Urban Environmental Institute

In 2008, NJEF and Clean Water Fund launched the Urban Environmental Institute (UEI), a leadership initiative project in Newark, NJ.

The institute was established to create the next generation of urban environmental advocates.

Read more to find out how you can be part of the environmental justice solution by taking the next UEI leadership training course.

Coalition for Healthy Ports

The Coalition for Healthy Ports is a broad coalition of environmental, labor, faith, community, environmental justice and business organizations that seek to create sustainable ports in New York and New Jersey. The ports represent the largest piece of a complex logistics industry that also includes a growing number of warehouse and distribution centers and light industrial manufacturing and service related industries. Visit our Coalition for Healthy Ports web page.

Environmental Justice

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) affirms that urban areas are disproportionately impacted by a wide range of air toxics,
contaminated soil and water. Diesel exhaust levels alone cause a tripling of the cancer risk in comparison to suburban areas. Unfortunately,
this primarily affects people of color, low-income and working-class communities. This is an environmental injustice.

All peoples should have an opportunity to live in a healthy environment. Children living in polluted communities are hardest hit. It affects their ability to learn, stay healthy and succeed in the world.

Nationwide, 1 in 15 kids have asthma. Yet 1 in 4 school age children in our cities are asthmatic. A statewide study showed that Essex and Bergen Counties were #1 and #2 for asthma related mortality rates with a doubling of rates within minority populations. All of these environmental injustices not only impact an individual's health and quality of life, but also the financial stresses of the family (i.e. lost work days and medical bills).

To prevent future injustices, NJEF seeks to:

• shift our fundamental way of thinking from "finding the cure after the damage has been done" to "preventing harm" as embodied by the
  precautionary principle.
• engage the community affected by environmental exposures in designing & ensuring implementation of strategies that will reduce exposure to toxins & their related health impacts.
• build advocates & leaders that will conduct community outreach and mobilization efforts for local and state-wide environmental justice (EJ) campaigns, as well as work to get urban-based decision-makers to champion EJ policies.
• develop model programs that are affordablee, effective and replicable at the individual, facility and institutional levels that give particular
  attention to those most vulnerable to pollutants—children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, including cancer, diabetes,
  dialysis and HIV/AIDS patients.

To get involved in this campaign, contact Kim Gaddy

View our Environmental Justice Brochure

Cumulative Impacts

Low income & communities of color living in urban areas are
disproportionately impacted by the cumulative impact of multiple
pollution sources and toxins. Neighborhoods like Waterfront South in Camden and the Ironbound Section of Newark are heavily burdened with truck traffic, incinerators, industrial & port operations, as well as abandoned and contaminated sites. There is currently no formal mechanism for the community or the State of NJ to "just say no".

NJEF is pushing Governor Corzine to fulfill his commitment to giving the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) the power to deny, modify and revoke permits and projects that disproportionately and negatively impact low income areas and communities of color. The legislature should work with the Governor and NJDEP to secure the statutory authority if need be.

NJEF is also supporting and advocating for economic development that will preserve/create local jobs while at the same time reducing the multitude of pollution sources and pollutant loads that NJ's urban residents are exposed to at home, school, work and in their neighborhoods.

NJ Environmental Federation can:

• work with local community groups to seek redress to the cumulative impact of multiple pollution sources and permits in a localized area.
• help develop a "just say no/no more" policy regarding future state permits in these overburdened areas, including the reversal and/or no more air permits in Waterfront South.

Kids Clean Air Zones

NJ has the 2nd highest diesel emission levels in the nation (NY is #1). Up to 25% of NJ's school age children are asthmatic—the leading cause of school absenteeism & increased visits to the emergency room on hot summer days. NJEF is pushing Governor Corzine to sign an executive order requiring all diesel powered vehicles and equipment used under public contract to retrofit pollution reducation devices or meet the new federal diesel engine standards. Find out more about our Kids Clean Air Zone Campaign.

