Environmental Justice Communities
Everyone should be protected from pollution and have the right to a clean and healthy environment, regardless of race, national origin, age, or income. This is why Illinois Solar for All projects are focused in areas that stand to benefit the most from renewable energy generation, including environmental justice communities.
What is an environmental justice community?
An environmental justice community is an area that suffers disproportionately from environmental hazards that can cause long-term negative health effects. When these areas are designated as environmental justice communities, state programs like Illinois Solar for All can be more equitably administered to protect people’s health and provide opportunities for residents’ involvement in environmental laws and policies.
What does this mean for you?
ILSFA applications from homeowners, renters, and organizations in designated environmental justice communities are prioritized. Illinois Solar for All is one step toward a cleaner and healthier environment if you live in an area that has been disproportionately affected by environmental hazards.
Why does this matter?
Affordable solar energy reduces the impact of greenhouse gas and carbon emissions, decreasing environmental and health impacts for you and your neighbors and tapping an abundant resource to provide reliable, year-round energy. A quarter of ILSFA’s funding is explicitly allocated to solar projects in designated environmental justice communities to ensure a healthier future for these communities.
Examples of conditions for environmental justice communities
Environmental justice communities are identified by a demonstrated higher risk of exposure to pollution based on environmental and socioeconomic factors. Here are some examples of how a community might express their environmental conditions, which may be helpful if you are considering self-designation.
Indicator
Based On
Example
Environmental Effects
The types of pollution that people may face.
A local media outlet reports concerns over high levels of toxins released from a nearby facility.
Exposure
The locations of toxic chemicals in or near a community.
Community members live near a cleanup site that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has not yet designated.
Sensitive Populations
A community’s population may be more severely affected by pollution because of their age or health.
Data indicates that the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a particular community is higher than the state average.
Socioeconomic Factors
Conditions that may increase stress or cause people to be more sensitive to the effects of pollution.
A community may experience an affordable housing crisis, and local activists and organizers hold a protest.
Questions? Contact the Illinois Solar for All team for more information by emailing info@illinoisSFA.com.
How it Works
Step 1: Check your address to determine if you live in an environmental justice community.
Use this address lookup tool to see if your area or property is located within a designated environmental justice community.
Step 2: Designate your area as an environmental justice community.
You can self-designate your community if you don’t reside in an already identified environmental justice community. Applying for self-designation is an opportunity to share information about your community and the environmental hazards residents face. Applicants are encouraged to share information about environmental effects, sensitive population conditions, socioeconomic factors, and issues regarding exposure to various pollutants. You’ll submit an application that will be reviewed by ILSFA’s Environmental Justice Self-Designation Committee.