a. The interagency working group shall develop an environmental justice plan that provides guidance for incorporating environmental justice concerns into city decision-making, identifies possible citywide initiatives for promoting environmental justice and provides specific recommendations for city agencies represented on the interagency working group. Matters treated by such plan shall include, at a minimum:
1. City-wide initiatives:
(a) Methods for promoting environmental justice;
(b) Methods of encouraging greater public engagement with and participation in decision-making that raises environmental justice concerns;
(c) Methods of promoting transparency and consistency in the city's approach to environmental justice;
(d) City-wide and/or inter-agency projects that address environmental justice concerns;
(e) Methods for promoting equitable distribution of and access to environmental benefits;
(f) Methods for improving research and data collection relating to human health and the environment; and
(g) Recommendations for legislation, policy, budget initiatives and other measures the city can take, either acting alone or in collaboration with other organizations or governmental entities, to (i) mitigate or, to the extent possible, eliminate the disproportionate effects identified in the study required by section 3-1007 and (ii) increase utilization of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures in environmental justice areas.
2. Agency-specific recommendations:
(a) Changes to an agency's programs, policies, activities or processes that will promote environmental justice, including but not limited to:
(1) Consideration of capital projects that address environmental justice concerns in or provide environmental improvements to environmental justice areas;
(2) Agency enforcement actions that can be strengthened or expanded to address environmental justice concerns;
(3) Agency-specific methods of promoting greater public participation and transparency in agency decision-making that raises environmental justice concerns, including the siting of agency facilities; and
(b) A description of any amendments to laws or rules that would facilitate implementation of any of the recommendations made pursuant to subparagraph (a) of this paragraph.
b. 1. By December 31, 2019, the interagency working group shall (i) provide the advisory board with a draft environmental justice plan, (ii) provide a copy of such plan to the mayor and the speaker of the council and (iii) provide a copy of such plan to each city agency covered by such plan. Upon receiving a copy of such plan, each agency covered by such plan shall publish a copy thereof on its website.
2. By June 30, 2020, the advisory board shall:
(a) Review such plan;
(b) Hold public hearings on such plan in accordance with section 3-1006; and
(c) Provide the interagency working group with recommendations and comments relating to such plan and convey public comments received at public hearings conducted by such board on such plan.
3. By December 31, 2021, the interagency working group shall (i) finalize the environmental justice plan, which shall include responses to all recommendations submitted to the interagency working group by the advisory board, (ii) provide a copy of such plan to the advisory board, (iii) provide a copy of such plan to the mayor and the speaker of the council and (iv) provide a copy of such plan to each agency covered by such plan. Upon receiving a copy of such plan, each agency covered by such plan shall publish a copy thereof on its website.
4. By June 30 in 2022, and by June 30 in every year thereafter, the interagency working group shall report to the advisory board, the mayor and the speaker of the council on progress in implementing the environmental justice plan.
c. 1. By December 31, 2024, and by December 31 in every fifth year thereafter, the interagency working group shall (i) provide the advisory board with draft revisions to the most recent environmental justice plan, (ii) provide a copy of such revisions to the mayor and the speaker of the council and (iii) provide a copy of such revisions to each agency covered by such plan. Upon receiving a copy of such revisions, each agency covered by such plan shall publish a copy thereof on its website.
2. By June 30, 2025, and by June 30 in every fifth year thereafter, the advisory board shall:
(a) Review such revisions;
(b) Hold public hearings on such revisions in accordance with section 3-1006; and
(c) Provide the interagency working group with recommendations and comments relating to such revisions and convey public comments received at public hearings conducted by such board on such revisions.
3. By December 31, 2025, and by December 31 in every fifth year thereafter, the interagency working group shall (i) finalize the revisions to the environmental justice plan, which shall include responses to all recommendations submitted to the interagency working group by the advisory board, (ii) provide a copy of such revised plan to the advisory board, (iii) provide a copy of such revised plan to the mayor and the speaker of the council and (iv) provide a copy of such revised plan to each agency covered by such plan. Upon receiving a copy of such revised plan, each agency covered by such revised plan shall publish a copy thereof on its website.
4. The interagency working group may revise the environmental justice plan more frequently than set forth in this subdivision, provided that (i) at least 60 days before finalizing such revision, such working group provides a copy of the proposed revision to the advisory board, (ii) the finalized revision includes responses to all recommendations submitted to the interagency working group by the advisory board, (iii) such working group provides a copy of the finalized revision to the advisory board, the mayor, the speaker of the council and each agency covered by the environmental justice plan as revised. Upon receiving a copy of such plan, each agency covered by such plan shall publish a copy thereof on its website.
(L.L. 2017/064, 4/25/2017, eff. 4/25/2017; Am. L.L. 2017/060, 4/25/2017, eff. 4/25/2017)
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2017/060 and L.L. 2017/064.