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Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401. 222. 4700 | www. dem. ri. gov | @RhodeIslandDEM CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mike Healey: 258-0787 Tuesday, March 21, 2023 Michael. Healey@ dem. ri. gov
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<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:#00457A">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401.222.4700 |</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">| @RhodeIslandDEM</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">CONTACT:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Mike Healey: 258-0787 Tuesday, March 21, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:Michael.Healey@dem.ri.gov"><span style="color:#0066FF">Michael.Healey@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="color:#0066FF"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM IS SEEKING COMMUNITY INPUT, FEEDBACK<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ON DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE POLICY</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:windowtext">For generations, EJ communities in Rhode Island have endured both a disproportionate burden of pollution and a deficit of outdoor facilities and amenities. Left: Port of Providence as
seen from I-95; right: the spray park at Joslin Recreation Center in the Olneyville section of Providence. Funding from a DEM Outdoor Recreation Grant in 2016 paid for improvements at the spray park including shade sails, landscaping, and play structures.</span></b><span class="xnormaltextrun"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">PROVIDENCE, RI – The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is asking the public to review and critique its draft environmental justice
(EJ) policy to ensure it does what DEM intends it to do – that is, to build a framework for documenting, understanding, and directing solutions at the historic and disproportionate burden of environmental hazards faced by minority and low-income communities
in Rhode Island.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">EJ means all Rhode Islanders – regardless of income, race, ethnicity, national origin, or zip code – have a right to live in a clean and healthy environment and to access environmental
amenities like parks, playgrounds, and outdoor spaces. DEM has embedded EJ considerations into some environmental protection initiatives such as
<a href="https://dem.ri.gov/environmental-protection-bureau/air-resources/air-toxics-monitoring-port-providence">
<span style="color:#0066FF">community scale air toxics monitoring</span></a> in the EJ neighborhoods surrounding the Port of Providence and the assessment and remediation of brownfield sites that often are located in low-wealth communities across the state.
But the agency recognizes it has much work to do.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">“We’re putting EJ at the center of what we do because, historically in Rhode Island, neither environmental burdens nor environmental benefits including investment in infrastructure has
been shared equally,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “DEM recognizes that all Rhode Islanders deserve to live in healthy, thriving communities, but, in fact, too many people lack access to safe places to live, work, learn, play, and grow. We also recognize
that we have a key role in changing this situation for the better.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">The draft DEM policy defines an “Environmental Justice Focus Area” as a census tract that meets one or more of the following criteria:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Annual median household income is not more than 65% of the statewide annual median household income;<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Minority population is equal to or greater than 40% of the population;<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">25% or more of the households lack English language proficiency; and/or<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Minorities constitute 25% or more of the population and the annual median household income of the municipality in which the proposed area does not exceed 150% of the statewide annual median
household income.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">“We want the feedback and updating process to be dynamic so that, ultimately, DEM’s EJ policy includes ample representation from the communities whose voices have long been ignored,”
said DEM Climate Justice Specialist Chris Gaynor. “We’re not the experts on EJ; we’re a conduit to achieve EJ, and we are asking community organizations, neighborhood groups, faith communities, elected officials, and advocates for marginalized communities,
including low-income communities and communities of color, to share their perspectives. We at DEM need to be better at understanding the needs of the public within our roles as regulators, permitters, and decision-makers. We must strive toward an inclusive
future which uplifts all Rhode Island residents.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">The link to the draft policy can be found on
<a href="https://dem.ri.gov/environmental-protection-bureau/initiatives/environmental-justice">
<span style="color:#0066FF">this webpage</span></a> under the section titled <b>RIDEM Environmental Justice Policy</b>. DEM encourages anyone who’s interested in guiding state EJ policy and DEM’s own efforts at becoming a fairer public agency that communicates
better with its many diverse constituencies to read the policy and offer feedback by emailing
<a href="mailto:DEM.EJ@dem.ri.gov"><span style="color:#0066FF">DEM.EJ@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color:black;text-decoration:none">.</span></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#242424"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit
<a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="color:#0066FF">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a>. Follow
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!IM1cjggVIJdNh1bA7vNolGXM9tuv76-MK7wMe3momhqPI0FxYzodnzXi4mg8hXeD3f4kJzGUlGzcUMqdATpfahwgZfdEzmMU47GQ$"><span style="color:#0066FF">DEM on Facebook</span> [facebook.com]</a>, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">###<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="xxxxydpe3ecabc6yiv8679005185ydp7f4f0b45yiv2173515244xxxmsonormal" style="margin:0in">
<b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Michael J. Healey | Chief Public Affairs Officer</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xxxxydpe3ecabc6yiv8679005185ydp7f4f0b45yiv2173515244xxxmsonormal" style="margin:0in">
<b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xxxxydpe3ecabc6yiv8679005185ydp7f4f0b45yiv2173515244xxxmsonormal" style="margin:0in">
<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121">235 Promenade Street, Providence RI 02908</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xxxxydpe3ecabc6yiv8679005185ydp7f4f0b45yiv2173515244xxxmsonormal" style="margin:0in">
<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121">401-222-4700, X277-7273</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xxxxydpe3ecabc6yiv8679005185ydp7f4f0b45yiv2173515244xxxmsonormal" style="margin:0in">
<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121">Email: </span><a href="mailto:michael.healey@dem.ri.gov" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">michael.healey@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xxxxydpe3ecabc6yiv8679005185ydp7f4f0b45yiv2173515244xmsonormal" style="margin:0in">
<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121">Web: </span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.dem.gov__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!JTan8GFpr31dz0axLZC-y-wGNcw1msmDMbDiMRiDsdSguslA8VuLG4ZstXozPoLcLmecg9NNx54sgvHaiJ8xNg$" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">www.dem.gov
[dem.gov]</span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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