(09/P21) TRENTON - Department of Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Mark N. Mauriello today appointed 15 members to the state’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council, fulfilling Governor Jon S. Corzine’s Executive Order to continue tackling the significant environmental challenges facing New Jersey’s low-income and minority communities.

“Many of our urban communities bear a considerable environmental burden and the voices of their residents and their struggles deserve to be heard,” Commissioner Mauriello said. “We’re working in earnest to build upon the Governor’s efforts to give all New Jerseyans an equal opportunity for a cleaner, healthier environment.”

The advisory council is responsible for making key recommendations on a host of issues directly affecting residents’ health, well-being and quality of life in New Jersey’s urban communities disproportionately impacted by pollution from multiple sources. The council also works to ensure that state government agencies coordinate their response to environmental challenges in these communities.

The newly appointed advisory council includes representatives from faith-based, academic, public health, environmental, civil rights, grassroots and public health organizations as well as business and industry. The council is administered by the DEP’s Environmental Justice Office, and a representative of the Governor's Office serves as a liaison to the council.

The public is invited to attend the advisory council’s monthly meetings at the DEP’s headquarters, 401 East State St. in Trenton. Its first meeting is Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 10 a.m.

For information on the Environmental Justice Advisory Council and the DEP’s Environmental Justice Program visit: http://www.nj.gov/dep/ej/

The two-year appointments to the Environmental Justice Advisory Council are as follows:

• Rev. J. Stanley Justice, Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church
• Rev. Fletcher Harper, Executive Director, GreenFaith
• Dr. Judith Stark, Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Environmental Studies Program, Seton Hall University
• Dr. Ana Baptista, Program Manager, Community Development & Environmental Justice Programs, Ironbound Community Corporation
• Joann L. Held, Public Health Specialist, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management and former DEP employee
• Theodore Carrington, New Jersey State Conference NAACP Branches
• Kelly Francis, President, Camden County NAACP
• Kerry Butch, Urban Projects Director, Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions
• Valorie Caffee, Director of Organizing, New Jersey Work Environment Council
• Kim Gaddy, New Jersey Environmental Federation, Chair, Newark Environmental Commission
• Don McCloskey, Director, Environmental Strategy & Policy, PSE&G
• Steward Abrams, P.E., Associate, Langan Engineering & Environmental Services
• Kevin D. Moore, Principal, The Urban Environmental Group
• Zachary D. Lewis, President and Co-Founder, Brilliant Lewis Environmental Services
• Sharon Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer, Environmental & Occupational Safety Services Inc.