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EPA Hires NJ DEP Environmental Justice Leader

Move Comes At Critical Time As Long Delayed EJ Regulations Still Pending Proposal

I got the EPA press release this morning:

• EPA Announces Appointment of Senior Advisor for Equity to Help Advance Environmental Justice and Embed Equity in EPA Work

My immediate reply, which I Tweeted, was:

Why is Olivia leaving NJ DEP before the “historic” EJ regulations are even proposed?

Not surprisingly, NJ Spotlight unconditionally drank the EPA Kool-Aid. Spotlight wrote:

The regional office of the US Environmental Protection Agency with oversight for New Jersey has tapped a key official in state government to serve as a senior advisor for environmental justice and diversity.

• Olivia C. Glenn has served in a similar capacity for the state Department of Environmental Protection, as deputy commissioner for environmental justice and equity, helping the state agency address the outsized impact of environmental issues on minority and other underserved communities.
• In her new role, Glenn will also serve of chief of staff to Lisa F. Garcia, the EPA’s regional administrator for Region 2, which includes New York, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
• She is due to switch over to the EPA job starting April 18.

Maybe NJ Spotlight might report on the actual performance of DEP’s environmental justice program and drill down on actual EJ issues and the implementation of the “historic” NJ environmental justice law that Olivia oversaw. See:

• Proposed Newark Fossil Power Plant Exposes Major Flaws In DEP Climate, Air Quality, And Environmental Justice Regulations

• Murphy DEP Climate Rule Proposal Entirely Ignores Environmental Justice Issues

• Is DEP’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council On A Wild-Goose Chase?

Or maybe look into the issues Olivia’s tenure raised, see:

• The Open Space Equity Problems Are Deeper Than I Initially Imagined

Or perhaps they can start with looking into the implementation of NJ’s “historic”  environmental justice law and why the Murphy DEP is so behind schedule on proposing regulations to implement that law.