|
What is "The NJ Environmental Justice Task Force"?
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.
The Executive Order creates a process whereby communities may petition the the Environmental Justice Task Force to have potential environmental justice concerns proactively addressed. This Task Force is composed of senior agents of 10 State Departments who review "petitions" from citizens identifying disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority populations and low-income populations.
The Roselle Petition to The NJ Environmental Justice Task Force (click to download)
This Petition follows the format required by NJEJTF in detailing the applicability of Executive Order policy. It clearly documents the case for numerous preventive and remedial actions on the part of the State, the County of Union, and the M&E Freight Railway.
The Statement of Findings of the NJ Environmental Justice Task Force (click to download)
This document summarizes the Background and Issues of Concern "arising from the reactivation of the freight line." It further acknowledges "the Environmental Justice Advisory Council's recommendation to further this petition." Finally, the statement lists "Committments" to actions of the various State departments, especially the Dept of Transportation and the Dept of Environmental Protection.
Letter to M&E (click to download)
This is a downloadable "neighbor's explanation" of individual resident's rights addressed by the Task Force. It includes a tear-off MEMO to the M&E Freight Railway requesting "personal 12-hour notice" prior to any spraying of defoliant chemicals in your neighborhood.
|
|
