Environmental justice.

(1) Existing law requires the Secretary for Environmental Protection, on or before January 1, 2002, to convene a Working Group on Environmental Justice composed of various representatives, as specified, to assist the California Environmental Protection Agency in developing by July 1, 2002, an agencywide environmental justice strategy. Existing law requires the Office of Planning and Research to be the coordinating agency in state government for environmental justice programs. Existing law requires the Director of State Planning and Research to, among other things, coordinate its efforts and share information regarding environmental justice programs with various federal agencies. Existing law defines "environmental justice" for these purposes to mean the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. This bill would revise the definition of "environmental justice" to also include the meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes, and national origins with respect to those same actions, and would provide that "environmental justice" includes, among other things, the availability of a healthy environment for all people. (2) The California Coastal Act of 1976 establishes the California Coastal Commission and requires the commission to implement and administer a coastal development permit process within the coastal zone. The act requires that one member of the 15-member commission reside in, and work directly with, communities in the state that are disproportionately burdened by, and vulnerable to, high levels of pollution and issues of environmental justice, as provided. The act also authorizes the issuing agency, or the commission on appeal, when acting on a coastal development permit, to consider environmental justice. The act defines "environmental justice" for these purposes. This bill would revise the definition of "environmental justice" for purposes of the act to be consistent with the definition for that term described in (1) above, as the term would be revised by this bill. (3) The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 provides the authority and procedures for the initiation, conduct, and completion of changes of organization and reorganization of cities and districts. The act specifies the factors that a local agency formation commission is required to consider in the review of a proposal for a change of organization or reorganization, including, among other factors, the extent to which the proposal will promote environmental justice. Existing law defines "environmental justice" for purposes of these provisions to mean the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the location of public facilities and the provision of public services. This bill would revise the definition of "environmental justice" for purposes of these provisions to also include the meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes, and national origins, with respect to those same actions, to ensure a healthy environment for all people such that the effects of pollution are not disproportionately borne by any particular populations or communities.