Environmental Justice League
Power is never given. To get justice, we must fight for it.
Climate change poses an existential threat to life on planet Earth. From devastating wildfires to rising sea levels and unhealthy air quality.
California has experienced the consequences of climate change first hand and is positioned to lead on this issue, but other issues often push environmental justice onto the back burner.
The mission of the Environmental Justice League:
- Raise awareness of environmental impacts on our diverse communities and seek solutions to ensure that historic injustices borne by people of color are not repeated.
- Build a multi-disciplinary network of state, local and community organizations who can help advance environmental objectives from the perspective of healthcare, socio-economics, cultural diversity, and more.
- Drive practical, affordable, and sustainable environmental policies through advocacy, coalition building and public awareness.
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Leadership
Devin Murphy
Executive Director
Murphy was elected to the Pinole City Council in 2020. Prior to being elected, he served as a Pinole’s planning commissioner. Murphy also served as an appointee of the Pinole City Council and West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) to the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee. In that position, he was responsible for overseeing $1.6 billion in funding from voter-approved bond measures preparing for generations to come. Murphy also founded Visit Pinole, a campaign to support economic growth and vitality of small businesses in the city. As a small business owner, he has helped businesses and nonprofits thrive and grow.
Tim Cromartie
Policy Consultant
Tim Cromartie brings nearly 30 years’ experience of working in the legislative and public policy arenas, including four years as Legislative Director to former Senator Gloria Romero, one-time chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee. He served as a Housing Policy Analyst in the Department of Housing and Community Development for two years, evaluating local housing elements that included affordable housing plans, proposed redevelopment projects, in addition to working on an environmental justice initiative. While serving as District Director to Congresswoman Barbara Lee, he oversaw efforts to monitor emissions from the Port of Oakland. He was a legislative representative for the League of California Cities for 5 years, assisting local governments on first responder and law enforcement issues that ranged from drones to cannabis laws, and fought to preserve provisions in law protecting the environment against harmful cultivation practices. Tim left the League in early 2018 to become Senior Policy Advisor with HdL Companies, crafting over 35 local ordinances on cannabis regulation, which included providing guidance on CEQA compliance.
Issues
EJL supports SB 18 (Skinner), as amended on March 23, 2021
The California Environmental Justice League (EJL) is pleased to support SB 18, which would
require key state agencies to form integrated plans for accelerating green hydrogen production
and use, as specified.
California has set ambitious goals for carbon emissions and renewable energy, but these
targets are dispersed among various state agencies with each exploring different alternatives.
SB 18 would direct focus to green hydrogen as part of a comprehensive plan for reducing GHG
emissions and providing sustainable energy.
Read the full press release here.
EJL supports SB 260 (Weiner), as amended on April 19, 2021
The California Environmental Justice League (EJL) is pleased to support SB 260, which would
require corporations with more than $1 billion in revenue and doing business in California to
publicly disclose greenhouse gas emissions from direct and indirect sources, as specified.
For far too long, some of the biggest sources of pollution in our state have gone undisclosed.
GHG emissions include more than those that directly stem from a site. They extend to the
electricity used to operate a facility, its supply chain, waste discharge and all the other factors
that contribute to an entity’s carbon footprint, but the current reporting mechanism gives us only
half the picture. If we are to significantly reduce GHG emissions, we need a comprehensive
assessment.
Read the full press release here.
EJL supports AB 1395 (Muratshuchi) as amended on April 20, 2021
The California Environmental Justice League (CEJL) is pleased to SUPPORT AB 1395, which would require the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to work with designated state agencies to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 through:
- 90 percent of gross greenhouse gas emissions targets achieved only through emission reductions; and
- 10 percent of gross greenhouse gas emission reductions accomplished through carbon dioxide removal strategies.
In working toward these goals, state agencies are required to support the health and economic resiliency of lower-income and disadvantaged communities.
Read the full press release here.
EJL supports the Governor's Budget Proposal Authorizing $325M in Cap-and-Trade expenditures to improve air quality in disadvantaged communities
The California Environmental Justice League urges your support for the Governor’s 2021-22 proposed budget expenditure of $325 million for the Community Air Protection Program. These funds provide grants to community-based organizations, funding for local air districts, and incentives for cleaner vehicles and equipment to improve air quality in disadvantaged communities.
California has set ambitious goals for carbon emissions and renewable energy, but lower-income and ethnic communities are often overlooked. According to recent studies, African Americans and Latinos are exposed to 40 percent more particulate matter pollution than white Californians, and households earning less than $20,000 a year or those without vehicles suffer from 20 percent more particulate matter inhalation than the state average. Exposure to particulate matter is linked to heart and lung disease, asthma, and premature death.
Read the full press release here.
EJL supports AB 284 (R. Rivas) regarding plan to sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
The California Environmental Justice League (EJL) is pleased to support AB 284, which would require state agencies to develop a plan for utilizing agricultural land, forests, wildlife habitat, etc., to sequester carbon and reduce GHG emissions. The plan would also integrate opportunities for increasing social and economic benefits, including protecting vulnerable communities from climate change.
California’s agricultural regions are home to some of our largest disadvantaged populations. Farming communities are often exposed to more pollutants in the air and water yet have less available access to health care, and local government resources to address these issues can be constrained. We need to prioritize our rural communities.
Read the full press release here.
EJL supports SB 18 (Skinner) regarding green hydrogen
The California Environmental Justice League (EJL) is pleased to support SB 18, which would require key state agencies to form integrated plans for accelerating green hydrogen production and use, as specified.
California has set ambitious goals for carbon emissions and renewable energy, but these targets are dispersed among various state agencies with each exploring different alternatives. SB 18 would direct focus to green hydrogen as part of a comprehensive plan for reducing GHG emissions and providing sustainable energy.
Read the full press release here.
EJL Supports SB 260 (Weiner) regarding greenhouse gas emission disclosures
The California Environmental Justice League (EJL) is pleased to support SB 260, which would require corporations with more than $1 billion in revenue that do business in California to publicly disclose greenhouse gas emissions from direct and indirect sources, and to establish science-based emission reduction targets.
For far too long, some of the biggest sources of pollution in our state have gone undisclosed. GHG emissions include more than those that directly stem from a site. They extend to the electricity used to operate a facility, its supply chain, waste discharge and all the other factors that contribute to an entity’s carbon footprint, but the current reporting mechanism gives us only half the picture. If we are to significantly reduce GHG emissions, we need a comprehensive assessment
Read the full press release here.
EJL Supports AB 72 (Petrie-Norris) regarding coastal adaptation projects
The California Environmental Justice League (CEJL) is pleased to SUPPORT AB 72 (Petrie-Norris), which would enact the Coastal Adaptation Permitting Act of 2021 and require the Natural Resources Agency to establish a coordinated and efficient regulatory review and permitting process for coastal adaptation projects, and to report findings to the Legislature, as specified.
According to California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment (Fourth Assessment), if left unmitigated, coastal climate changes could raise sea levels by 4.6 feet and cause approximately $48 billion in property damage. Experts agree that early adaptation improves outcomes, and the first step toward adaptation is having clear and coordinated guidelines.
Read the full press release here.
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