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Environmental Justice Newsletter
September 12, 2024
Summary of Important Dates
Announcements
NJDEP Urges EPA to Designate PFAS as Hazardous Air Pollutants
On August 29th, NJDEP and two other state environmental agencies jointly submitted a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency to add four specific PFAS "forever chemicals" to the list of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) under the Clean Air Act. PFAS air emissions have been found to affect surface water, groundwater and soil, and result in the contamination of public and private drinking water sources. The petition presents sufficient evidence that PFAS are air pollutants and are causing adverse effects to human health and the environment, particularly in overburdened communities. The petition argues that a Hazardous Air Pollutant designation for each specified PFAS type would enable necessary emission controls to better protect public health and the environment. Learn more online.
NJDEP Seeks EJ Board Member Nominee Recommendations for NJ State Parks and Open Space Foundation
NJDEP is seeking recommendations for nominees with experience in open space, preservation, land stewardship, environmental education, and environmental equity and justice to fill six vacancies for the inaugural board of directors for the New Jersey State Parks and Open Space Foundation, authorized by state law signed by Governor Phil Murphy earlier this year. The Foundation will create opportunities to further grow and invest in New Jersey’s state parks, forests and historic sites, as well as county and local government open space. The Environmental Justice board member will advise the foundation on equity considerations in its open space expansions statewide and help prioritize investments that increase parks and open space access in overburdened communities.
Recommendations for nominations are due October 18, 2024. Learn more online.
NJBPU Awarded $156 Million through Solar for All Grant
On September 5th, representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency gathered in Edison, NJ to award the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities $156 million under the Solar for All Program. Designed to address major barriers that have prevented equitable adoption of solar energy by low-income and disadvantaged households, the Solar for All Program will use these funds to support the development of residential solar, multi-family housing solar and storage, residential-serving community solar, and technical assistance and workforce development. The program will facilitate lower energy costs for families, create good-quality jobs in underserved communities, and advance efforts to reduce energy emissions statewide. Learn more online.
EPA Finalizes Policy for Meaningful Engagement and Public Participation in Agency Decision-Making Processes
On September 5, the Environmental Protection Agency announced the release of the final Achieving Health and Environmental Protection Through EPA’s Meaningful Engagement Policy. The new policy outlines updates on how the agency intends to engage with the public and provide meaningful public participation opportunities in all of its programs and regions. It provides specific steps to help EPA staff design appropriate and effective processes for meaningful engagement and public participation for particular action scenarios and decision contexts. More information is available online.
Murphy Administration Enacts Legislation to Incentivize Conversion of Brownfields into Solar Project Sites
On September 4th, Governor Murphy signed new legislation enhancing the Historic Property Reinvestment Program and the Brownfields Redevelopment Incentive Program. The bill reinforces legal supports for historic preservation and further incentivizes the redevelopment of NJ brownfields into new solar energy facilities. Murphy also announced the launch of the new Landfill to Solar website, which serves as a one-stop shop to guide municipalities and solar developers as they plan, fund, and complete solar plus landfill capping projects. This guidance extends the Administration's whole-of-government approach to reducing emissions, developing clean energy, growing economic development, increasing affordability, and revitalizing environmental justice communities. Learn more online.
Murphy Administration Highlights Residential Energy Assistance Program to Increase Affordability of Rising Energy Costs
On August 26th, the Murphy Administration highlighted the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities' Residential Energy Assistance Payment (REAP) initiative, which will provide financial relief to thousands of eligible households, further advancing the Administration’s efforts to improve affordability statewide. During the September bill cycle, a $175 one-time bill credit will be automatically issued to approximately 278,000 qualifying residential ratepayers on their electric or gas bills. Understanding the legacies of polluting energy facilities in overburdened communities and the disproportionate impact of rising energy costs due to climate-related events, the initiative seeks to both reduce pollution through clean energy alternatives and alleviate financial strain experienced by low-income households. More information is available online.
EPA Releases External Civil Rights Guidance on Procedural Safeguards
On August 22nd, the EPA’s Office of External Civil Rights Compliance, within the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, released the Civil Rights Guidance on Procedural Safeguards: Requirements and Best Practices. The guidance includes a robust explanation of the civil rights laws administered by the Agency and outlines best practices for building strong and effective civil rights programs for recipients of EPA financial assistance. It discusses, among others, obligations to designate a non-discrimination coordinator, adopt grievance procedures that assure prompt and fair resolution of complaints alleging federal civil rights violations, and ensure nondiscrimination in public participation processes. Learn more online.
