Bill > A1594

This bill establishes a process for designating and regulating environmental permits in "burdened communities," which are areas within a municipality meeting specific criteria. A burdened community is defined as an area where at least half of the households are "low-income households" (meaning their income is no more than 2.5 times the federal poverty level), at least half of the residents are members of a "minority group" (protected under civil rights laws), and the area contains at least one major facility, a known hazardous discharge site, and a facility with certain environmental permits or regulated under specific environmental laws. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) can designate such communities either upon petition or on its own initiative. Before granting any environmental permit for a project in a burdened community, the DEP must prepare a report assessing the project's environmental and public health impacts, including cumulative effects, and hold a public hearing at least 30 days before issuing a decision. The DEP can deny a permit if approving it would pose an unreasonable risk to the community's health and environment, and municipal approval through an ordinance is also required for projects in these areas. The bill also defines "permit" broadly to include various licenses and registrations issued by the DEP related to environmental regulations.