Big Win for Environmental Justice Organizers

The Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC) in Newark, New Jersey, has spent more than 50 years mobilizing local residents in the fight for environmental justice.

Located in one of the country’s most industrialized zip codes, the ICC has become the de facto watchdog in resisting polluting facilities. By prioritizing the lived experience of community members, the ICC has demanded that decision makers recognize local residents’ voices and acknowledge the cumulative impact of concentrating so many facilities near homes and schools. This, combined with scientific and legal expertise, has elevated the ICC to one of the most effective grassroots organizing groups in the country.

After a decade of pushing for statewide legislation to protect overburdened communities, the ICC and its partners, Clean Water Action and the NJ Environmental Justice Alliance, helped turn that vision into reality. In 2020, New Jersey passed the most progressive environmental justice law in the nation to date, the Cumulative Impacts Bill S232. This legislation would not have been possible without strategic alliances, long term commitment and clearly outlined demands from the people most directly impacted by industrial pollution. The law states that ‘cumulative impacts’ from multiple sources “must” be taken into account when issuing and renewing industrial permits. According to Governor Phil Murphy, the law “is a historic step to ensure that true community input and collaboration will factor into decisions that have a cumulative impact for years to come.”

This short film and discussion guide (below) provide a road map for community organizers across the country who hope to translate local relationships into statewide legislative victories.

Learn more about the Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC).

Learn more about the documentary The Sacrifice Zone, featuring the ICC’s environmental justice work.

Learn more about Climate Advocacy Lab.

This film was made possible by the Climate Advocacy Lab