About Us

Mission, Responsability and History

The Essex Regional Health Commission (the “Commission”) was established in 1967 as the Suburban Municipal Air Pollution Commission for the sole purpose of air pollution control. It was and still is a consortium of municipalities which together formed a regional health commission. Through a joint agreement with member municipalities, it is an exemplary model of shared services, offering cost efficient, regional programs working in close coordination with local health departments of Essex County. From each of the fourteen currently participating municipalities, an appointed Commissioner serves on the governing body. The governing body, or Board of Commissioners, functions as a local board of health pursuant to NJSA 26:3-83.

The Air Pollution Control Code Ordinance of Essex Regional Health Commission can be found on this website under the environmental section or under regulations_ bylaws on the left side of this page.

The Commission is also a subcontractor to the County of Essex County Health Department, established for the purposes of meeting the standards of the County Environmental Health Act. The Essex County Department of Health is the certified lead agency for the provision of environmental services within Essex County under the auspices of the County Environmental Health Act. The Commission currently provides the County programs for AIR, NOISE, WATER POLLUTION, PESTICIDES, UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS and various pilot programs in all twenty two municipalities in Essex County.

Lastly, the Commission is the Essex County recipient of the Local Core Capacity for Public Health Emergency Preparedness Grant for municipalities in Essex County excluding Newark. The purpose of this grant program is to enhance the capabilities of emergency-ready public health departments by upgrading, integrating and evaluating local public health coordination of epidemiological/surveillance services, public health emergency notification and health education/risk communication services.