People can soon comment on an environmental justice initiative outlined in Gov. Roy Cooper’s Executive Order 292. Warren County has been selected as one of three sites across the state to hold a forum to hear comments from the public about environmental issues.
The order reestablished an Environmental Justice Advisory Council and calls on state agencies to develop and track goals to improve environmental justice in North Carolina.
The Advancing Environmental Justice initiative aims to ensure that everyone, no matter their race, income, or location, has access to clean air, water, and soil, according to information at https://publicinput.com/NCEJ. The program focuses on helping communities that are most affected by pollution and climate change, such as communities of color, low-income neighborhoods and indigenous groups.
“Environmental justice means equal access to a healthy environment for all,” said Dr. Virginia Guidry, the council co-chair and Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch head at the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. “Equal access requires meaningful involvement in decision making that affects our health, well-being and environment.”
The order called for the creation of a mapping tool to provide information about environmental justice issues and help the public identify areas that need attention. People can explore the interactive map, which includes climate, demographic, environmental, transportation and health data and more.
The order also encouraged public participation, giving everyone a chance to voice their concerns and contribute to the decision-making process regarding environmental issues. Several opportunities are on the horizon.
A statewide virtual meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1 via GoToWebinar. This initial meeting will serve as the public launch of the initiative, providing an overview of the goals and objectives and giving communities the chance to offer input.
Warren County will be one of three sites to host in-person forums during August. Warren County’s is Aug. 15; the other forums will be held in Asheville on Aug. 8 and Duplin County on Aug. 22. An in-person Environmental Justice Advisory Council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 24 in Halifax County. Specific locations for these meetings will be posted on the public input page once determined, according to a press release from NCDOT.
“The Governor’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council, pursuit to Executive Order 292, is committed to helping state agencies leverage spatial analytic tools and data-driven strategies and tactics to reduce exposures to life-threatening environmental contaminants and the over-concentration of noxious facilities and locally unwanted land-uses in the state’s historically marginalized communities,” said Dr. Jim Johnson, the council co-chair and the William R. Kenan Jr. distinguished professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, and director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center.
More information on the environmental justice initiative in North Carolina can be found on the governor’s webpage.