Urban Drinking Water

In Camden, they fight to cleanup and/or shut down wells that have been
contaminated for decades with solvents & other toxins. In cities like Newark and Jersey City, the battle is to protect their relatively pristine water supply in the Highlands from sprawl development. In addition, older city pipes contain lead, which, if not controlled or replaced can cause irreparable damage to the nervous system, lower IQ, as well as affect a person's ability to learn and pay attention. Those most vulnerable — infants - may receive 40-60% of their lead from baby formula that is mixed with tap water.

NJEF is fighting to ensure the protection of the drinking water supply located in the NJ Highlands, as well as lands upstream of drinking water uptakes. Our goal is shutoff and cleanup of contaminated water supplies at the polluter's expense. Provide timely right-to-know that is multi-lingual and in a format that is easily understandable.

NJ Environmental Federation can:

• Help you interpret water quality reports, find contaminants of concern, and call for action.
• Seek a state requirement that all public water supplies detecting volatile organic compounds must install carbon filters to prevent future harm.

Sustainable Communities

Children are considered more sensitive to contaminants due to their faster breathing patterns, rapid growth and development, and high consumption of water. Their exposure to toxic pesticides and cleaning products is amplified in a school setting where the air is 5 times worse indoors than out. This toxic environment can trigger asthma, the leading cause of school absenteeism.

In addition, drinking water contaminants, such as lead, e.coli, radionuclides, & trihalomethanes (disinfectant byproduct) have been found in schools throughout NJ, requiring the shutoff of water fountains & other actions.

NJ Environmental Federation can:

• help towns/schools adopt and implement policies that establish "Pesticide Free Zones" in schools, parks, and other recreational areas, create "Kids Clean Air Zones" and "0", and utilize green cleaning in public facilities.
• train facility managers regarding the implementation of the School Integrated Pest Management (IPM) law and "green" cleaning. School IPM and green cleaning utilize products with no or low-impact chemicals.
• work on a strategy for requiring the testing & remediation of drinking water supplies in schools.

Find out more about our Sustainable Communities Campaign

Brownfields and Site Remediation

NJEF is fighting to 1) mandate that brownfield cleanups are properly executed and thorough, and reuse plans area appropriate given the contaminants of concern and desires of the neighborhood; 2) ensure that schools, day care centers and residential housing are built on permanently cleaned up (not merely capped) sites; and, 3) address not just the undeveloped sites, but those already put back into reuse (i.e. don't repeat the Kiddie Kollege tragedy).

Eminent Domain

NJEF believes a moratorium should be placed on eminent domain until legislation is adopted that stops the abuse and displacement of poor people for the benefit of private development. The NJ legislature must fully address compensation and displacement, ban play to play, and ensure a net increase in affordablee housing.

1964 Civil Rights Act

NJEF is advocating for passage of U.S. Senator Menendez' bill that would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act so as to allow environmental injustices to be defined as discrimination under the Act. A 2001 U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturned a 1994 Presidential Executive Order finding that environmental injustice was not a form of discrimination.

Leadership Development

For too long our urban areas, largely low-income communities of color &
immigrants, have not had a voice in decision making. Its public officials for the most part have not engaged in, much less championed, environmental justice issues in town hall or NJ state house. But there are new leaders on the horizon.

NJ Environmental Federation is committed to the following:

• Urban Voices: Train & develop community leaders committed to instill the EJ movement in NJ. Establish an Urban Environmental Institute (UEI) to address the environmental injustices that exist in these communities.
• Urban Roundtables: Educate public officials through solution-oriented dialogues about the community's environmental health concerns,
  concurrently, educate the community about the role of government in addressing those concerns.
• Engage local residents, leaders and government officials: Collaborate with the community and government officials to develop strategies that solve potential environmental health harms. Urge public officials to not only speak out about urban environmental issues, but create public policies that address these issues.