A draft Environmental Justice Element, which will be a new part of the City’s General Plan, is now available for review and the City is seeking public input on it.

San Diego Community Newspaper Group held a Q&A with Tara Lewis, supervising public information officer in the City’s Communications Department, to find out what environmental justice is all about.

SDCNG: What is this draft Environmental Justice Element and what is its purpose?

City: This draft includes goals toward a more equitable future, policies that inform City decision-making, proposed activities that build on existing programs to advance environmental justice, and a description of areas of the City most impacted and negatively affected by environmental burdens and associated health risks – collectively known as Environmental Justice Communities (EJ Communities). The purpose of the draft Environmental Justice Element (EJE) is to identify and reduce unique or compounded health risks, improve public infrastructure related to environmental justice, and improve overall health with a focus on EJ Communities. Priorities outlined in the EJE will be reflected in community plans, City Council policies, infrastructure priorities, and facility improvement programs, as well as annual City budgets that work together with the General Plan to advance improvements in neighborhoods throughout San Diego.

SDCNG: What do you expect to find out from the public in their review of EJE?

City: We partnered with five community-based organizations to help provide community engagement that is inclusive to all people in our City. Priorities identified by people living and working in EJ Communities were critical to informing the development of this element. Forty engagement events were held in partnership with CBOs to connect with community members at places and events in their neighborhoods. Now that a draft has been released, we are again asking the public to review it and to share comments and suggestions for consideration that will help further shape the element by completing the comment form linked on the EJE webpage or emailing the project team at publicspaces@sandiego.gov.

SDCNG: How does this environmental justice component tie in with the City’s General Plan?

City: The General Plan guides future development across the City through citywide policies addressing land use, mobility, urban design, economic prosperity, recreation, conservation, noise, historic preservation, public spaces, services, and safety. Environmental justice will be a new element added to the General Plan to further the City’s efforts to advance the equitable distribution of benefits and limit environmental burdens in the City to promote healthy and livable communities for all San Diegans. While some elements of environmental justice have already been included throughout the General Plan, this EJE highlights the importance of addressing environmental justice within the General Plan.

SDCNG: What will be done with the information you obtain from public input on environmental justice?

City: Goals, policies, and proposed activities within the draft EJE are categorized by the following seven topics, adapted from SB 1000:

· Inclusive Public Engagement in City Decisions;

· Pollution Exposure and Air Quality;

· Active Play;

· Promoting Healthy Food Access;

· Safe and Healthy Homes;

· Climate Change and Resilience; and

· Public Facilities and Infrastructure Prioritization.

To hear from community members in areas most impacted by compounded health risks, various events were held to help inform each topic advancing environmental justice across the city. Further input is welcome and valued to further help shape the EJE, ensuring that it reflects the concerns, needs, and perspectives of community members.

SDCNG: How does the City propose making things more equitable, from an environmental perspective, across regions Citywide?

City: The Environmental Justice Element prioritizes:

1. • Clean air that affects our children’s health.
   • Access to fresh food that nourishes our bodies.
   • Enjoyable spaces where our families can play.
   • Safe and healthy homes where our families live.
   • Communication between City Officials and San Diegans to inform decision-making.

The City proposes to enhance equity from an environmental standpoint by adopting the EJE as a policy document. This will guide future community plan updates and planning initiatives to prioritize investments in areas with the greatest needs, focusing on EJ Communities and ensuring equitable investment across the city.

SDCNG: What are the ways the City will ultimately be made more environmentally “just?”

City: While the draft EJE applies Citywide, special attention is needed in EJ Communities to advance equity and sustainability goals. The varied development patterns in the City, while contributing to economic growth and community enrichment, reveal stark inequalities in how adverse effects are distributed. The draft EJE is critical in addressing these inequities.

SDCNG: Is there a timetable for accomplishing the goals of implementing environmental justice?

City: The goals and policies of the EJE, once adopted, will guide all future City decisions. Community involvement is extremely important to the City and the input received from our communities will drive the decision-making process. It is anticipated that the EJE will be presented to:

7. • Planning Commission (April 2024),

7. • The Land Use and Housing Committee (May 2024), and

7. • City Council (June 2024).

Community members are invited to sign up for notifications and easily find upcoming public hearing information on the Environmental Justice Element project website under the “Get Involved and Stay Connected” section.