Last week, the Environmental Justice Task Force created by the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Task Board issued its final report. The fifty-two page report includes nine key recommendations relating primarily to air quality.  In order of priority, the nine recommendations are: 

1. Support the adoption of environmental assessment provisions in regulations, statutes and ordinances at the state and local level. 

2. Monitor sources to ensure that modeled emissions are reflective of actual emissions.

3. Explicitly consider EJ and cumulative impact in the permitting process and regulation.

4. Strengthen enforcement of regulations and permits.

5. Collaborate with the AQCB and the Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) to create new regulations or modify existing regulations.

6. Improve the monitoring network so that air quality at the neighborhood level can be assessed more effectively.

7. Ensure that human health and environmental monitoring data are collected, available, and analyzed appropriately through a collaborative center.  

8. Create an EJ ombudsman position.

9. Ensure that membership on appointed boards and commissions accurately reflect composition of the community. 

The full report can be accessed at: http://bernco.gov/live/  

Thanks to Lora Lucero, Esq., AICP, a member of the Task Force, for bringing this to my attention.