Community Environmental Program
Since 1980, ICC, through its Community Health Project, has been among the most active urban environmental voices in New Jersey. With the discovery of numerous hazardous waste sites, Superfund sites, and the proposing/citing of additional public and private pollution-generating operations (incinerators, medical waste facilities, etc.), ICC necessarily began to pay more attention to environmental matters in the community. As such, it has become a leader in advocating environmental justice issues not only in New Jersey but the nation.
ICC assisted residents involved in our Community Health Project to organize the Ironbound Committee Against Toxic Waste in 1980 to promote clean ups, pollution source reduction and sustainable development.
In 1989, ICC organized the Clean Sludge Coalition (CSC), a regional organization of citizen groups with a primary goal of promoting a beneficial use management policy for New Jersey's clean sewage sludge.
In 1996, ICC changed the name of its Community Health Project to its Community Environmental Program (CEP).
For the past 18 years, ICC has attempted to keep the community informed of and encourage participation in vital environmental issues and has represented the community in numerous public policy matters. In these matters, ICC:
Successfully organized the community to oppose and prevent the citing of 4 additional incinerators in the Ironbound: a medical waste, an at-sea, a tire-burning, and a sludge incinerator.
Served as the community liaison with government agencies on various remediation sites, including the Diamond Shamrock Company EPA Superfund Site that produced Agent Orange and housed the largest concentration of dioxin in the world.
Staff and volunteers have worked with government agencies by serving on committees, including the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission Advisory Council, Solid Waste Advisory Council, USEPA Community Advisory Group for the Diamond Shamrock Superfund Site.
ICC's positive contributions can also be seen in its participation since 1990 as an original member on the City of Newark's Riverfront Working Group that developed the basic plans for waterfront development on the Passaic River.
In this role, ICC was instrumental in having the project area extended from the Jackson Street Bridge to Brill Street, expanding the proposed Minnish Park and bringing the park and waterfront walkway alongside the Aspen River Park low income housing complex and within a few blocks of the Terrell Homes low income housing complex. In the Army Corps of Engineers Draft Memorandum for this project, ICC is cited numerous times for its role in informing and involving the community and contributing to the planning process.
In addition, ICC has coordinated the annual Ironbound Ecumenical Service where local churches of diverse religious beliefs come together in an environmental justice service.
Finally, ICC has worked with many grassroots and environmental organizations around the state and region to further environmental concerns.