
What are Overburdened Communities (OBC)?
NJ’s EJ Law creates a definition to screen populations who are potentially in need of environmental justice.
Statewide Overburdened Communities Map
Signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy on September 18, 2020, New Jersey’s groundbreaking Environmental Justice Law, N.J.S.A. 13:1D-157, (Law) required the new jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to evaluate the contributions of certain facilities to existing environmental and public health stressors in overburdened communities when reviewing certain permit applications.
An Overburdened Community (OBC), as defined by the law, is any census block group, as determined in accordance with the most recent United States Census, in which:
- at least 35 percent of the households qualify as low-income households (at or below twice the poverty threshold as determined by the United States Census Bureau);
- at least 40 percent of the residents identify as minority or as members of a State recognized tribal community; or
- at least 40 percent of the households have limited English proficiency (without an adult that speaks English “very well” according to the United States Census Bureau).
Overburdened Community Criteria | Number of Block Groups | Population |
---|---|---|
xxxx Adjacent | 56 | 0 |
xxxx Limited English | 2 | 1,468 |
xxxx Low Income | 211 | 277,118 |
xxxx Low Income & Limited English | 1 | 2,393 |
xxxx Low Income & Minority | 1,118 | 1,526,749 |
xxxx Low Income, Minority, & Limited English | 114 | 156,558 |
xxxx Minority | 1,919 | 2,693,726 |
xxxx Minority & Limited English | 26 | 29,369 |
Total | 3,447 | 4,687,381 |
List of Overburdened Communities
This Excel spreadsheet provides the list of overburdened communities, the criteria each block groups meets, and the municipality for which the over burdened community is designated in accordance with the New Jersey Environmental Justice Law, N.J.S.A. 13:1D-157.
EJMAP
This tool provides the public a visualization of OBC locations throughout the State, where existing facilities regulated under the law are located and what existing environmental and public health stressors currently impact these OBCs. Watch this tutorial to learn more about EJMAP.
For details of underlying calculations behind the beta version of EJMAP, please read the accompanying EJMAP Technical Guidance.
Feedback on the tool and technical guidance, particularly related to the structure and functionality of the tool itself, can be shared to EJMAPFeedback@dep.nj.gov for consideration.
PDF Maps of Municipalities
The 348 simple, municipal specified maps identified the overburdened communities under the New Jersey Environmental Justice Law. There is a map for each municipality for which any part of the municipality has been designated an overburdened community pursuant to the act.
GIS Layer
This GIS Layer is a downloadable graphic information system (GIS) layer identifying the overburdened communities under the New Jersey Environmental Justice Law.
OBC Technical Notes and Other Resources
For more information about the calculation of Overburdened Communities and their municipal designations, please read the Technical Notes for an overview.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the notification to municipalities regarding Overburdened Communities (OBCs) as defined by New Jersey’s Environmental Justice Law.
PDF Maps of Municipalities
- Bergenfield Boro
- Bogota Boro
- Carlstadt Boro
- Cliffside Park Boro
- Closter Boro
- Cresskill Boro
- Demarest Boro
- Dumont Boro
- East Rutherford Boro
- Edgewater Boro
- Elmwood Park Boro
- Emerson Boro
- Englewood City
- Englewood Cliffs Boro
- Fair Lawn Boro
- Fairview Boro
- Fort Lee Boro
- Garfield City
- Glen Rock Boro
- Hackensack City
- Hasbrouck Heights Boro
- Leonia Boro
- Little Ferry Boro
- Lodi Boro
- Lyndhurst Boro
- Mahwah Twp
- Maywood Boro
- Montvale Boro
- Moonachie Boro
- New Milford Boro
- North Arlington Boro
- Northvale Boro
- Norwood Boro
- Old Tappan Boro
- Oradell Boro
- Palisades Park Boro
- Paramus Boro
- Ridgefield Boro
- Ridgefield Park Village
- Ridgewood Village
- River Edge Boro
- Rochelle Park Twp
- Rockleigh Boro
- Rutherford Boro
- Saddle Brook Twp
- Saddle River Boro
- South Hackensack Twp
- Teaneck Twp
- Tenafly Boro
- Teterboro Boro
- Upper Saddle River Boro
- Waldwick Boro
- Wallington Boro
- Westwood Boro
- Wood Ridge Boro
- Beverly City
- Bordentown Twp
- Burlington City
- Burlington Twp
- Chesterfield Twp
- Delanco Twp
- Delran Twp
- Eastampton Twp
- Edgewater Park Twp
- Evesham Twp
- Fieldsboro Boro
- Florence Twp
- Lumberton Twp
- Mansfield Twp
- Maple Shade Twp
- Mount Holly Twp
- Mount Laurel Twp
- New Hanover Twp
- North Hanover Twp
- Palmyra Boro
- Pemberton Boro
- Pemberton Twp
- Riverside Twp
- Southampton Twp
- Springfield Twp
- Westampton Twp
- Willingboro Twp
- Wrightstown Boro
- Bellmawr Boro
- Berlin Twp
- Brooklawn Boro
- Camden City
- Cherry Hill Twp
- Chesilhurst Boro
- Clementon Boro
- Collingswood Boro
- Gloucester City
- Gloucester Twp
- Haddon Twp
- Hi Nella Boro
- Lawnside Boro
- Lindenwold Boro
- Magnolia Boro
- Merchantville Boro
- Pennsauken Twp
- Pine Hill Boro
- Runnemede Boro
- Somerdale Boro
- Stratford Boro
- Voorhees Twp
- Waterford Twp
- Winslow Twp
- Woodlynne Boro
- Carteret Boro
- Cranbury Twp
- Dunellen Boro
- East Brunswick Twp
- Edison Twp
- Highland Park Boro
- Jamesburg Boro
- Metuchen Boro
- Middlesex Boro
- Milltown Boro
- Monroe Twp
- New Brunswick City
- North Brunswick Twp
- Old Bridge Twp
- Perth Amboy City
- Piscataway Twp
- Plainsboro Twp
- Sayreville Boro
- South Amboy City
- South Brunswick Twp
- South Plainfield Boro
- South River Boro
- Spotswood Boro
- Woodbridge Twp
- Aberdeen Twp
- Asbury Park City
- Belmar Boro
- Bradley Beach Boro
- Colts Neck Twp
- Eatontown Boro
- Freehold Boro
- Freehold Twp
- Hazlet Twp
- Holmdel Twp
- Howell Twp
- Keansburg Boro
- Keyport Boro
- Long Branch City
- Marlboro Twp
- Matawan Boro
- Middletown Twp
- Neptune City Boro
- Neptune Twp
- Ocean Twp
- Oceanport Boro
- Red Bank Boro
- Tinton Falls Boro
- Upper Freehold Twp