Ensure that the CJWG is representative in several ways.
- Date Due:
- 07/01/2020
- Responsible Entity:
- DEC
- Action:
- Ensure that the CJWG is representative in several ways.
- Summary:
- The DEC will ensure that the environmental justice working group representatives will be members of communities of color, low-income communities, and communities bearing disproportionate pollution and climate change burdens, or will be representatives of community-based organizations.
- Status:
- ONGOING
- Statute:
- CLCPA § 2 adds new ECL § 75-0111(1)(a).
The CLCPA instructs the DEC to establish a Climate Justice Working Group (“CJWG”) to establish criteria to identify disadvantaged communities for the purposes of co-pollutant reductions, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, regulatory impact statements, and the allocation of investments related to the CLCPA. The CJWG must include members of communities of color, low-income communities, and communities bearing disproportionate pollution/climate change burdens, representatives of community-based organizations with experience and a history of advocacy on environmental justice issues, and at least three representatives from New York City communities, three representatives from rural communities, and three representatives from upstate urban communities.
The members of the CJWG can be found here.
Statutory Language:
CLCPA § 75-0111(1)(a): “There is hereby created within the department, no later than six months after the effective date of this article, a "climate justice working group". Such working group will be comprised of representatives from: environmental justice communities, the department, the department of health, the New York state energy and research development authority, and the department of labor. a. Environmental justice community representatives shall be members of communities of color, low-income communities, and communities bearing disproportionate pollution and climate change burdens, or shall be representatives of community-based organizations with experience and a history of advocacy on environmental justice issues, and shall include at least three representatives from New York city communities, three representatives from rural communities, and three representatives from upstate urban communities.”