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2020 Session

Budget Amendments - HB30 (Committee Approved)

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Environmental Justice Workgroup (language only)

Item 372 #1h

Item 372 #1h

Natural Resources
Secretary of Natural Resources

Language

Page 373, after line 39, insert:

"D.1. There is hereby established the Interagency Environmental Justice Working Group, to be comprised of 10 environmental justice coordinators representing each of the Governor's Secretaries. The Secretary of Natural Resources shall designate a chairman and vice chairman from among the membership of the Working Group.

2. The Working Group shall conduct an assessment of the processes and resources required of state agencies to develop agency-specific environmental justice policies. In conducting its assessment, the Working Group shall provide that agency policies at minimum (i) ensure environmental justice is meaningfully considered in the administration of agency regulations, (ii) consistently identify environmental justice communities and fenceline communities, (iii) identify how such communities are affected by agencies' regulatory activities, (iv) consider the economic development and infrastructure needs of environmental justice communities and fenceline communities in agency decision-making processes, and (v) contain robust public participation plans for residents of environmental justice communities and fenceline communities potentially affected by agency actions.

3. The Working Group shall provide the findings of its assessment, and associated recommendations, to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees by December 1, 2020."



Explanation

(This amendment establishes an Interagency Environmental Justice Working Group to assess and provide recommendations regarding agency improvements to meaningfully engaging environmental justice communities and fenceline communities in decision-making processes for agency activities that affect them.)