NY Env Conserv L § 75-0111 (2021)
2021 New York Laws ENV - Environmental Conservation Article 75 - Climate Change 75-0111 - Climate Justice Working Group.

§ 75-0111. Climate justice working group.1.  There  is  hereby created within the department, no later than six   months after the effective date of  this  article,  a  "climate  justice   working  group". Such working group will be comprised of representatives   from: environmental justice communities, the department, the  department   of health, the New York state energy and research development authority,   and the department of labor.a. Environmental justice community representatives shall be members of   communities  of  color,  low-income communities, and communities bearing   disproportionate pollution and  climate  change  burdens,  or  shall  be   representatives  of  community-based organizations with experience and a   history of advocacy on environmental justice issues, and  shall  include   at  least  three  representatives  from New York city communities, three   representatives from rural communities, and three  representatives  from   upstate urban communities.b.  The  working  group,  in  consultation  with  the  department, the   departments of health and labor, the New York state energy and  research   development  authority,  and  the  environmental justice advisory group,   will establish criteria to identify disadvantaged  communities  for  the   purposes   of   co-pollutant   reductions,   greenhouse   gas  emissions   reductions,  regulatory  impact  statements,  and  the   allocation   of   investments related to this article.c.  Disadvantaged communities shall be identified based on geographic,   public health, environmental hazard, and socioeconomic  criteria,  which   shall include but are not limited to:i.  areas  burdened  by  cumulative  environmental pollution and other   hazards that can lead to negative public health effects;ii. areas with concentrations of people that are of low  income,  high   unemployment, high rent burden, low levels of home ownership, low levels   of  educational  attainment, or members of groups that have historically   experienced discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity; andiii. areas vulnerable  to  the  impacts  of  climate  change  such  as   flooding, storm surges, and urban heat island effects.2.  Before  finalizing  the  criteria  for  identifying  disadvantaged   communities  and  identifying  disadvantaged  communities  pursuant   to   subdivision  one  of  this  section,  the department shall publish draft   criteria and a draft list of disadvantaged  communities  and  make  such   information available on its website.a. The council shall hold at least six regional public hearings on the   draft   criteria  and  the  draft  list  of  disadvantaged  communities,   including three meetings in the upstate region and three meetings in the   downstate region, and shall allow at least one hundred twenty  days  for   the submission of public comment.b.   The   council   shall  also  ensure  that  there  are  meaningful   opportunities for public comment for all segments of the population that   will be impacted by the criteria, including persons living in areas that   may be  identified  as  disadvantaged  communities  under  the  proposed   criteria.3.  The  group  will meet no less than annually to review the criteria   and methods used to identify disadvantaged communities  and  may  modify   such  methods  to  incorporate  new  data  and  scientific findings. The   climate justice working group shall review identities  of  disadvantaged   communities and modify such identities as needed.