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Welcome to the latest e-newsletter of the Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). We're sharing helpful information to benefit you and your community.
Know someone who’d benefit from this information? Please share and invite them to subscribe. Please help us spread the word!
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Environmental Education Grants Webinar on September 27
Do you have an idea for an innovative formal or non-formal environmental education project? DEP is hosting a webinar to introduce potential applicants to its Environmental Education Grants. Eligible projects are those that: address climate change, water, and/or environmental justice; provide opportunities to expand the public’s understanding of Pennsylvania’s environmental issues; and/or develop skills required to make informed decisions and take responsible action. The 2023 Environmental Education Grants Program webinar will be held Tuesday, September 27, 2022 from Noon - 1:30 pm. Register for the webinar here.
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Whole Home Repairs Program
Victory alert: The 2022-2023 state budget includes $125 million for a Whole Home Repairs program to be administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development. The program will fill gaps in existing weatherization and repair programs across the commonwealth and provide to offer repair assistance to small landlords and homeowners to make home repairs and address habitability concerns, improve energy or water efficiency, or to make units accessible for individuals with disabilities. Grants of up to $50,000 will be available to homeowners, as well as loans of up to $50,000 per unit to landlords who own a maximum of five properties. The program will use federal American Rescue Plan Act funding.
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You’re Invited – PA Sustainability Summit
You’re invited to attend the virtual Pennsylvania Sustainability Summit from October 3rd – October 7th! Monday will include a full day of presentations and speakers followed by a series of lunch and learn sessions for the remainder of the week. This first of its kind summit will offer important updates and beneficial resources for you — you don’t want to miss it.
This conference is free, open to all, virtual, and brought to you by the PA GreenGOV Council. See the agenda here. Attendees will get an inside view of the current and upcoming policies, programs and funding initiatives including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) & Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Register for the Zoom webinar.
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Public Participation Trigger Permits Can Be Viewed on the Department’s Website
Don’t forget: Permits that automatically prompt the implementation of DEP’s Environmental Justice Public Participation Policy, called “trigger permits,” can be viewed on the DEP website. The ‘Pending Trigger Permits’ list shows permits that are currently under review by DEP. The ‘Disposed Trigger Permits’ list shows permits that were subject to the Policy, but are no longer under review because they were approved, denied, or withdrawn. These lists are regularly updated.
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James D. Rebarchak
In this edition of the newsletter we’re highlighting Jim Rebarchak, PA DEP’s Air Quality Program Manager in the Southeast Regional Office, and his work supporting environmental justice. Jim has worked for DEP since 1990 – 32 years of service to the commonwealth.
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Describe the ways environmental justice is considered in air quality matters by DEP.
As the Program Manager, it is my responsibility to oversee permitting, as well as compliance and enforcement. EJ is incorporated into my responsibilities in a variety of ways. First, I am working to educate our Permit Engineers and Field Inspectors to first recognize the facility and the area that they will be working in. If a facility that is seeking a permit or already has a permit is located in an EJ area, then the staff are being asked to include this information in their review memos and inspection reports, and to think about whether there policy considerations like enhanced public participation that we should consider or if the facility caused a violation, are we explaining to the owner/operator how the violation may be affecting the community. In the end, communications are key. Are we having the right conversations with owners and operators in the communities so they can lessen their impacts?
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When did you first become aware of environmental injustice issues in your work with DEP?
I can say going back to when I first started back in the 90’s, one of the environmental justice communities in the Southeast Region, the city of Chester, had a number of additional facilities moving into their community. They had a large municipal waste incinerator going in, along with a sewage sludge incinerator and a medical infectious waste incinerator all within a very small area. Part of my job was listening to the community and what they were being exposed to, which is how I originally got involved in working on environmental justice considerations in my work with DEP. Then I began to try to understand what the Department could do to address environmental injustice in these communities.
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What have you learned about how to effectively address environmental justice in your work?
Building relationships with individuals within the community is most important. I became the Air Quality Program Manager in 2010, and I started to attend the Chester Environmental Partnership where I met Reverend Dr. Horace W. Strand. Working with them and building our communication by hearing their concerns and trying to address them. Building a rapport with the communities that have environmental justice issues going on, helping them address the issues when we can, and always asking, “Is this what the community wants?”
