Your voice matters. Mecklenburg County is committed towards environmental justice and requires residents to play a crucial role in this work. Start looking for ways to take part in the Environmental Justice Study this Spring.
The County defines “environmental justice” as “The County commits embracing justice through meaningful participation, equal protection and enforcement of environmental laws. This aligns with the County’s Equity Action Plan, which addresses unfair exposure of Black and Brown communities to environmental hazards, which have negative consequences on health outcomes.”
“The Board of County Commissioners initiated us on this Environmental Justice pathway when they passed March 2021’s Environmental Leadership Policy and Action Plan,” Erin Stanforth (Sustainability & Resiliency Manager, Mecklenburg County) said. “The County must embrace justice through equal protection of and enforcement of environmental laws.”
The County is committed in working towards racial equality and environmental justice. A team of contractors was recently hired to help with the development of an Environmental Justice Study. We need to establish strong foundations by establishing intentional community partnerships, especially with community-based organizations that work in similar areas. This will give us robust demographic, health, as well as environmental data.
The County will launch an engagement strategy for conducting our Environmental Justice Study. This Study will be rooted and informed by community engagement and will be populated using quantitative and qualitative data. Residents of Mecklenburg County are invited to participate in engagement sessions in their respective districts to provide input on the Study that will impact generations to come. There will be many opportunities to provide input throughout the Spring and Summer 2022. You can also visit our social media pages MeckNC.gov/ejFind out when opportunities are available in your area.
