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About
the Environmental Justice Task Force |
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All State agencies are tasked
with addressing environmental and environmental
health concerns and may be asked to serve
or address issues raised by the Task Force.
Use the links below to
explore the EJ activities underway at Task
Force member agencies…
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On Feb. 18, 2004, New Jersey's first-ever Statewide
Environmental Justice Policy, Executive Order #96 was
signed into law.
The policy serves as a call to action for all government
agencies to consider urban-environmental and public-health
concerns and to increase public participation in the
environmental
decision-making process. Under the Executive Order, the
Environmental Justice Task Force provides the collaborative
mechanism necessary to effectively address environmental
justice concerns.
Additionally, the Executive Order creates a process whereby
communities may petition the the Environmental Justice Task
Force to have potential environmental justice concerns proactively
addressed.
Federal
Executive Order 12898 underscores the need for proactive
action to address potential environmental justice concerns.
Under New Jersey's Environmental Justice policy, minority
and low-income communities will be given priority consideration,
as studies have shown that communities of color and
low-income communities may bear a disproportionate amount
of negative environmental impacts.
Concerned residents are encouraged to work with fellow neighbors,
workers and community groups to create petitions that detail
their environmental concerns for consideration by the Environmental
Justice Task Force.
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