A Brief Overview of VCEJ
On January 22, 2019, Governor Northam issued EO-29 establishing the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice (VCEJ).
A Local Representative
As the former President of SAMS and a board member at large, Taysha DeVaughan serves as a grassroots representative in SWVA on the council.
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Environmental justice is defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, faith, national origin, or income, in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
No population, especially minority, low-income, or historically underserved communities, should face higher levels or greater impacts of pollution than other populations. Some of these communities face more severe environmental degradation, which disproportionally affects public health and quality of life
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To ensure that environmental justice concerns are understood and that a framework is in place to address these concerns are extremely valuable to the Commonwealth.
While some state agencies incorporate environmental justice into their review process, there is currently no consistency in how these issues are evaluated. The VCEJ will help generate proposals for consistent approaches to evaluate environmental justice.
The Council is responsible for making recommendations to the Governor in an annual report.
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The Council shall solicit public comments and recommendations addressing these issues.
Send those public comments for the VCEJ here or by contacting Taysha DeVaughan
The Council meets quarterly.
Next Report Due:
Jan 2023
Upcoming Meetings
January 24, 2023
Location: Richmond
May 9, 2023
Location: Suffolk/Chesapeake
August 8, 2023
Location: Charlottesville
October 17, 2023
Location: Richmond
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In 2020 HB 1042 made the Council a permanent body to recommend environmental justice policies to state legislators. Twenty-one of the council’s 27 seats were set aside for citizens, including representatives of tribes and community organizations.
2021 VCEJ Report
Review the 2021 Interagency Report Here