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Do you have any advice for young professionals looking to become engaged in environmental justice work?
Seek out community groups in environmental justice areas. Any community group is always in need of volunteers. Start building those relationships where you can then use your knowledge to help those communities. Seek out the community groups closest to where you go to school or where you grew up because you will have a natural connection.
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| | Resources - Too Good Not to Share
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DEP Grants – Currently Open
Environmental Education Grants
Applicants should submit innovative formal and non-formal environmental education projects that: address climate change, water, and/or environmental justice; provide opportunities to expand the public’s understanding of Pennsylvania’s environmental issues; and develop skills required to make informed decisions and take responsible action. Application round closes December 9, 2022 at 4:59 p.m. The 2023 Environmental Education Grants Program webinar will be held on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 from Noon - 1:30 pm.
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901 County Planning Grants/HHW
Up to 80% reimbursement for the costs of preparing municipal waste management plans to meet Act 101 requirements and pollution prevention education. Open year round and available to all Pennsylvania counties.
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Alternative Fuel Vehicle Incentive Grant
Open to any PA school district, municipality, nonprofit organization, and business looking to transition to alternative advanced biofuels (electricity, compressed natural gas, biodiesel, etc.). The funding covers incremental costs to purchase alternative fuel vehicles and retrofit existing vehicles to operate with alternative fuels. Deadline: December 16, 2022.
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Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebate
Are you considering buying a new or pre-owned plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle for your household? You may be eligible for this consumer rebate. Rebates of up to $3,000 are available for Pennsylvania residents who purchase a new or pre-owned electric, or hybrid electric vehicle for personal use. This application is open as funding permits.
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Driving PA Forward - Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charging Rebates
Businesses, non profits, and government agencies that install Level 2 electric vehicle charging equipment may be eligible for this rebate. The equipment must be for public use at government owned property, public use at non-government owned property, non-public use at workplaces, or non-public use at multi-unit dwellings. The application is open until funding runs out.
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Host Municipality Review of Permit Applications Grants
Municipalities that host waste landfills, resource recovery and commercial hazardous waste treatment, and storage and disposal facilities are eligible for reimbursement of some of the costs associated with the hosting these facilities. Open year round.
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Household Hazardous Waste Collection Grant
Provides partial reimbursement to registered sponsors of collection programs for household hazardous waste, electronics, and tires (but not tire pile cleanup). Eligible entities include municipalities, corporations, public, and trade associations. Open year round.
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EPA Updates
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council Public Meeting on September 28
The National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) is convening a public meeting on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, from approximately 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The meeting is free and open to all members of the public. Registration for this event is REQUIRED. Individual registration is required for the public meeting and no two individuals can share the same registration link. Registration to attend the meetings is open through the scheduled end time of the meeting day. Registration to speak during the virtual public comment period closed at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, September 21, 2022.
Register for the September 28, 2022 Virtual Public Meeting
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The Environmental Justice Index: Ranking Cumulative Health Impacts on October 12
American Public Health Association (APHA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) will host a webinar on and demonstration of the Environmental Justice Index (EJI), which ranks census tract data on the cumulative impacts of environmental injustice on health. This tool can be used to identify and map areas most at risk for the health impacts of environmental burdens, educate and inform the public about their community and prioritize action for frontline communities. The EJI is the first national, place-based tool designed to measure the cumulative impacts of environmental burden through the lens of human health and health equity. This APHA-CDC/ATSDR joint webinar will discuss the development of the EJI and provide a demonstration of the tool. From this webinar, attendees can learn how to use the EJI to identify and map areas most at risk for the health impacts of environmental burdens, educate and inform the public about their community and prioritize action for frontline communities. Register for the October 12, 2022 webinar at 2pm.
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OEJ welcomes your suggestions or inquiries about our work, programs and/or policies. We also want to hear your ideas for newsletter topics/stories. Please contact us at RA-EPOEJ@pa.gov, or directly:
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Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 400 Market Street Harrisburg, PA 17101
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