In a social media announcement on October 12, the Department of Environmental Protection said it is extending the public comment period on its Interim Final Environmental Justice Permit Review Polity to November 30 and will be scheduling additional public hearings.

DEP has a schedule of seven more public hearings in place, including one virtual hearing.  Read more here.

DEP said on its Environmental Justice Policy Revision webpage additional hearings will be scheduled, so watch that page.

Although DEP is now accepting public comments on the Interim Policy, “A DEP permit applicant who files a permit application on or after September 16 must use the new PennEnviroScreen tool to determine if the permit’s facility is in an environmental justice area.”

The PennEnviroScreen will redefine environmental justice areas using 32 environmental, health and socioeconomic indicators that are spelled out in a 113-page PennEnviroScreen Methodology Document.

For more information on the Interim Policy and the PennEnviroScreen tool, visit DEP’s Environmental Justice Policy Revision webpage.

Reference Link:

-- DEP’s Environmental Justice Plan

NewsClips - EJ:

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: DEP Seeks Input On Interim Final Environmental Justice Policy Protecting Communities With High Pollution Burdens  [Virtual 1st Hearing Lasted 32 Minutes, 3 Witnesses, Most Who Signed Up Were No-Shows]

-- PA Capital-Star: ZIP Code Discrimination, Pollution Top Concerns At First DEP Hearing On Interim Final Environmental Justice Policy

-- Scranton Times Column: DEP To Get Earful At University Of Scranton Oct. 16 Environmental Justice Policy Hearing

-- City Of Philadelphia Awards Community Resilience & Environmental Justice Grants

-- WHYY/Plan Philly: Philadelphians Envision Black Green Futures At Inaugural ecoFEST

Related Articles - EJ:

-- DEP Extends Public Comment Period On Interim Final Environmental Justice Permit Review Policy To Nov. 30; Will Schedule Additional Hearings  [PaEN]

-- Impacto Media: Rich Negrin, Está Creando Un Ejército De Guerreros Ambientales  [DEP Secretary Rich Negrin Is Forming An Army Of Climate Warriors]  [PaEN]

-- Drexel University Environmental Collaboratory Oct. 26 Student-Focused Fireside Chat With DEP Secretary Rich Negrin  [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments At Nov. 14 Hearing On Air Quality Permit For Energy Transfer Natural Gas Liquids Marcus Hook Terminal In An EJ Area, Delaware County  [PaEN]

-- EPA Awards Penn State Hershey Medical Center $1.19 Million Community Pollution Prevention Grant To Advance Environmental Justice In PA, NY  [PaEN]

[Posted: October 12, 2023]

10/16/2023