Agency:
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Priority:
Environmental Justice
Environmental justice seeks to reverse the effects of pollution and environmental toxics in the air, water and soil, in places that are considered Disproportionately Impacted (DI), often neighborhoods where people of color and low income residents live.
Strategy #1
Study inequities and impacts in the most burdened DI communities
CDPHE will conduct at least two Environmental Equity and Cumulative Impacts Analysis (EECIA) by 2026.
Milestones
Secure resources for and complete 2 EECIA analyses
Engage with communities and invite input
Expand reach of EECIAs to additional DI communities
Track how state agency decisions changed as a result of community data in an EECIA
Measures of Success
Completion of two analysis by 2026
Communities are engaged in the selection of a contractor and are invited to share input for the EECIA
Meaningful integration of EECIA for interagency decision making
EECIA findings impact agency decision-making and reduce environmental burdens
Strategy #2
Increase responsiveness to DI community concerns with enhanced enforcement capacity and community liaisons
Expand CDPHE’s capacity to conduct enforcement inspections and build relationships with DI communities.
Milestones
Secure resources
Hire more field inspectors
Hire community liaisons
Expand response to complainants
Track and report on response to community complaints
Measures of Success
CDPHE and Air Pollution Control Division build trust with DI communities living near oil and gas operations
Noncompliance is addressed resulting in fewer environmental and health burdens on impacted communities
Strategy #3
Reduce harms from oil and gas facilities
Hire a refinery expert, develop refinery regulations, and create a rapid response oil and gas team to enhance quick response to oil and gas complaints.
Milestones
Secure resources to hire a refinery expert, additional oil and gas inspectors and community engagement specialists
Understand DI communities’ concerns
Provide a public-facing on-line dashboard to track oil and gas complaints
Track increased protections and reduced refinery and oil and gas emissions
Measures of Success
Colorado leads the nation in protection of communities, emissions controls and emissions monitoring.
Disparate impacts on DI communities living near refineries are reduced
Oil and gas rapid response team addresses community concerns quickly and transparently
Strategy #4
Reduce childhood lead poisoning by providing In-Home Lead Testing in disproportionately impacted communities
CDPHE will stand up an in-home lead testing program in low-income and DI communities in order to address disparities in childhood lead poisoning across the state.
Milestones
Identify priority areas for lead exposure/ poisoning
Purchase LeadCare II machines and test kits for clinics or Local Public Health Agencies (LPHAs)
Hire internal staff, purchase equipment, and provide additional funding to LPHAs
Focus populations at high risk for lead poisoning
Conduct lunch and learn programs targeted at LPHAs and providers with low testing rates
Track and communicate increase in testing rates and reduction in elevated blood lead levels
Map improvements
Measures of Success
Increase testing rates for children and populations at high risk for lead poisoning.
Reduce the number of children and populations with elevated blood lead levels.
Strategy #5
Increase Brownfields remediation in DI communities
CDPHE will work to assess more Brownfields sites and to support allocation of remediation resources to local communities.
Milestones
Conduct more Brownfields assessments
Support allocation of resources for local communities
Local communities secure resources to expand remediation efforts
Measures of Success
More Brownfields assessments are conducted.
Local governments in DI communities take full advantage of available resources.
More Brownfields remediation completed in DI communities.
Strategy #6
Develop EnviroScreen improvements in response to public input and in furtherance of EJ Action Task Force recommendations
Continue to strengthen EnviroScreen’s methodology and indicators.
Milestones
Make EnviroScreen completely transparent
Invite community input on the methodology and indicators
Make adjustments and improvements based on feedback received
Measures of Success
Colorado EnviroScreen is a trusted tool for diverse stakeholders.
Colorado EnviroScreen continues to respond to input and priorities of Coloradans.