justice Law Public Hearings
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
 Upcoming Public Hearings for New NJPACT REAL Rule Proposal
NJDEP is modernizing land resource protection rules to better support New Jersey communities, residents, and businesses in building their resilience to sea-level rise, extreme weather, chronic flooding, and other impacts of our changing climate. Almost two-thirds of New Jersey’s coastline is already at high or very high risk to coastal erosion and 98% of the coastline is projected at medium or very high risk to sea level rise. Over half a million acres of New Jersey land are highly vulnerable to coastal hazards.
The New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJPACT) Resilient Environments And Landscape (REAL) rule proposal is part of an initiative directed by Governor Phil Murphy’s Executive Order 100 (Jan. 2020). Through amendments to existing land resource protection rules, REAL will bolster our resilience to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. The reform will address sea-level rise, coastal storm surge, flooding, and stormwater management concerns while improving water quality, protecting natural resources, and streamlining permitting processes that will expedite resilient investments in New Jersey’s communities and economy.
There will be three public hearings concerning the proposal as follows:
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September 5, 2024, Live at 6:00 P.M., at Ocean County College, Gateway Lecture Hall #104 (Bldg. #101), College Drive, Toms River, NJ 08754;
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September 12, 2024, Virtually at 2:00 P.M.
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September 19, 2024, Virtually at 10:00 A.M.
Written comments can be submitted by mail or via online form by November 3, 2024. More information is available online.
STEW-MAP Survey for Municipal and County Leaders
DEP's NJ Urban and Community Forestry Program wants your input! The Stewardship, Mapping, and Assessment Project (STEW-MAP) was developed by the U.S. Forest Service to identify and map partnerships, organize data, and recognize gaps in stewardship. The goal of this initial survey is to better understand urban and community forestry in the state of New Jersey at the municipal and county level, learning who local governments work with and the extent of their urban and community forestry programs. The outcomes of this project will help inform ways in which the State and its partners can better support collaboration among communities and understand the capacity of urban and community forestry in New Jersey.
The survey is available through September 27th, 2024. Learn more online.
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.
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.
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.
Green Workforce Training Grant Applications Now Open!
NJEDA's Green Workforce Training Grant Challenge is a competitive funding opportunity that will award grants to launch or expand workforce development and skills training programs focused on strengthening and diversifying New Jersey’s green economy talent pipeline. A total of $7 million will be available through this program, with individual awards ranging from a minimum of $250,000 to a maximum of $1.5 million.
Priority will be given to applicants that propose initiatives supporting training and job access for residents of Overburdened Communities. Proposed initiatives must focus on one or two (but no more than two) of the following industries: offshore wind, other renewable energy technologies, green design and construction, environmental and green infrastructure, grid resilience, clean transportation, and energy efficiency.
Applications are due October 8th, 2024 by 5pm. 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.
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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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