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Welcome to the third issue of our quarterly Environmental Justice newsletter, brought to you by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ)! This newsletter is dedicated to bringing you the latest developments, inspiring stories, and resources on the path to achieving environmental equity. In this issue, we delve into the progress made in the past three months, highlighting significant milestones and challenges faced in the pursuit of a just and sustainable world.
Also, don’t forget to check out potential funding and employment opportunities at the bottom!
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DEP Secretary Rich Negrin Confirmed!
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DEP Secretary Rich Negrin officially joins Governor Shapiro’s cabinet as the head of DEP after the state senate voted 48-1 in his favor. Secretary Negrin, the first Latino Secretary of DEP, brings more than 35 years of public and private sector leadership to the Department. “I am deeply honored to serve the Commonwealth as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection,” Negrin said. Read the official release here.
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DEP’s Office of Environmental Justice is growing!
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OEJ recently welcomed five new members to the team:
- Andrea Fields, Deputy Director
- Amelia Benson, Southwest Regional Coordinator
- Jordi Comas, Northcentral Regional Coordinator
- Elspeth Koehle, Northwest Reginal Coordinator
- Dong Yoon, Statewide Special Projects Coordinator
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Rachel Carson State Office Building/Harrisburg
OEJ is excited to welcome Andrea Fields to the team as the new Deputy Director based in our headquarters office in Harrisburg. Throughout her career she lobbied at Bellevue Strategies and served as the Executive Director of the PA Legislative Black Caucus under Rep. Donna Bullock where she was responsible for building long-lasting relationships with members, advocates and stakeholders to ensure an inclusive and equitable plan for communities of color in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well as other positions within the PA House of Representatives.
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Southwest
OEJ is excited to welcome Amelia Benson to the team as the Southwest Regional Coordinator based in the Southwest Regional Office. Amelia is hitting the ground running in the Southwest as OEJ is helping to facilitate a first-of-its-kind, $5 million community fund to fund community projects in Beaver County. The Shapiro Administration secured the funding as part of its settlement of air quality violations by Shell Chemical Appalachia, LLC during the commissioning of its cracker plant in Potter Township.
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Northwest
OEJ is happy to welcome Elspeth Koehle to the team as the Environmental Justice Coordinator based in the Meadville office. Elspeth grew up in Northwest Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Edinboro University and a longtime advocate for positive social and environmental progress. She resides in Erie with her husband and their three sons. She looks forward to connecting with residents across the Commonwealth as she begins her new role at DEP.
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Northcentral
OEJ is excited to welcome Jordi Comas to the team as the Northcentral Regional Coordinator based in the Northcentral Regional Office. Most recently, he was the engagement organizer for ActionTogether NEPA. He has been a professor of management, chef, podcaster, educator, and political organizer focusing on rural organizing for 20 years. He is also the vice president of the Lewisburg Borough Council.
The Northcentral region will host a public meeting on July 31 regarding a proposed non-coal mine and quarry in Athens Township on the Minard farm. The proposed “Minard Mine” is being proposed by Bishop Brothers, a construction and mining company. The site is part of the EJ-designated area of Athens and Sayre boroughs, located at the confluence of the Chemung and Susquehanna (North Branch) rivers.
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Photo courtesy of Anwar Curtis
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Southcentral
OEJ's Southcentral regional coordinator, Ricardo Almodovar, was interviewed by WGAL for Pride Month. He's a longtime advocate and works to connect LGBTQ+ rights and environmental justice. Watch the interview here.
Secretary Negrin paid residents a visit at the Camp Curtin YMCA in Harrisburg. This convening was led by Rafiyqa Muhammad, member of DEP’s Environmental Justice Advisory Board to discuss environmental justice initiatives, potential funding sources and as well as a meet & greet of the new secretary and his staff. Stay tuned for an EJ Public Arts Project for 2023 among other exciting initiatives.
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Statewide Special Projects Coordinator
OEJ is excited to welcome Dong Yoon Kim to the team. Dong Yoon will provide support to our regional coordinators in all regions, focusing on community engagement. He will also serve as lead liaison for Asian American Pacific Islander communities in EJ areas across the state.
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Environmental Justice Advisory Board (EJAB)
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Mark your calendars and join the conversation: OEJ invites you to the upcoming virtual EJAB meeting on August 15, 2023 at 1:00 PM-7:00 PM. Check this link for the meeting details. EJAB meets quarterly and all meetings are open to the public. A public comment period is also available; if you would like to provide public comments during an EJAB meeting, please contact RA-EPOEJ@pa.gov or 717-772-5633.
