Healey-Driscoll Administration
Releases First-Ever Environmental Justice Strategy for Massachusetts
New Strategy will Integrate Environmental Justice Principles into Policies, Programs, and Practices
BOSTON – As the Healey-Driscoll Administration works toward positive and proactive solutions to combat climate change, the Executive Office of Energy of Environmental Affairs (EEA) unveiled Massachusetts’ first-ever Environmental Justice (EJ) Strategy today to ensure an equitable and just transition for all residents. The strategy is a roadmap that will embed environmental justice and equity into the work of EEA and its agencies when planning and implementing programs and policies under its purview. The EJ Strategy includes universal themes across all agencies and offices under EEA, such as meaningful community engagement, analysis of project benefits and burdens, language access plans, staff training, and metrics and tracking. It also includes each agency’s plan to embed environmental justice that is tailored to its mission.
A critical component of the EJ Strategy was a public process that incorporated comments, input, and feedback from residents across Massachusetts. Recognizing the importance of continued engagement with environmental justice communities, community-based organizations, and municipalities, EEA will revisit and update the EJ Strategy every three years. Starting in December 2024, the EJ Office will also release an annual progress report.
“We are addressing systemic environmental injustice by incorporating practices based on equity and inclusion into our everyday work. This strategy is a significant step in identifying concrete ways to increase public participation and ensure the voices of marginalized communities are at the table,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Environmental justice is at the heart of our climate efforts. Our administration is committed to securing clean air and water for every resident and ensuring the benefits of our clean energy transition are distributed in an equitable way.”
“A just transition requires strong, transparent partnerships with municipalities and environmental justice populations. There are tremendous opportunities in clean energy and innovation, and as a former mayor, I understand the importance of bringing communities to the table,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Our EJ Strategy is a testament to our commitment in ensuring nobody is left behind as we transition to a clean energy economy.”
The Environmental Justice Strategy reflects the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s deep understanding that all communities deserve environmental protection regardless of race, national origin, or income bracket. One of Rebecca Tepper’s first acts as EEA Secretary was establishing an Office of Environmental Justice and Equity and appointing María Belén Power as the first-ever Undersecretary of Environmental Justice and Equity. Governor Healey’s first budget increased EEA’s funding by 27 percent, which included hiring new environmental justice staff.
“This Strategy puts concept into action. We are working to reverse the environmental burdens that have plagued communities of color and economically marginalized residents for decades and setting Massachusetts on a new path that centers equity in our work,” said EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “People are policy, and a just transition requires intentionality and commitment from all of us. This guidance will help shape our policy decisions and create clean, healthy communities and a large, diverse workforce across Massachusetts.”
“The EJ Strategy allows us to have measurable outcomes and ensure we are achieving our goals and building upon successes year after year,” said Environmental Justice and Equity Undersecretary María Belén Power. “I am proud of the EJ Strategy we are releasing today, and to be working with all of our agencies and offices under EEA to ensure environmental justice is imbedded into the fabric of our everyday work.”
Environmental Justice
Strategies include:
- Meaningful Engagement: EEA and its agencies will
cultivate new and strengthen existing relationships with environmental
justice communities, including community-led processes designed with and
for EJ communities.
- Project Impacts Analysis: Agencies will assess
the impacts of its projects using available state mapping and screening
tools to identify EJ neighborhoods and evaluate project impacts in these
areas.
- Language Access Plans: The secretariat will develop and
adopt Language Access Plans (LAP) consistent with and under the Executive
Office for Administration & Finance (A&F) Bulletin #16 and
Executive Order (EO) 615 to ensure
meaningful access to agency services, programs, and activities for people
who have limited English
proficiency. EEA and its agencies will evaluate the circumstances and
language access needs to determine the tasks needed to provide access to
services.
- Staff Training and Hiring: EEA and its agencies will
implement an environmental justice training program series to educate and
inspire EEA agencies to understand and value environmental justice and
equity, as well as to ensure they remain priorities.
- Metrics and Tracking: EEA and its agencies will work to
quantify current baseline and future environmental justice metrics to
measure progress, including developing metrics considering new data
infrastructures and practices.
