• Policy Category: Environmental Justice
• State: New York
• Date Implemented: 12/23/2019

Signed into law on 12/23/2019 

Amended the Environmental Conservation law to include a new article related to environmental justice. It established definitions of key terms, including “environmental justice,” “fair treatment,” and “meaningful involvement” and established a permanent environmental justice advisory group and an environmental justice interagency coordinating council. The law requires all state agencies that have a significant effect on the environment to adopt an environmental justice policy based on a model policy developed by advisory group. Each state agency must appoint a staff member as an environmental justice coordinator to serve as a liaison to the EJ advisory council and to communicate with the public. 

The law noted that the development of the model policy and the establishment of the EJ advisory group should be done by January 2021 – but as of May 2022, neither appear to exist yet.  

• Action Agency(ies): Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Economic Development, Department of Transportation, Environmental Facilities Corporation, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Public Service Commission, Power Authority of the State of New York, New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research,
• Policy Champions: Introduced by Senator Parker, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, New York Renews
• Read the full policy language

Additional Resources

• Grist article New York's Ambitious Climate and Environmental Justice Laws are in Effect, Here's What's Next
• DEC's Office of Environmental Justice and EJ Programs website