In October 2023, the ECOS Environmental Justice (EJ) Workgroup welcomed Tennessee’s Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to discuss some of the Department’s recent EJ programs and initiatives. The presentation slides can be viewed here, and the meeting recording is available below:
TDEC has supported new EJ initiatives, resources, and cross-bureau practices through the formation of its 2023 EJ Working Group. Major topics of discussion have included identifying disadvantaged communities and addressing EJ in environmental permitting decisions. Due to TDEC’s jurisdiction over the state park system, its Title VI and EJ efforts also include meaningful and equal access to nature. TDEC is currently updating several of its policies and procedures, including its complaint procedures, language access plan, and public participation plan, and is poised to continue making progress going forward.
Thank you to Jennifer Tribble, Rachael Maitland, and Ronne Adkins of TDEC for sharing their experiences and lessons learned with the ECOS EJ Workgroup.
