Detailed Information:
NYCEJA seeks to reveal the underlying economic, legal and political causes of environmental discrimination. We help to develop effective legal and political strategies to enforce existing laws and, where necessary, changes in the law or regulatory policy. Armed with an understanding of the applicable laws, procedures and opportunities for public participation, NYCEJA's members are able to engage more effectively for broad political change. NYCEJA documents the environmental conditions that adversely affect the health and well-being of low-income communities of color. This strategy responds to the fact that community complaints are often dismissed by officials because residents of these low-income neighborhoods and communities of color often lack the means to systematically monitor, record and evaluate environmental conditions themselves. NYCEJA helps to solve this problem by structuring data collection activities, providing training and technical support to community monitors. NYCEJA also offers technical assistance, for example, networking community groups with academic institutions for computer mapping capabilities. NYCEJA helps EJ communities develop the organizational capacity and human resources needed to successfully fight environmental injustice and win. We work with our Member Organizations to help community residents become knowledgeable about local environmental conditions, the relevant laws and regulatory procedures, and how to use the democratic process to advocate for change. NYCEJA seeks collaborative funding opportunities for Member Organizations and provides technical resources to strengthen them and build community institutions that can sustain the struggle over the long-term.
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