The City of Lancaster received the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification under the PA Municipal League’s new statewide program.  

Last week, PML announced the initiative designed for municipalities that are working to save money, conserve resources, and serve vibrant communities. 

The League administered program is a free, voluntary online certification system that provides a structure and performance platform for recognition of municipalities as they embrace sustainable policies and programs.                                                            

Lancaster is recognized at the Gold level of certification for meeting the program's rigorous performance criteria, which tracks 131 policies and practices that define a sustainable community.                                                      

“Planning for the present and the future requires a sustainable approach.

To be recognized as a Gold Sustainable PA Community is an honor, but it is also a challenge to do more,” said Lancaster Mayor J. Richard Gray.  “Sustainable communities are attractive to current and future residents and businesses. ‘Sustainable’ equates with ‘successful’.”

In earning the Gold certification, Lancaster is acknowledged for its progress in addressing such areas as community design and land use, energy efficiency, health and wellness, mitigating blight, intergovernmental cooperation, recycling and waste reduction, fiscal controls, and internal management and operations.  

“The City of Lancaster, under the leadership of Mayor Gray, has been a leader in innovation and progressive local government practices.  It is fitting they would be the first municipality to achieve Gold status via this new PML initiative, Sustainable PA,” said PML Executive Director Richard J. Schuettler.

Details regarding how Lancaster City is addressing these areas and information about their certification performance can be found on the certification program’s webpage.

Other communities certified under the program include:

— Gold Certification: Baldwin Borough, Connellsville City, Cranberry Township, Dormont Borough, Forest Hills Borough, Lancaster City, Latrobe Borough, Monaca Borough, Moon Township, Municipality of Penn Hills, Scott Township, Upper St. Clair Township;

— Silver Certification: Edgewood Borough, Etna Borough, Findlay Township, Heidelberg Borough, Millvale Borough, Mt. Lebanon, Peters Township, West Homestead Borough;

— Bronze Certification: Sharpsburg Borough, Swissvale Borough, Tarentum Borough; and

— Associate Certification: Collier Township, East McKeesport Borough, Harmony Borough, Harrison Township.

Click Here for descriptions of each of the communities.

A Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification is intended to bring recognition to municipalities that are applying the policy and practice of sustainability as their way of operating in order to advance community prosperity.  It also serves as a mechanism for sharing best practices for creating a more sustainable Pennsylvania.

6/30/2014