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Environmental Justice Newsletter
February 13th, 2025
Summary of Important Dates
EJAC Public Meeting Series: Potential Topics Survey
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Environmental Justice Advisory Council (EJAC) wants to hear from you!
EJAC is an 18-member advisory board of environmental justice constituents and stakeholders, representing grassroots, community organizing, academic, industry, and local government sectors throughout the state. The Council uses its diverse expertise to advise DEP on how best to integrate Environmental Justice into agency-wide programs, policies, and activities, and build agency capacity. In addition to their advisory role, members also identify priority issues in NJ's environmental justice communities and work to address them through EJAC's established Air, Land, Water, and Environmental Education & Communication Working Groups.
EJAC is hosting its first public meeting in April 2025. The purpose of the public meeting series is to solicit feedback from residents on a range of priority issues impacting overburdened communities (OBCs) to understand relevant knowledge and programmatic gaps. Insights from these meetings will better inform the Council's advice to DEP on the agency's programming and may prompt project deliverables.
Each meeting will focus on a specific topic or theme to attract targeted, deep discussions. Testimony and comment opportunities will be offered to residents within, or community-based organizations representing, OBCs.
Please take five minutes to fill out the survey below and tell us what topics you'd like to discuss. Your perspectives and input are crucial.
Announcements
2025 Environmental Justice Advisory Council Workplan Now Available
NJDEP's Environmental Justice Advisory Council (EJAC) recently published its 2025 Workplan! The council, representing broad-based constituents and geography, serves as an advisory board to the Commissioner and provides a valuable forum for discussions about integrating environmental justice into DEP’s programs, policies, and activities. The workplan summarizes projects that members will prioritize in 2025, working within established Environmental Education and Communications, Air, Land, and Water Working Groups. Learn more online.
EJMAP Overburdened Community Designation and Stressor Data 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, released last Thursday, January 30, includes new Overburdened Community (OBC) and Adjacent Block Group (ABG) designations, based on the 2023 Community Survey shown in the Overburdened Communities tab. The update also includes new stressor data and revised Combined Stressor Total (CST) calculations, as shown on the Stressor Summary tab. Any permit application submitted on or after Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, will be governed by the new OBC/ABG designations and stressor data layer for analysis. Previous layers remain as archived layers within the tool for permit applications that were received between those dates.
An addendum summary explaining which data sets were updated is now available on the Office of Environmental Justice website. 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
Preliminary Draft of the NJ State Development Plan Open for Public Comment
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The NJ State Planning Commission recently unveiled their preliminary update to the NJ State Development and Redevelopment Plan. The preliminary update provides a roadmap to how NJ will continue to address critical challenges that the state faces, including climate change, equity, housing affordability, infrastructure modernization, and economic development.
Residents can provide feedback on the draft plan by filling out this survey or by emailing comments directly to stateplan.comments@sos.nj.gov.
The State Planning Commission is hosting a series of public meetings to discuss the draft's proposed changes and provide opportunity for public comment. Meetings are scheduled to take place in each of the state's counties, beginning today, February 13th, 2025.
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Environmental Action & Literacy Hub Seminar Series
Join New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance (NJEJA), on February 22, 2025, for the first installment of the Environmental Action and Literacy Hub Seminar Series! Developed in partnership with NJDEP, this series is designed to equip community members in environmental justice communities across New Jersey with the knowledge and tools to advocate for a healthier, more sustainable future. Running from February to November 2025, this series offers a unique opportunity to learn, engage, and take action. Seminar 1 will explore various environmental issues and terminology, policy initiatives, governmental processes, and advocacy strategies. 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.
Solid Waste Recycling Enhancement Act (REA) Higher Education Research Grant Program
The Solid Waste Recycling Enhancement Act (REA) Higher Education Research Grant Program has announced an extension for their grant. The grant funds recycling demonstration, research, and education, and professional training initiatives led by higher education institutions. These institutions may partner with eligible entities to enhance existing recycling resources, tools, or methodologies, or create new ones in community-specific contexts. For example, universities may partner with K-12 schools to conduct food waste research, develop best practices for composting programs, and support youth recycling education. By funding and applying institutional research, this program will help to address unique waste reduction and reuse challenges throughout the state and build capacities of local entities to implement meaningful solutions, particularly in overburdened communities that may have limited resources.
