PITTSBURGH — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) is holding a public meeting in Pittsburgh tonight on the agency’s first proposed updates to the state’s environmental justice policy in 20 years. We also spoke with Pamela Darville, a civil rights lawyer and volunteer for POWER Interfaith , a racial justice advocacy organization, to hear an environmental justice advocate’s perspective on the new policy. Environmental justice communities make up about 20% of the state, according to PA DEP. Changes to the policy include broadening the definition of environmental justice communities to include poor, predominantly white, rural communities impacted by extractive industries like fracking; directing PA DEP’s inspection, compliance and enforcement efforts to include environmental justice considerations; expanding the translation and non-English language resources available to environmental justice communities; and increasing the agency’s efforts to build long-lasting relationships with communities impacted by environmental challenges. “Environmental justice is more than just getting the word out to a community about a permit,” Negrin told EHN.

Source: Washington Post October 18, 2023 15:33 UTC