The state Assembly and Senate passed last week what has been called a landmark environmental justice bill by eco-organizations near and far. According to the language of S-232/A-2212, the measure “requires the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to evaluate environmental and public health stressors of certain facilities on overburdened communities when reviewing certain permit applications.”

New Jersey-based nonprofit Clean Ocean Action, which applauded the approval of the measure, explained, “The legislation…