OEJ Newsletter - January 16th, 2025

Subscribe to EJ Law Notices by County: Did you know that you can receive notices to upcoming EJ Law application hearings in your area? Subscribe online and select the counties in which you'd like to stay up-to-date for hearings near you.

Announcements

Murphy Administration Seeks Community Partners for DEP's Youth Inclusion Initiative

NJDEP is now accepting applications for the 2025 Youth Inclusion Initiative Grant! The grant will allow community-based organizations to partner with DEP to recruit, supervise, and guide participants from overburdened communities, aged 16 to 20, seeking to gain hands-on exposure in a variety of environmental careers during the six-week summer program. Up to $100,000 is available for each host organization to support outreach, recruitment, supervisory services, transportation, meals, community projects and exposure to employment opportunities for the participants. Additionally, each participant will receive a stipend for taking part in the program. Local environmental groups, colleges and universities, neighborhood and community advocacy groups, and church and social organizations are eligible to apply. Building on the Initiative's past success, these grants will equip underserved youth with professional skills for environmental careers, build capacity of host organizations to advance local community projects, and strengthen partnerships in environmental justice communities statewide.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. on February 20, 2025. Learn more online.

DEP Releases eMobility Planning Toolkit

On January 2nd, NJDEP's Bureau of Mobile Sources launched the eMobility Planning Toolkit. The toolkit provides local governments, community organizations, and transportation planners, particularly those in overburdened communities, with key guidance on how to identify local transportation needs and preferences and develop thoughtful, community-driven planning solutions. It features numerous resources, links, mapping applications, practical action steps, outreach approaches, and real-life examples to support the data analysis and meaningful community engagement necessary to conduct diverse and inclusive transportation needs assessments. For example, the toolkit may help to identify mobility gaps, informing the development of mass transit programs like carshares or shuttle services that alleviate traffic congestion and connect more people to jobs, educational opportunities, medical services, and public resources. It also offers strategies for utilizing electric vehicles in transportation plans to improve air quality in areas disproportionately impacted by environmental and public health stressors. Learn more online. 

EPA Releases Indicators of Environmental Health Disparities  

As part of its FY2022-2026 Strategic Plan, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released data on disparities across race/ethnicity and socio-economic status for a set of six environmental and public health outcomes, known as the pilot Indicators of Environmental Health Disparities. These indicators illustrate the disparities in key environmental and public health issues and describe EPA’s efforts to reduce these disparities and overall health burdens. The pilot indicators include Blood Lead Levels, Population in Monitored Counties Meeting PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), Age-adjusted Hypertension, Adverse Birth Outcomes, Childhood Asthma Prevalence, and Life Expectancy. The selection of these indicators was informed by EPA’s scientific expertise as well as evaluations of previous EPA actions that produced measurable environmental, public health, and quality of life improvements in overburdened communities. Learn more online. 

Participation Opportunities 

Upcoming Environmental Justice Law Public Hearings

February 13- 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

National Environmental Justice Engagement Call

EPA invites Environmental Justice (EJ) advocates from around the country to participate in the next National Environmental Justice Community Engagement Call taking place on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The purpose of these calls is to inform the community and other stakeholders about the agency's EJ work and enhance opportunities to maintain an open dialogue with advocates. This meeting will discuss the Institute for Sustainable Communities and Community Change Grants. 

Webinar on TCTAC Resources for Tribal Communities

Join EPA on January 22nd, 2025, from 2-3 pm for an informational webinar on Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers! These centers are designed to provide essential support to environmental justice communities working on critical environmental and energy projects, and to help them access the tools and resources they need to create healthier, safer and more resilient communities. This session will specifically highlight the National Indian Health Board's unique role as the national TCTAC for Tribes, supporting indigenous communities in addressing local challenges and fostering sustainable growth.

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.

Funding Available for On-Road Diesel Vehicle Electrification Projects!

In a continuing effort to reduce diesel emissions and mitigate climate change, NJDEP's Bureau of Mobile Sources is offering another round of funding to replace medium- and heavy-duty diesel vehicles with electric. Local governments are eligible to apply for the upgrade and replacement of shuttles, transit bus, garbage truck, dump truck, and school bus fleets. 

