{"id":5086,"date":"2026-01-12T15:23:23","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T20:23:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/ej\/?page_id=5086"},"modified":"2026-01-16T15:46:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T20:46:58","slug":"action-plan","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/ej\/action-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Environmental Justice Action Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”5109″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”” el_class=”mb-0″][vc_raw_html css=””]JTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJjYXJvdXNlbC1jYXB0aW9uJTIwZC1tZC1ibG9jayUyMGQtc20tYmxvY2slMjIlM0UlMEElM0NoMSUzRUVudmlyb25tZW50YWwlMjBKdXN0aWNlJTIwQWN0aW9uJTIwUGxhbiUzQyUyRmgxJTNFJTBBJTNDJTIxLS0lMjAlM0NoNCUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydy03NSUyMG14LWF1dG8lMjIlM0UlM0NlbSUzRUV4cGxvcmUlMjB0aGUlMjBtYW55JTIwd2F5cyUyMEVudmlyb25tZW50YWwlMjBKdXN0aWNlJTIwaXMlMjBpbXBsZW1lbnRlZCUyMGluJTIwTmV3JTIwSmVyc2V5JTIwZ292ZXJubWVudC4lM0MlMkZlbSUzRSUzQyUyRmg0JTNFJTIwLS0lM0UlMEElM0MlMkZkaXYlM0U=[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column el_class=”mt-3″][breadcrumb-shortcode][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/4″][vc_single_image image=”5105″ img_size=”medium” onclick=”custom_link” css=”” link=”https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/ej\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/environmentaljusticeactionplan_dec2025.pdf”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/4″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

The Office of Environmental Justice is pleased to announce the\u00a0<\/span>New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Justice Action Plan, an agency self-assessment to create more equitable and just services and initiatives for the betterment of\u00a0<\/span>overburdened communities<\/a>\u00a0(OBCs) across New Jersey.<\/h3>\n

The action plan is a<\/span>n honest<\/span>\u00a0self-examination of\u00a0<\/span>DEP\u2019s strengths, challenges, and opportunities to further\u00a0<\/span>institutionalize<\/span>\u00a0environmental justice<\/span>\u00a0as a facet of each DEP function and workstream.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Read Full Report” color=”turquoise” css=”” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeptest.nj.gov%2Fej%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F21%2Fenvironmentaljusticeactionplan_dec2025.pdf”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

With 62 total actions, DEP\u2019s Environmental Justice Action Plan lays the groundwork to measurably improve environmental and public health outcomes in New Jersey\u2019s overburdened communities by engaging all programs throughout the agency in the effort to operationalize environmental justice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
\n
\n

The Foundation of the Environmental Justice Action Plan<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
\n

The plan follows\u00a0<\/span>guidance<\/span><\/a>\u00a0developed by the DEP according to <\/span>Executive Order\u00a0<\/span><\/a>23<\/a>, which\u00a0required<\/span>\u00a0all\u00a0<\/span>e<\/span>xecutive branch departments and agencies to incorporate environmental justice considerations into their work<\/span>\u00a0through the\u00a0<\/span>creation of environmental justice assessments and action plans. <\/span>While the EJ Law <\/span>focus<\/span>es<\/span>\u00a0outward on certain types of polluting facilities\u00a0<\/span>the DEP\u00a0<\/span>regulates,<\/span>\u00a0the action plan\u00a0<\/span>turns the lens<\/span>\u00a0inward,\u00a0<\/span>ensuring that <\/span>environmental justice\u00a0<\/span>principles\u00a0<\/span>guide all DEP<\/span>\u00a0policies<\/span>, resources allocations, and engagement strategies.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

The Plan\u2019s Development in Detail<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n

To develop this\u00a0action plan, all\u00a0DEP\u00a0program\u00a0areas\u00a0engaged\u00a0in\u00a0reflection and assessment to\u00a0reimagine\u00a0their core mission and goals through the lens of equity and environmental justice, while\u00a0evaluating\u00a0how\u00a0their\u00a0key functions and tasks\u00a0may be adapted to promote\u00a0equitable\u00a0outcomes for the state\u2019s\u00a0overburdened communities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

DEP\u2019s Environmental Justice Action Plan was developed through engagement with programs across the agency that included exercises such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n