■ Special Environmental Report
Governor Murphy Directs All State
Agency Decisions Be Guided By Environmental Justice Principles
The NJDEP issued guidance according to
Governor Murphy ’ s Executive Order 23 that will assist all state government agencies in furthering “ the promise of environmental justice ,” according to NJDEP Commissioner Catherine R . McCabe . She says the guidance is part of the Murphy administration ’ s commitment to protect overburdened communities , specifically those that are primarily minority , have limited proficiency in English or economically disadvantaged from environmental contaminants such as air pollution .
This NJDEP guidance is being disseminated in a publication , Furthering the Promise : A Guidance Document for Advancing Environmental Justice Across State Government , which directs executive branch departments and agencies to apply the principles of environmental justice to their operations , participate in the newly formed Environmental Justice Interagency Council ( EJIC )
“ We must recognize where our programs and policies may have inadvertently put public health burdens on our most disadvantaged communities ...”
and create assessments and action plans to improve the agencies ’ effects on environmental justice communities .
The initial activities set forth in Furthering the Promise are planned to begin in 2020 , including the first Environmental Justice Interagency Council meeting in November and this fall , the NJDEP ’ s assessment of its own environmental and public health challenges and benefits .
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy