(a) On or before January 1, 2002, the Secretary for Environmental Protection shall convene a Working Group on Environmental Justice to assist the California Environmental Protection Agency in developing, on or before July 1, 2002, an agencywide strategy for identifying and addressing any gaps in existing programs, policies, or activities that may impede the achievement of environmental justice.

(b) The working group shall be composed of the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Chairs of the State Air Resources Board, the California Integrated Waste Management Board, and the State Water Resources Control Board, the Director of Toxic Substances Control, the Director of Pesticide Regulation, the Director of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and the Director of Planning and Research.

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(c) The working group shall do all of the following on or before April 1, 2002:

(1) Examine existing data and studies on environmental justice, and consult with state, federal, and local agencies and affected communities.

(2) Recommend criteria to the Secretary for Environmental Protection for identifying and addressing any gaps in existing programs, policies, or activities that may impede the achievement of environmental justice.

(3) Recommend procedures and provide guidance to the California Environmental Protection Agency for the coordination and implementation of intraagency environmental justice strategies.

(4) Recommend procedures for collecting, maintaining, analyzing, and coordinating information relating to an environmental justice strategy.

(5) Recommend procedures to ensure that public documents, notices, and public hearings relating to human health or the environment are concise, understandable, and readily accessible to the public. The recommendation shall include guidance for determining when it is appropriate for the California Environmental Protection Agency to translate crucial public documents, notices, and hearings relating to human health or the environment for limited-English-speaking populations.

(6) Hold public meetings to receive and respond to public comments regarding recommendations required pursuant to this section, prior to the finalization of the recommendations. The California Environmental Protection Agency shall provide public notice of the availability of draft recommendations at least one month prior to the public meetings.

(7) Make recommendations on other matters needed to assist the agency in developing an intraagency environmental justice strategy.

(Added by renumbering Section 72002 by Stats. 2001, Ch. 765, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 2002.)