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Summary of Important Events
Community Engagement Sessions
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Date and Location TBD
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Paterson Environmental Justice Community Engagement Session
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Upcoming EJ Rule Hearings
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There are no upcoming public meetings at this time
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And new branding!
The Office of Environmental Justice is excited to launch our brand new logo and newsletter design! In addition to this launch, the Department has recently updated the Environmental Justice Rule Implementation, Guidance and Public Participation pages.
On these pages you will find new and updated guidance documents, and updated features to help you navigate the EJ Rule process.
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DEP BEGINS FIFTH ANNUAL SUMMER PROGRAM TO INSPIRE FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS FROM OVERBURDENED COMMUNITIES
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has kicked off its fifth annual Youth Inclusion Initiative, an innovative summer program in which DEP partners with community-based organizations to give young people from overburdened communities the opportunity to learn about careers in a wide variety of environmental fields.
Over six weeks, participants aged 16 to 20 will work closely with DEP staff in partnership with ten private and non-profit community-based organizations to learn about careers in water and air monitoring, natural resource management, wildlife conservation, and more.
The DEP’s award-winning Youth Inclusion Initiative is believed to be the only state-led program in the nation of its kind that focuses on connecting young people in overburdened communities with hands-on experience in environmental careers, a key priority of the Murphy Administration and Commissioner LaTourette. The program directly supports the Administration’s long-standing goal to build a diverse, inclusive environmental workforce equipped with the skills to expand the state’s green economy and advance environmental justice.
DEP, SUSTAINABLE JERSEY, AND TCNJ ANNOUNCE SECOND ROUND AWARD OF NEARLY $4.5 MILLION IN TREES FOR SCHOOLS GRANTS
Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette, Sustainable Jersey, and The College of New Jersey announced the award of nearly $4.5 million in grants to fund the planting of trees at 40 public schools, colleges, and universities across the state through the Trees for Schools program.
The tree planting projects will increase shade coverage to mitigate the effects of rising temperatures due to climate change, beautify school campuses, mitigate and filter stormwater runoff, and reduce the state’s carbon footprint.
More than half of the projects are located in overburdened communities, where excessive paving and limited tree cover can cause temperatures to increase, a scenario known as the urban heat-island effect. Grant awardees will participate in workshops and design projects, with the goal of planting more than 4,500 trees in Spring 2026.
GOVERNOR MURPHY JOINS LOCAL OFFICIALS IN NEWARK TO BREAK GROUND ON LANDMARK GREENWAY PROJECT
On July 15th, Governor Phil Murphy joined local, county, and state officials in Newark to break ground on the first phase of the Greenway project – a nine-mile, 100-foot-wide former rail line spanning Essex and Hudson Counties which will be transformed into New Jersey’s newest state park.
“This groundbreaking ceremony in historic Newark marks a milestone, beginning the long-awaited transformation of an abandoned rail-line into a world-class urban park that will be a significant recreational and economic asset for New Jersey,” said Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our partners across the Murphy Administration, with strong local support, we are forging a legacy that will connect communities, celebrate history, and conserve open space for people from across the state and the region.”
“The Greenway is more than a new park, it is an innovative rebirth of a long-neglected rail line that for years burdened communities with pollution and illegal dumping,” said Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz. “This first phase in Newark lays the foundation for a transformative nine-mile corridor that will knit together neighborhoods with safe, accessible pathways for walking, biking, and transit. Green infrastructure is an investment in equity, health, and quality of life – delivering lasting benefits for commuters heading to work, children enjoying a sunny afternoon of play, and residents gaining a cleaner environment. This reimagined public space will serve people first and build a more connected, sustainable future that links us all.”
DEP ANNOUNCES PROPOSED CHANGES TO COASTAL FLOODING REGULATIONS WITH INTENT TO ADOPT BY END OF YEAR
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection announced that it intends to adopt the Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL) coastal flood rules proposed in 2024 with changes responsive to public comment and stakeholder feedback.
The proposed changes will be detailed in a Notice of Substantial Changes in the July 21, 2025 edition of the New Jersey Register, and will reflect adjustments to sea-level rise projections and clarify provisions that promote resilient housing and economic development projects, among other important changes. The proposed changes will be open to additional public comment and a hearing in September.
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PATERSON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSION: STAY TUNED FOR A NEW DATE
To accommodate community events, the Paterson Environmental Justice Community Engagement Session's will no longer be held on August 5th. Register today to be first to know about the new date and location!
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO HOST VIRTUAL PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS FOR THE NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY HARBOR AND TRIBUTARIES STUDY DRAFT REPORT
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New York District, will host two virtual public information sessions to provide an update on the New York-New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study. These sessions precede the public release of the Draft Integrated Interim Response Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment (Draft Report), which identifies proposed Actionable Elements—localized, near-term measures to reduce coastal storm risk in the region.
The Draft Report will be released for public review on July 24, 2025, with a public comment period open through August 25, 2025. The upcoming information sessions, both held on July 23rd, will present an overview of the Draft Report and proposed Actionable Elements, and provide guidance on how the public can participate in the review process.
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NJ Announces $5 Million Grant Program to Combat Deadly Urban Heat
In New Jersey, cities, especially overburdened communities, like Newark, Trenton, Camden, and Jersey City are among the Northeast’s most intense Urban Heat Islands, alongside New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia. These population centers can be more than 5°F—and sometimes more than 20°F—hotter than surrounding areas, driving up energy bills, health risks, and stress on power grids.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), in consultation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the New Jersey Interagency Council on Climate Resilience, announced the launch of the Urban Heat Island Mitigation Program, a $5 million initiative to help New Jersey’s most vulnerable communities combat extreme heat and rising energy costs this summer.
The Notice of Funding Availability will be published to the New Jersey Register in August 2025. Applications open in September 2025 and will be accepted for 90 days, closing in December.
Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act Water Infrastructure Improvement Grant
Funded through the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act, the New Jersey Department of Education has announced the Water Infrastructure Improvement Grant to remediate water contamination in school water systems and protect schoolchildren's health. Approximately $100 million in bonds is available to fund key improvements to school facilities' water infrastructure, including lead pipe replacement.
Applications are due on July 25, 2025.
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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