N.Y. ENV Law § 48-0103

§ 48-0103. Definitions.\n As used in this article:\n 1. "Advisory group" means the permanent environmental justice advisory\ngroup established by section 48-0105 of this article.\n 2. "Agency" means any state department, agency, board, bureau,\ncommission, division, office, council, or any public authority or public\nbenefit corporation.\n 3. "Environmental justice" means the fair treatment and meaningful\ninvolvement of all people regardless of race, color, religion, national\norigin or income with respect to the development, implementation and\nenforcement of laws, regulations and policies affecting the quality of\nthe environment.\n 4. "Fair treatment" means that no group of people, including a racial,\nethnic or socioeconomic group, should be disproportionately exposed to\npollution or bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental\nconsequences resulting from execution of federal, state and local\nprograms and policies, and further means that no such group of people\nshould suffer from inequitable allocation of public resources or\nfinancial assistance for environmental protection and stewardship,\nincluding environmental remediation, pollution prevention, open space\nacquisition and other protection and stewardship activities.\n 5. "Meaningful involvement" means the provision of opportunities for\ncitizen participation in decision making that are as reflective of the\ndiversity of interests and perspective found within the affected\ncommunity as possible, including those of racial, ethnic and\nsocioeconomic groups; that are provided as early as possible in the\ndecision making process; that provide full, timely and accessible\ndisclosure of public records and sharing of information by the\ngovernment agency or agencies involved, including the provision of\ntechnical data and the assumptions upon which any analyses are based;\nand that allow all people, regardless of race, color, religion, national\norigin or income, the opportunity to have their views heard and\nconsidered, including opportunities for two-way dialogue.\n