BOARD MEETING DATE: September 5, 2008
AGENDA NO. 42

PROPOSAL:

Revise Charter of AQMD's Ethnic Community Advisory Group

SYNOPSIS:

The Administrative Committee directed staff to provide recommendations to reconstitute the Ethnic Community Advisory Group into an Environmental Justice Advisory Group with a focus on environmental justice issues in the air quality context. Staff has developed a new charter for the Board’s approval.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, July 18, 2008, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

Approve the recommended charter for the Environmental Justice Advisory Group, and direct staff to seek nominations and return to the Administrative Committee for review of an appointments list within 60 days.
 

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

The Administrative Committee has recently recommended a restructuring of the existing Ethnic Community Advisory Group (ECAG) into an Environmental Justice Advisory Group (EJAG) with focus on environmental justice and air quality issues. The ECAG was formed in 1990 and all ECAG member terms have expired. Staff has formulated the attached Charter for the proposed EJAG, which includes administrative, operational, and process guidelines for the Board's approval.
 

Proposal

It is proposed that EJAG will advise and assist AQMD in protecting and improving public health in AQMD’s most impacted communities through the reduction and prevention of air pollution. The EJAG membership will be ethnically and geographically diverse, with at least two members from each county and representatives from the most highly impacted communities within AQMD’s jurisdiction. Membership will consist of up to 20 members. Members are appointed for a four-year term by the Chairman of the Board upon the nomination of the EJAG Chair, following review by the Administrative Committee, which oversees EJAG.

The EJAG will meet at least four times per year for in-depth discussions of one or two high priority topics at each meeting as suggested by members and staff. The meetings may take place at AQMD Headquarters or in host communities, and EJAG may form subcommittees to work on specific issues with staff. The EJAG’s tasks shall include:

1. reviewing and assessing the status of past AQMD environmental justice work plans and making recommendations for future environmental justice work plans;
2. reviewing policy issues and agency activities that impact environmental justice communities (e.g., goods movement, climate change, land use planning, cumulative impacts, air toxics, decision-making/risk/precautionary principles, community relations, complaint resolution, permitting/enforcement/rulemaking); and
3. reviewing and making recommendations on how to address community concerns.
    

Recommendation

Staff recommends that the Board approve the attached Charter for EJAG and direct staff to seek member nominations from Governing Board members for review by the Administrative Committee within 60 days. The Chairman of the Board will make the final appointments after the Administrative Committee review.

Attachment (DOC, 41k)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY GROUP CHARTER