City councilor urges Environmental Justice Council to add petition-process review to February agenda

During the public-comment period Mariane Bensky (who identified herself as a city councilor from Westfield) asked the council to add an agenda item at its next meeting to address the state EJ-designation petition process for communities that have applied to regain or clarify EJ status.

Bensky said residents in her community filed a petition with the state in February and have not been able to move forward because a formal process has not been established. She asked the council to "make a motion today to add an item to the next meeting’s agenda that will deal with the EJ designation process so this step can be completed for those communities that filed with the state."

Why it matters: the petitioner said the community previously held EJ status and has since lost it; she requested a process to surface when designations change so the council and staff can investigate and explain why status was removed and what remedies exist.

Council response: the moderator thanked Bensky for the comment and said the council could add the topic to the February agenda and bring options to the council for discussion. Several members noted the petition and the petition process as appropriate items for the February meeting and encouraged staff follow-up.

Next steps: council members and staff agreed to consider the petition process and possible agenda items at the next meeting, set for 12 February; the transcript records members asking for materials ahead of the meeting so the council can discuss options.