Applications are now due March 31, 2025. Learn more online.
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Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program Grants
Managed by the National Parks Service, the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program funds new parks, or the substantial renovation of existing parks in urban and underserved communities with limited access to green space and recreational opportunities. The program provides 50% matching grants which can be leveraged with Green Acres grants to fully finance park acquisition, development, and expansion. Competitive proposals should be developed directly in collaboration with community partners and overburdened residents, informed by stated recreation and accessibility needs and priorities. Additionally, the program will prioritize proposals that incorporate nature-based solutions to climate change and highlight the unique character of the local community.
Applications must be submitted through the NJDEP’s Green Acres Program. To determine eligibility and to advance the most competitive projects, Green Acres requires applicants to submit a project proposal by March 7, 2025. The most competitive project proposals will receive authorization and guidance from Green Acres on how to complete the preliminary application to the National Park Service. Technical assistance opportunities are available through Rutgers University. Learn more online.
 Call for Partner Organizations: Communicating Climate Change Flood Risks in Coastal Communities
NJDEP and the NJ State Council on the Arts are now accepting applications for the 2025 Community-Based Art Grant Program! This program, as part of a broader flood risk communications campaign, aims to raise awareness about increased flooding events related to climate change in coastal areas of New Jersey. Eligible community-based organizations will partner with artists to engage vulnerable residents on flood risk topics, hosting events and creating installations that address themes of climate resilience, reflect lived experiences of localized flood impacts, and increase understanding of actions that reduce risk. These engagement efforts are particularly important in low-income communities and communities of color, who are often disproportionately impacted by climate-related flooding. Past grantees include the Atlantic City Arts Foundation and Bayshore Center at Bivalve in Port Norris.
Applications are due February 26, 2025. Learn more online.
Technical Assistance and Planning Design Grant for Water Infrastructure Projects
The New Jersey Water Bank has announced new funding for water infrastructure projects in disadvantaged communities, available through their Technical Assistance and Planning Design Grant Program. This program covers planning and design costs associated with clean water or drinking water environmental infrastructure projects, including costs for wastewater treatment, stormwater management, water supply, and nonpoint source management facilities. Eligibility is limited to Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund borrowers participating in the Water Bank's Technical Assistance Program.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. More information is available online.
NJDEP's Youth Inclusion Initiative Grant Program
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.
Career Opportunities
NOAA Coastal Resilience Fellowship Program
In efforts to support the coastal resilience projects identified through its 2023 Climate Resilience Regional Challenge, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has launched the Coastal Resilience Fellowship Program! NOAA is soliciting applications for two New Jersey fellows to support the implementation of the $72.5 million Building a Climate Ready New Jersey initiative. This initiative will improve community readiness by creating a "pipeline" for projects that restore wetlands, protect critical infrastructure, address stormwater flooding and urban heat islands, and create new public access and recreational opportunities in overburdened communities. The initiative also aims to create replicable resilience project and community engagement designs that can act as models for future regional planning. A related education and workforce development component will facilitate continued coordination between regional governments, helping NJ's coastal communities prioritize equitable resilience planning and build capacity beyond the life cycle of the grant.
The Environmental Justice Fellow will help coordinate the project’s Resilience Project Design Pipeline work, planning and implementing multiple education, engagement, and training activities are planned and implemented in conjunction with the other core activities of the Climate Ready New Jersey project. The fellow will work with Urban Coastal Institute staff, key stakeholders, and community partners to engage disadvantaged and overburdened communities in the development of resilience projects for inclusion in the design pipeline.
The Education and Engagement Fellow will work with partners from the region-wide Education, Climate Awareness, Training, and Engagement (EduCATE) Initiative, providing coordination support to integrate resilience project efforts into its existing program. Fellows will work with each EduCATE partner to codevelop a Theory of Change for ongoing EduCATE projects, and support the planning and implementation of multiple education, engagement, and training activities
The two-year fellowship begins in June 2025. Applications are due February 28, 2025. Learn more 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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