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more online.  

Applications Now Open for the UPLIFT Grant Program 

Applications are now open for the UPLIFT Climate and Environmental Community Action Grant program! This program provides funding to partnered higher education institutions and community-based organizations in order to connect environmental justice communities with institutional resources, build the capacity of disadvantaged communities to influence environmental governance, and advance cooperative climate resilience projects. Specifically, the grant will support the development of an "UPLIFT Climate and Environmental Action Community of Practice" that will bring together local stakeholders to evaluate and redress environmental and climate injustices and facilitate the meaningful participation of disadvantaged communities in government decision-making processes. For example, to foster a Community of Practice, funding may be used to develop civic education training, create an environmental advisory board, or design a participatory budgeting framework in local government.   

The grant will also support the development of a Climate and Environmental Community Action (CECA) Subaward Program, leveraging connections established through each "Community of Practice" to implement projects that address climate challenges and reduce pollution in disadvantaged communities.

Applications are due February 25th, 2025. Learn more online.

Rooting Justice: Justice Outside Grant Opportunity

Funded through the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry National Program, the Justice Outside Rooting Justice Grant Program is designed to support community-based organizations, local governments and Tribal nations leading urban forestry projects in low-income communities and communities of color. Approximately $1.7 million is available for a range of two-year initiatives, including projects that expand equitable urban tree canopy cover through planting and maintenance, improve community engagement design in local urban forestry planning, monitor and maintain forest health, support workforce development in urban forestry fields, increase access to nature and green space, address local food insecurity, reduce urban heat stress, and mitigate climate change impacts in environmental justice communities.

New Jersey is a priority state for this funding. Justice Outside is hosting two upcoming informational webinars on February 5th, 2025, and February 20th, 2025, to provide an overview of the grant and discuss the application process.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout 2025 until all funds have been awarded. Priority application deadlines are scheduled for March 15, 2025, and August 15, 2025. More information is available online. 

FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grants

FEMA has announced a combined $1.3 billion in hazard mitigation funding available through their Flood Mitigation Assistance and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grants. Both grants will help state, local, Tribal and territorial governments address high-level future risks to natural disasters, build government capacities for effective natural disaster response, and foster greater community resilience to climate events, particularly in overburdened and under-resourced communities.

The Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant provides funding for activities that build local flood response capacities, reduce localized flood risks, and reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and within NFIP-participating communities. Eligible projects include stormwater infrastructure upgrades, building elevations in areas with chronic flooding, developing flood mitigation and cooperative management plans, and utilizing nature-based solutions for flood storage and floodplain restoration. 

The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant supports natural hazard risk reduction activities and strengthens public infrastructure in disadvantaged communities.
Eligible hazard mitigation projects include green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, community partnerships to increase local adaptive capacities and ensure resident access to critical emergency services, administrative assistance to develop stronger building codes, and climate resilience planning.

Applications for both grants are due April 18th, 2025. Learn more online.

NJ Community Gardens and Farm Grant

Administered through the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Community Gardens and Farm Grant seeks to foster environmental stewardship and sustainable agriculture in communities by addressing the need for conservation education and resource support in urban and underserved communities. Projects may include conservation practice demonstration and education opportunities as well endeavors to engage historically underserved growers and communities in NRCS programs. In addition, on established USDA People’s Gardens, projects can include support for things like climate smart conservation practices, stormwater runoff and erosion control, and habitat establishment and management.

Applications are due June 6th, 2025. Learn more online.

Green Acres 2025 Funding Round Now Open!

The Green Acres Program 2025 funding round is now open! These grant opportunities are for local governments and non-profits seeking to acquire open space for recreation and conservation purposes, develop outdoor recreational facilities, and steward natural resources on land held for those purposes. Non-profit grants specifically consider recreational development in urban and densely populated areas to increase accessibility of green space. Applications for land acquisition, park development, stewardship, Jake’s Law (Completely Inclusive Playgrounds), and Urban Parks projects are now being accepted. All applicants must provide opportunity for meaningful public engagement to ensure park planning and development decisions incorporate community input. 

All applications are due February 5th, 2025. More information is available online.