Civil Rights and Environmental Justice

Environmental justice (EJ) is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies.

NHDES Environmental Justice Statement

Contact:

NHDES Environmental Justice Coordinator
Vincent Perelli
vincent.r.perelli@des.nh.gov
(603) 271-8989

NHDES ensures that individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) have meaningful access to all NHDES programs. Policy guidance published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines LEP as “individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English.”

Communication and Language Access Services Provided

NHDES staff will consider the following four factors when determining the language access resources to provide when interacting with LEP communities:

1. The number of LEP individuals likely to be served or affected by the project or program.
2. The frequency in which LEP individuals may come in contact with the program or project.
3. The nature and importance of the project or program for the LEP community.
4. The availability and costs of language translation resources.

NHDES staff may utilize the American Communities Survey, LEP Community Mapping Tool, EJScreen: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool, or other resources to determine which New Hampshire communities are considered LEP. NHDES will use these resources to determine the most common languages spoken. Upon request, written and oral communication regarding a project affecting LEP communities shall be translated and interpreted in the most effective way possible. Language access services will be provided by a third-party vendor. If necessary, language access services may also be provided by volunteer interpreters. Independently, NHDES may also undertake its own analysis on a project-by-project basis, depending on the demographic analysis of any area potentially impacted by a project and translate vital documents.

NHDES will provide written translation for vital documents for each eligible LEP language group that constitutes either:

• 5% of the affected community’s population; or
• Includes 1,000 people within the community who are likely to be encountered or affected by the project, program, or activity.

NHDES staff will use whichever of these two options comprises the least amount of people to determine document translation. If there are fewer than 50 people in a language group that reaches the 5% of the affected communities population threshold, NHDES is not required to translate vital documents, but may choose to do so. NHDES will provide written notice in the primary language of the LEP language group of their right to receive oral or written translation of these vital documents free of cost. LEP community members may request a translation of these vital documents.

NHDES will also provide oral interpretation services upon requests. Oral interpretation services may be provided for interactions with LEP individuals or communities. Oral interpretation services may also be provided for public meetings in LEP communities.

If NHDES staff encounter an individual who is hearing, deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or has a speech disability and in need of interpretation services, the staff member may reach out to TTY/TDD Access: Relay NH. Text Telephone/Teletypewriter Relay Service can be provided to accommodate for translations services. The contact information is: TTY/TDD Access Relay NH: 1-800-735-2964 or dial 711 (in New Hampshire).

Questions, Concerns, and Request for Services: If you have any questions or concerns or specific needs regarding document translation, language interpretation or other communication access services, please contact the following staff:

Vincent Perelli
(603) 271-8989
Communication and Language Access Services Co-Coordinator

Dean Robinson
(603) 271-9749
Communication and Language Access Services Co-Coordinator

or Language-Access@des.nh.gov

To report a complaint, please complete the Discrimination Complaint Form. If you have other feedback that you would like to provide, please e-mail us at language-access@des.nh.gov. We want to hear from you and value your feedback!