SJC’s Environmental Health & Justice Stewardship Program For A #HealthierJC (EHJ Stewardship)
Building on the success of our previous Heat Watch & Air Quality Campaign in 2021 (UHI + AQ , Sustainable Jersey City’s latest initiative will target environmental health educational outreach across the City, and in particular focus on those communities considered part of Jersey City’s EJ (environmental justice) corridor, according to NJ DEP.
For example, this map of “Asthma Alley” in the context of major transportation corridors through Jersey City reflects on concerns we developed during our communications campaign to inform people about the negative impact of the urban heat island effect (UHI) on air quality (AQ) and now, looking at public health factors like transportation corridors, which cause additional stress on already vulnerable populations in certain geographies of the City.
Jersey City has the highest adult asthma rates in Hudson County and the County received an F for air quality from the American Lung Association last year.
Overview / Outcomes We Are Seeking Through SJC’s EHJ Stewardship Program For A #HealthierJC
Sign-up For The Daily Breather - know about air quality conditions in JC each day !
Take Our Community Health Survey Here -
It Will Only Take You 10 Minutes !
SJC Story Maps explaining environmental health issues in Jersey City -
JC Schools + Healthy Environment Story Map / Trees, Flooding and Air Pollution
Asthma Prevalence and Transportation Corridors in Jersey City Story Map
SJC Urban Heat Island Story Map (UHI + Opportunities For Green Infrastructure To Mitigate UHI In JC)
Extreme heat and the Urban Heat Island Effect, worsens air quality, impacting people with respiratory ailments and other health conditions. Jersey City has the highest adult asthma rates in Hudson County and the County received an F for air quality from the American Lung Association last year.
NJ Department of Health & Department of Environmental Protection collaborative project called the Healthy Community Planning (HPC) Initiative
Jersey City Report by DOH & DEP with an explaination of each line item here - detailed report.
Regional comparision /source - DOH DEP HCP Program - Jersey City, Newark, Elizabeth
EPA Grant Award - Monitoring AQ In EJ Neighborhoods
SJC, in partnership with JC HHS and JCHA, and in collaboration with institutional partners Rutgers EOHSI and Gensler (, along with community partner GNA, has been awarded an EPA grant to undertake a crucial initiative focused on monitoring air quality conditions (AQ) in Jersey City, with a special emphasis on Environmental Justice (EJ) neighborhoods. Fostering environmental health across Jersey City is one of the intended outcomes of this funding opportunity, which also has environmental, social and economic equity objectives as part of the project work to be delivered. Air Quality (AQ) Glossary here.
Funded partners under the grant received financial support from the EPA under an Assistance Agreement. (JC HHS, JCHA, SJC, GNA, Rutgers EOHSI / CEED)
SJC pledges to deliver on several key aspects outlined in the EPA grant award, as part of our Environmental Health & Justice Stewardship Program. These include the development of a community information and education dashboard, leveraging AQ data to empower the public and foster better health outcomes through informed decision-making and enhanced policy development. Additionally, SJC and our partners will establish an Environmental Health and Justice Leadership Task Force, ensuring the engagement of all stakeholders. More information to follow!
Jersey City community organizational partners on this program - Greater Neighbohood Alliance (GNA) and Jackson Hill Main Street (JHMS). The Envisioning a Sustainable Future for Jackson Hill Main Street Community Workshop will inform the Climate Justice body of work for JHMS outlined in the EPA Grant Proposal above.
Institutional partners - Jersey City Health & Human Services (JC HHS), Jersey City Housing Authority (JCHA) Rutgers EOHSI and Gensler, separately funded by the Gensler Research Institute re Climate Justice Action Plan For JHMS
Community Steering Committee (CSC) for the EPA AQ EJ Grant Award