NCDEQ EJEA Board to Discuss Executive Order 143 at August 24 Meeting

NCDEQ EJEA Board to Discuss Executive Order 143 at August 24 Meeting

August 7, 2020

UPDATED August 24, 2020 to include link to full agenda.

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Secretary's Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory (EJEA) Board will meet on Monday, August 24 with two agenda items; Governor Cooper's Executive Order (EO) 143  , and a Board member presentation about their work with COVID-19 and environmental justice communities. A full agenda is available on the EJEA Website  .

Governor Cooper issued EO 143 on June 4, 2020 to address the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. EO 143 establishes the Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Task Force (Task Force) to "create economic stability, eliminate health disparities, and achieve environmental justice in North Carolina." The Task Force will convene testimony, identify best practices, and report to the Governor's Office. The Task Force will remain in effect for two years after the effective date of the EO, meeting bi-monthly during the State of Emergency and quarterly thereafter. The first status report is due December 1, 2020 and every six months after.

EO 143 calls on DEQ in partnership with the Secretary's EJEA Board to:

  1. Lead the State's effort to create a common discourse on environmental justice
  2. Identify communities of concern for purposes of all State related actions
  3. Coordinate with Executive Agencies on how to integrate environmental justice considerations into existing and future policies, programs, and procedures
  4. Create lasting institutional structures for agencies to address equality, equity and justice for all North Carolinians

WHO
Secretary’s Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board

WHAT
Board Meeting via teleconference (WebEx)

WHEN
Monday, August 24, from 3 to 5 p.m. A public comment period will be held from 5-6 p.m.

To sign up to provide comments, email ej@ncdenr.gov .

To attend via WebEx, go to the following website: 
https://ncdenrits.webex.com/ncdenrits/onstage/g.php?MTID=e4071d11727a6e639ed13796e12e0c54a
Meeting number:  161 731 5807
Event password: 1894
Phone: +1-415-655-0003 US TOLL
Access code: 161 731 5807

View the NCDEQ News Release