Venture Dairy Cooperative Alert: Governor Evers Signs Executive Order Creating Office of "Environmental Justice"

Executive Order #161, signed yesterday by Governor Evers created a new Office of "Environmental Justice" tasked with, among other things to "[a]nalyze and review what impact state laws, regulations, and policy have on the equitable treatment and protection of communities threatened by environmental harms, including climate change."

Wisconsin Dairy Alliance and Venture Dairy are aware that often the phrase 'environmental justice' really just means 'anti-cafo.' We will monitor this new office closely to make sure that this office does not act outside of the bounds of law, and that your voice is heard if they try to take action adverse to farmers.

According to the Executive Order, the new Office of Environmental Justice will be established by the Department of Administration and shall do the following:

1. Consult with the Office of the Governor and state agencies to develop a framework and strategy for environmental justice work across the administration. This should include developing strong public participation strategies to ensure meaningful representation in environmental policymaking, including strategies to overcome linguistic, cultural, institutional, geographic, and other barriers to meaningful participation across the administration;

2. Advise the Office of the Governor and the Director of the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy on policies, practices, and specific actions that the state should implement related to environmental justice, including repairing and mediating damage to our environment and natural resources, creating fair access to Wisconsin’s natural amenities, and providing opportunities to participate in an economy that works for everyone;

3. Consider relevant public health, industry, and other data concerning the potential for multiple or cumulative exposures in affected populations to human health or environmental hazards, and historical patterns of exposure using the Wisconsin Environmental Equity Tool, among other resources in developing recommendations;

4. Analyze and review what impact state laws, regulations, and policy have on the equitable treatment and protection of communities threatened by environmental harms, including climate change;

5. Work with state agencies to facilitate meaningful and timely engagement between the state of Wisconsin and Tribal Nations in Wisconsin on environmental policy and relevant decisions affecting their environment and natural resources;

6. Meet frequently with stakeholders and organizations across the state who represent groups most impacted by climate change and other environmental threats and harms;

7. Partner with the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy, state agencies, industry partners, and community organizations to ensure that the transition to clean energy includes the communities most impacted by climate change;

8. Work with local governments and Tribal Nations on resiliency efforts to take measures to address disaster preparedness aimed particularly at helping the most vulnerable communities; and

9. Engage with the federal government and Wisconsin municipal governments to coordinate and share learned best practices on decision-making with potential impacts on environmental justice communities.