NJDEP Honored Nationally for Food Waste Reduction Plan
In August, NJDEP’s Division of Sustainable Waste Management was honored by the National Conference of State Legislatures for spearheading a comprehensive and ongoing set of actions to reduce food waste in New Jersey through its Food Waste Reduction Plan. The plan outlines food waste solutions currently being carried out by the state- organizational partnerships to promote reduction strategies at the local government level, supporting food donation outlets, and developing a website identifying actions that stakeholders and residents can take to reduce food waste. To further the Plan's goals, DEP is also funding a number of supplemental projects, many of which combat food waste and food insecurity simultaneously. One highlighted project establishes an interactive map that identifies food waste generators statewide and redistributes excess food to local donation centers in low-income communities and communities with limited food access. Learn more online.
Participation Opportunities
Upcoming Environmental Justice Law Public Hearings
September 12- Middlesex County Landfill, AO-25 (virtual)
September 18- Citgo - Linden Title V Renewal, AO-25 (virtual)
October 23- Diversified Global Graphics Group Title V Renewa1, AO-25 (virtual)
Postponed- Reworld - Union Title V Renewal, AO-25
Due to a scheduling conflict with another community event, the Reworld Union AO-25 Public Hearing originally scheduled for September 19 will be held on a new date that will be announced soon.
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
 Register Now for OEJ's Upcoming Environmental Justice Community Engagement Session in Woodbine!
Join the Office of Environmental Justice on September 17th to discuss your environmental concerns at the next EJ Community Engagement Session with DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette and EPA Region 2 Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia.
Date and Time: Tuesday, September 17th, 2024, 6:00-7:30pm
Location: Woodbine Community Center, 812 Longfellow St, Woodbine, NJ 08270
Attend in-person or virtually via Zoom. Translation is available in Spanish. Registration strongly encouraged.
 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.
Extreme Heat Webinar Series: What Does a Hotter NJ Mean for Our Health?
Join NJ's Interagency Council on Climate Resilience (IAC) on Wednesday, September 25th from 11am - 12pm for their second extreme heat webinar. The webinar will feature a panel of health experts discussing the impacts that extreme heat has on our physical and behavioral health. The panel will be available to discuss higher risk for adverse physical, mental, and behavioral effects of extreme heat for vulnerable populations, including low-income communities and people with pre-existing health conditions. More information is available online.
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Public Hearing for Diamond Alkali Site Cleanup Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency is hosting an upcoming public hearing on its proposal to finalize a final cleanup plan for the 80-120 Lister Ave. portion of the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site in Newark, NJ. The site includes 5.8 acres of land between 80-120 Lister Ave., the Lower Passaic River, and a portion of Newark Bay. Activities at Lister Ave. left behind contaminated soil, debris, and groundwater. EPA originally put into place an interim plan that included containing the material at Lister Avenue with a cap and operating a groundwater containment system. EPA is now proposing a permanent plan that will improve on the systems in place to safely contain the material.
The hybrid public meeting will take place at 100 Summit St, Newark, NJ 07103 in Room 303 of the NJIT Central King Building on September 19th, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Written comments are due October 10th, 2024. 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.
Applications Now Open for the Rooting Resilience Program!
The Rooting Resilience Program, funded in part by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program, will provide funding and technical assistance to community-based projects that build resilience and capacity for the planning and implementation of forestry projects. This opportunity is available for projects located in disadvantaged communities, including urban, suburban, and rural communities. Grants awarded will range from $75,000 to $200,000 over a 1–3-year period.
Applications are due October 23, 2024. More information is available online.
US DOT’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program
The US Department of Transportation has announced $607 million available through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program for capital construction and community planning activities that address economic, environmental, or public health disparities created by federal highway policy, and reconnect communities divided by transportation infrastructure. Eligible projects include the removal, retrofitting, or mitigation of highways that restrict mobility in disadvantaged communities, projects that improve access to daily needs such as jobs, education, health care, food, nature, and recreation, or community-centered development initiatives.
Potential applicants who are interested in pursuing a reconnecting type of project but are not prepared to submit funding requests can submit a request for technical assistance through the Reconnecting Communities Institute, which is also hosting free, virtual clinics and office hours.
Applications are due September 30th, 2024. 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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