If you are interested in joining EJAB, or any of DEP’s advisory committees, boards, councils, and commissions, please submit your interest on our DEP Advisory Committees, Boards, and Commissions website or contact us for further questions.
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EPA & Environmental Justice
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“Environmental justice” means the just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability, in agency decision-making and other Federal activities that affect human health and the environment so that people:
(i) are fully protected from disproportionate and adverse human health and environmental effects (including risks) and hazards, including those related to climate change, the cumulative impacts of environmental and other burdens, and the legacy of racism or other structural or systemic barriers; and
(ii) have equitable access to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient environment in which to live, play, work, learn, grow, worship, and engage in cultural and subsistence practices.
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Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful
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The Young Ambassadors of Pennsylvania (YAP) Program seeks to build community stewards and civic leaders by inspiring, engaging, and empowering young Pennsylvanians to not only Fight Dirty in their communities, but also to become ambassadors of our shared vision of a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania. Over nine months, the program will engage students in grades 10 through 12, from diverse socio-economic, racial and ethnic backgrounds. Every ambassador will receive Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful merchandise and cleanup supplies as part of the program. The application opens Tuesday, August 1, 2023, for the 2023-2024 school year.
Young Ambassadors of Pennsylvania flyer.
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WeConservePA is a community of conservation volunteers, professionals, and supporters who help people care for, wisely use, and enjoy what nature offers. The organization helps foster an understanding of conservation and advocate for pro-conservation governmental policy to promote a high quality of life for all. WeConservePA helps organizations and individuals to effectively and efficiently conserve land, protect and restore waterways, implement sustainable practices, and connect people to the outdoors. Check out WeConservePA.org for more information and affiliate groups near you.
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$5 Million in Funding for Community Projects in Beaver County
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In July, DEP announced the members of a steering committee tasked with developing a protocol to allocate $5 million in funding for community projects in Beaver County. The Shapiro Administration secured the funding as part of its settlement of air quality violations by Shell Chemical Appalachia, LLC during the commissioning of its cracker plant in Potter Township. Projects must benefit the environment, health, and quality of life of the community near the facility for funding.
The Environmental Mitigation Community Fund steering committee hosted an open meeting for the public on July 13, 2023 at the Community College of Beaver County.
Community organizations with representation on the steering committee, RiverWise and Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community (BCMAC), livestreamed the meeting on their respective Facebook pages to maximize community participation and access. The committee and staff from OEJ were on hand to provide information and answer questions about the fund.
The $5 million Environmental Mitigation Community Fund is one of the largest funds in Pennsylvania history and is a direct result of Governor Shapiro taking action to hold Shell accountable and deliver real results for Western Pennsylvania. This multi-million dollar payment secured by the Shapiro Administration is going to provide real help for affected Pennsylvania communities.
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Addressing Environmental Justice via Permit Applications
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On June 5, 2023, the House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee held a public hearing on Environmental Justice and House Bill 652 -an Act amending Title 27 (Environmental Resources) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for issuance of permits in environmental justice areas. DEP’s Special Deputy Secretary for the Office of Environmental Justice, Fernando Trevino, and Director for the Office of Environmental Justice, Justin Dula, provided testimony on behalf of the Shapiro Administration. Testimony included a forward and progressive look at environmental justice emphasizing it as a priority within the Commonwealth. The Bill passed out of the Environmental Resources and Energy committee and was then re-referred to the Rules Committee.
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Bennett Compost, a Philadelphia-based compost facility, recently set a precedence by obtaining modifying and obtaining coverage under a first-of-its-kind general waste permit (WMGM017) that allows for small-scale composting facilities to encourage better management of composting operations in more densely populated areas of the Commonwealth, like a large city like Philadelphia. Previously, the composting activities under WMGM017 were limited to on-farm operations, but now, it has been modified to include these small-scale composting operations at off-farm locations where finding streamlined approaches to managing organic waste material can be difficult.
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Statewide Air Quality Action Days
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Some due to wildfires raging in eastern Canada, prompted Air Quality Action Days, placing many parts of the Commonwealth in Red, and even Purple, air quality codes. On a Code Red Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should avoid outdoor activities, and everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. In Code Purple conditions, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems should avoid all physical activity outdoors. Everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.
Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by:
- Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials; and
- Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all. An Air Quality Action Day is declared when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher.
