Good News! DEP Updates Environmental Justice Policy & EJ Mapping Tool

A view of the new and improved EJ Mapping tool.

Here’s some good news YEARS in the making, friends: The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) released the final Environmental Justice (EJ) Policy - one that is expected to improve environmental safeguards in the Keystone State by enhancing opportunities for public participation and emphasizing proactive community engagement across.

The document, which was last updated 20 years ago (!!!) will be used to guide DEP protections for communities most vulnerable to environmental challenges.

The news was announced Monday in a press release issued by Gov. Josh Shapiro. 

Here’s an excerpt:

The updated EJ policy directs how DEP's inspection, compliance, and enforcement efforts can better include criteria and concerns of Pennsylvania communities most at risk from pollution and other environmental impacts. Furthermore, the policy outlines the ways in which DEP plans to increase outreach across Pennsylvania and build long-lasting relationships with communities impacted by environmental challenges.

In 2023, DEP announced an interim final policy and collected feedback from communities throughout Pennsylvania. During the extensive comment period, DEP received over 700 comments - GASP’s included. You can get all that background info right here.

“It's exciting to see DEP taking this much-needed step. Communities in Pennsylvania's EJ areas carry so much of the burden of environmental hazards, and I am optimistic that these improvements are a step towards changing that,” GASP Environmental Health Manager Rachel Macias said. “Meaningful progress comes from centering community voices in every stage of decision-making to truly achieve equitable outcomes that improve all aspects of health and wellbeing.”

Basically, the updated policy will:

• continue to place a large emphasis on public participation and proactive conversations among DEP’s EJ staff that have been engaging with communities in designated environmental justice areas, based on 32 environmental, health, and socioeconomic indicators. 

• help those seeking a permit to better understand community concerns. 

• allow DEP to be more efficient when receiving public comment, improving permitting processes

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But wait, there’s more: DEP has also updated PennEnviroScreen, a state-of-the-art mapping tool used to identify EJ areas across Pennsylvania, using the most updated data available and the 2020 Census geographical boundaries.

The updated version is more user-friendly and includes clearer visual outlines and short data descriptions. We encourage folks to check it out!