Pa. officials seek environmental justice concerns to shape climate planning

Rachel McDevitt

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I report on energy and the environment for StateImpact Pennsylvania at WITF.

My work focuses on responses and solutions to climate change in the state legislature and communities around the state. I trace my interest in these issues back to my time as a Girl Scout and this episode of Rocko’s Modern Life.

I look forward to winter just for the chance to ski a few times each season. I try to keep myself from doom-scrolling on my phone by keeping my hands busy knitting and learning to play the piano.

I grew up in Cambria County, Pa. and graduated from Temple University. I started at WITF just after Christmas in 2014.

Reid R. Frazier / StateImpact Pennsylvania

US Steel's Clairton Coke Works.

April 7, 2023 | 4:29 PM

State officials are touring Pennsylvania to hear environmental justice concerns.

Shapiro Administration representatives plan to make seven stops across the state this month to look for the most effective ways to help environmental justice areas be resilient to the effects of climate disruption.

People can attend the events in person or virtually and share their opinions through online surveys.

The Department of Environmental Protection plans to use the feedback in a new guide for addressing climate in EJ areas.

“DEP is committed to expanding proactive outreach to better understand communities’ concerns,” said DEP Acting Secretary Rich Negrin. “We’ll draw on this understanding as we develop and implement statewide greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies and fund programs that ensure Environmental Justice communities are centered in climate change mitigation and adaptation statewide.”

About 4 million Pennsylvanians live in EJ areas, which are defined as any census tract where at least 20 percent of people live at or below the federal poverty line or at least 30 percent identify as a non-white minority.

People there are often challenged by poor air quality, old housing and infrastructure and limited transportation as a result of a history of disinvestment.

Pennsylvania doesn’t have any special regulations for permitting polluting industries in these areas. Last year, DEP released a new draft policy for how to approach EJ issues. It included adding EJ considerations to the agency’s inspections and enforcement work and allowed for updates to the definition of environmental justice.

The first two EJ discussions were held in Meadville and Pittsburgh. Five more are scheduled throughout the month:

April 10, 10:30 a.m. at City Hall in Scranton
April 11, 10:30 a.m. at the Berks Nature Center in Reading
April 13, 10:30 a.m. at the Camp Curtin YMCA in Harrisburg
April 14, 10:30 a.m. at the DEP Southeast Regional Office in Norristown
April 24, 6:00 p.m. at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission in Philadelphia

Event sign-up, the link to the surveys, and more details are found at the Climate Action for Environmental Justice Communities web page.