The Illinois Commission on Environmental Justice met March 7 to provide a clean power plan update.
Here are the meeting's minutes, as provided by the commission:
The principle of environmental justice requires that no segment of the population, regardless of race, national origin, age, or income, should bear disproportionately high or adverse effects of environmental pollution.
COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SUB-Committee MEETING Clean Power Plan Minutes Monday, March 7, 2016 (10 am) Teleconference
I. Welcome Kimberly Wasserman – Co-Chair Diane Lopez Hughes – Co-Chair
II. Introductions Veronica Halloway, Sharonda Williams, Chris Pressnall, Stephon Bishop, Ken Page, Kevin Greene, Jim Ross, Keith Harley, Dulce Ortiz, Tabitha Tripp, Stephanie Bilenko, Juliana Pino, Sabrina Hardenbergh
III. Approval of Agenda
IV. Discussions/Presentations:
A. Clean Power Plan update – Jim Ross and Kevin Greene Deadline removed from the initial response on the plan Listening Sessions are still being considered but the schedule may be delayed Question: Sharonda – Yes or No on doing the listening sessions? - Listening Sessions are likely to happen, but the concern is when. Guess – later this year Question: Diane – Can the Governor’s office change/influence information on DC Circuit ruling? -Governor’s office has final say on everything, yet listening sessions are still likely to happen. -Approximately 10 locations for listening sessions Kim Wasserman – What will listening sessions look like? (Discuss more in the next meeting)
B. HB5946/Sb2920; Amends the Environmental Justice Act Adds six new voting members to the Environmental Justice Commission bringing the total number to 25 (the Director of the Department on Aging was dropped from the Commission). Also requires the Commission to review and provide comments to the Illinois EPA on the state plan for compliance with the Clean Power Plan (CPP) before the Agency can submit said plan to the USEPA. Requires the Illinois EPA to respond to the Commission’s comments and modify the state plan in response to such comments. Effective immediately. Identical to SB 2920. Question: Sharonda – How do senators and legislators feel about the legislation? - Positive reactions, they recognize the need for it (Kim Wasserman)
C. Definition of Environmental Justice/Environmental Justice Community Discussion on the definition of EJ communities vs vulnerable communities relative to the Clean Power Plan. Definition of EJ communities: Minority & Low Income Definition of Vulnerable Communities relative to Clean Power Plan: Combination of Factors Diane: Check on other states to see their approach and processes
D. Holding evening meetings/conference calls How often? Every Two weeks? – Undecided (Kim Wasserman will send out doodle to get consensus on the best meeting time and frequency. E. Illinois NAACP Lobby Day and Roundtable/Energy Policy, May 4 and 5, 2016 in Springfield, Illinois
V. Old Business N/A
VI. Next meeting date and location TBD
VII. Adjournment @ 11;15 am
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