The SEWRPC Environmental Justice Task Force today recommended, 8-1, that socio-economic analyses be conducted for each of the agency’s major studies. Over SEWRPC’s objections, the task force also recommended that the analyses be conducted by outside agencies — not SEWRPC.

The vote does not have the strength of law. The task force can make recommendations, but cannot tell the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission what it must do. SEWRPC Executive Director Phil Evenson already told the task force at its last meeting that he thought SEWRPC entirely capable of doing what it hasn’t done before and doesn’t think the recommendation to use outside entities was necessary.

Stay tuned. More on this later, including video.