After months of analysis and intense input from a broad spectrum of community and development stakeholders, New Jersey has aired implementing details of its nation-leading 2020 law to integrate “environmental justice” criteria into how, or whether, certain pollution-emitting facilities are built or expanded in communities the state has determined as “overburdened” by toxic and climate change risks.
The state Dept. of Environmental Protection unveiled the long-awaited proposed rules that will launch a 90-day public comment period as of June 6 on how it considers granting permits for facilities—including 10-MW or larger power plants, incinerators, waste recycling facilities, sewage treatment plants larger than 50 million gallons per day, landfills and other projects defined as air pollution sources under the U.S. Clean Air Act—in communities meeting minority, low-income and other population criteria.