Environmental Justice-Related Document Number 10

To Members of IERG’s Environmental Justice-Related Issues Workgroup:

At our Quarterly Meeting last week, IERG Chairman Brad Stevenson noted that the Illinois EPA is now making public whether a facility is located in an Environmental Justice area or not.  On the Agency’s website, you are able to search for any permitted facility in Illinois – by name, street address, city, or permitting ID number – and find whether that facility is located in an EJ area (see http://epadata.epa.state.il.us/TieFileData/index.asp).  On that page, the Illinois EPA notes:  “Environmental Justice status is now available in the right most column of the search result page.  The following results will be shown after you initiate a permit search.  Yes: The site is considered EJ; No: The site is not considered EJ; Pending: Data for this site is being analyzed.”

IERG Staff’s cursory review indicates that several of the failings identified by IERG Staff and our Members at our earlier meeting with Illinois EPA Director Lisa Bonnett and her senior managers have been resolved (e.g., sites that clearly were not in EJ areas being noted as located in an EJ area, and vice versa, are now appropriately indicated).  As you review the Agency’s tracking system for your facility-specific information, please share any errors or concerns you find with IERG Staff so that we can bring them to the Agency’s attention.

Further, there was also a fair amount of discussion at the Quarterly Meeting regarding the means by which the Illinois EPA is engaging in “enhanced outreach” pursuant to its EJ Public Participation Policy, whether that be a simple letter, online notice, public meeting, or otherwise.  Some Members expressed concerns with how the policy was being carried out, as well as the delay it caused in specific permitting situations.  IERG Staff asks that you bring these concerns to our attention as well.  Given the lack of EJ rules and the fear of the regulated community that the Public Participation Policy might be carried out in a subjective or inconsistent manner, IERG Staff believes the only way we can effectively ensure the proper implementation of this policy is by bringing real world examples to the Agency’s attention.

IERG Staff appreciates your assistance.  Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact IERG Staff by replying to this email.