newjerseynewsroom.com

The new 15-member state Environmental Justice Council, a panel formed to confront pollution problems in New Jersey's urban areas, held it's first meeting Wednesday in Trenton.

The creation of the council fulfills Gov. Jon Corzine's executive order to attempt to meet the significant environmental challenges facing low-income and minority communities.

"Many of our urban communities bear a considerable environmental burden and the voices of their residents and their struggles deserve to be heard," said state Department of Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Mark N. Mauriello. "We're working in earnest to build upon the governor's efforts to give all New Jerseyans an equal opportunity for a cleaner, healthier environment."

Corzine's re-election campaign is struggling when it comes to environmental issues. Republican challenger Chris Christie has gained the endorsement of the New Jersey Environmental Federation and Independent Chris Daggett has the support of the Sierra Club of New Jersey.

The advisory council is responsible for making key recommendations on a number of issues directly affecting residents' health, well-being and quality of life in urban areas disproportionately impacted by pollution. The council also works to ensure that state government agencies coordinate their response to environmental challenges in these communities.

The council includes representatives from faith-based, academic, public health, environmental, civil rights, grassroots and public health organizations as well as business and industry. The panel is administered by the DEP's Environmental Justice Office, and a representative of the governor's serves as a liaison to the council.

The two-year appointments to council are: the Rev. J. Stanley Justice, Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church; the Rev. Fletcher Harper, director, GreenFaith; Prof. Judith Stark, director of the Environmental Studies, Seton Hall University; Ana Baptista, program manager, Community Development & Environmental Justice Programs, Ironbound Community Corp.; Joann L. Held, public health specialist, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management; Theodore Carrington, New Jersey State Conference NAACP Branches; Kelly Francis, president, Camden County NAACP; Kerry Butch, Urban Projects director, Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions; Valorie Caffee, director of Organizing, New Jersey Work Environment Council; Kim Gaddy, New Jersey Environmental Federation, chairwoman Newark Environmental Commission; Don McCloskey, director, Environmental Strategy & Policy, PSE&G; Steward Abrams, associate, Langan Engineering & Environmental Services; Kevin D. Moore, principal, The Urban Environmental Group; Zachary D. Lewis, president and co-founder, Brilliant Lewis Environmental Services, and Sharon Brown, president and CEO, Environmental & Occupational Safety Services Inc.

For information on the council and the DEP's Environmental Justice Program visit: www.nj.gov/dep/ej/

— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM