§ 40403. — 40403. (Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 492, Sec. 1.)

(a)
The Office of Environmental Justice and Tribal Relations is hereby established within the department.
(b)
Duties of the office shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
(1)
Ensuring that the department’s programs effectively address the needs of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, California Native American tribes, and farmworkers.
(2)
Providing an evaluation of a range of strategic, scientific, technological, regulatory, and economic issues for the department related to environmental justice and tribal relations.
(3)
Integrating environmental justice considerations into department programs, policies, and initiatives.
(4)
Lessening the environmental impacts on those communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harm and risks.
(5)
Addressing environmental justice by ensuring meaningful involvement of disproportionately burdened communities in department decisionmaking, building capacity to address environmental impacts in disproportionately burdened communities, and promoting collaborative problem solving for issues involving environmental justice.
(6)
Strengthening partnerships with other governmental agencies at the federal, city, county, and tribal level regarding environmental justice issues.
(7)
Enhancing research and assessment
approaches related to environmental justice.
(8)
Collaborating with impacted communities and governmental agencies to promote equitable data collection regarding environmental burdens.
(9)
Improving access to technical resources for disadvantaged communities.
(10)
Enhancing protections for vulnerable communities.

Legislative History

Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 492, Sec. 1. (AB 649) Effective January 1, 2023.