About PEJ
A Brief History
In the mid 1990s, a group of people from three Episcopal churches sat down together to address issues of environmental justice. The group, which came to be called Partners for Environmental Justice (PEJ), focused on a shared concern about the injustice facing the Rochester Heights community. The partners identified three separate aspects associated with environmental injustice in their midst.
First, there was the frequent and demoralizing flooding of the homes in the neighborhood. The increase in development and impervious surface throughout Raleigh and its suburbs was sending more and more water downstream during a storm. Floodwaters swamped living rooms with every rain over 1 inch. Second, was the indignity of wetland dumping. Neighbors would clean out the tires, wash-ing machines, garbage and trash that found its way into the wetland, then more trash would be deposited shortly thereafter. And finally, there was the damage to the wetland ecosystem. Invasive plants were out-competing the native flowers. Silt was burying the in-stream habitat of the aquatic organisms.
Over several years of monthly meetings, a solution would not only stem the environmental injustice, but would result in a major ecological and recreational asset for the City of Raleigh.
Since its inception, PEJ has raised over $80,000, partnered with over 20 local community groups, and secured over $1.2 million in future bond money for the City of Raleigh’s first Wetland Educational Park.
“My vision was that we would have place for young people and children to begin exploring, become nature oriented and caring about protecting nature as a centerpoint for preserving those creatures that live & breathe just as we do.”