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RESOURCES – TOO GOOD NOT TO SHARE
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Environmental Education grant
DEP’s Environmental Education Grants Program welcomes applications for the development of innovative formal and non-formal environmental education projects that: 1) Address grant program priorities; 2) Provide opportunities to expand the public’s understanding of Pennsylvania’s environmental issues; and 3) Develop skills required to make informed decisions and take responsible action on behalf of the environment. The Grant funding is provided on a reimbursement basis for projects occurring July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025. Application Round Opens: August 1, 2023 with a deadline of November 15, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. For more details check out Environmental Education Grants. Incomplete applications and/or those submitted prior to the opening date or after the deadline will not be considered.
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WalkWorks is pleased to announce a new program to assist low-capacity, high interest municipalities with the pre-planning steps they must undertake in order to be ready to apply for funding to develop active transportation plans in 2024. A small amount of money and structured pre-planning assistance will be available to selected municipal applicants. Eligible municipalities must be located either in the newly updated list of State Physical Activity and Nutrition target counties identified by the Department of Health or in an Environmental Justice area as designated by the Department of Environmental Protection, both of which are shown on this map. In addition, applicants should have an interest in applying for funding to develop an active transportation plan but lack the knowledge, professional support, or resources needed to assemble an application.
Mini-grants and structured assistance will be offered to a limited number of municipalities between September of 2023 and March of 2024. The long term goal is to prepare additional communities to apply to develop active transportation plans which is necessary for the establishment of activity-friendly routes that connect people to everyday destinations, expanding opportunities for physical activity and improving public health. Applications are due July 28, 2023, for more information reach out to Samantha Pearson at sampearson@padowntown.org.
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Webinar Series for Environmental and Climate Justice (ECJ) Grant Program Design
EPA is hosting three informational webinars (August 3rd, 8th, & 9th) on the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) expected to be issued under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Environmental and Climate Justice (ECJ) Grant Program in 2023. These webinars will provide information on the NOFO and the ECJ Grant Program including who is eligible for the grants, eligible projects, and more. The Agency is seeking public input on the NOFO during the webinars and hopes to hear ideas on potential projects and the types of resources applicants may need. These webinars are intended for potential applicants and other interested parties.
For questions about these webinars or to request reasonable accommodations for a disability, interpretation, and/or translation services in a language other than English, please email ECJRFI@epa.gov.
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Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s Solar for All Notice of Funding Opportunity
EPA is proud to announce the release of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s Solar for All Notice of Funding Opportunity, which opens the $7 billion grant competition to fund residential distributed solar programs to serve low-income and disadvantaged communities nationwide. The application will be open through September 26, 2023.
All interested applicants are required to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to apply to this competition. The deadline for the NOI differs by applicant type. The deadlines are below. More information on the requirements for the NOI are in Section I.F: Required Notice of Intent of the Notice of Funding Opportunity. We appreciate your help in broadcasting this important requirement to your networks.
- July 31, 2023 for States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico;
- August 14, 2023 for Territories (specifically, The Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), Municipalities, and Eligible Nonprofit Recipients; or
- August 28, 2023 for Tribal Governments and Intertribal Consortia.
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USDA Program Avails Assistance for Borrowers Who Have Faced Discrimination
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the opening of the financial assistance application process for eligible farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs prior to January 2021. Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) directs USDA to provide this assistance. The program website, 22007apply.gov, is now open.
In addition to the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP), the Inflation Reduction Act also created several other programs that are helping USDA rebuild trust, address systemic issues and improve service to people who may have been underserved by USDA in the past. Information about USDA’s equity agenda and progress is available at www.usda.gov/equity.
To apply, borrowers have the option to apply via the e-filing portal at 22007apply.gov or submit paper-based forms via mail or in-person delivery to the program’s local offices. The application process will be open from July 7 to October 31, 2023. Under the planned timeline, applications will be reviewed in November and December, with payments reaching recipients soon thereafter. Importantly, applicants should know that the application process is not on a first come, first served, basis. All applications received or postmarked before the October 31 deadline will be considered.
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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.
Statewide Strategic Coordinator
Winnie Okello
(717) 772-5639
wokello@pa.gov
Eastern Regional Coordinator
Amani Reid
(717) 783-1086
amreid@pa.gov
Northcentral Regional Coordinator
Jordi Comas
(570) 327-3656
jcomas@pa.gov
Southwest Regional Coordinator
Amelia Benson
(412) 442-4190
acbenson@pa.gov
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Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 400 Market Street Harrisburg, PA 17101
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