An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, in powers and duties of the Department of Environmental Resources, its officers and departmental a . . .nd advisory boards and commissions, providing for Office of Environmental Justice.
SB118 would amend the Administrative Code of 1929 to create an Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Environmental Resources. Based on the bill caption, the office would be placed within the department’s existing powers and duties structure and would likely serve as a central point for environmental justice policy, coordination, and oversight in state government. The bill appears to be aimed at formalizing how the Commonwealth addresses environmental burdens and protections in communities that are disproportionately affected by pollution or other environmental harms.
Because the bill text was not available in the provided materials, the precise duties, staffing, reporting requirements, and enforcement authority of the new office cannot be confirmed here. However, the measure clearly signals an administrative reorganization within state environmental governance, adding a dedicated environmental justice function to the department’s framework and potentially affecting how state agencies evaluate environmental impacts on vulnerable communities.
If enacted, SB118 would amend the Administrative Code of 1929 and add a new Office of Environmental Justice to the Department of Environmental Resources, changing the department’s statutory structure and likely expanding its responsibilities in environmental equity policy. The bill would affect state environmental administration, and potentially influence permitting, community outreach, interagency coordination, and review of projects with disproportionate environmental impacts. Any agencies, regulated entities, or communities interacting with the department on pollution, land use, or environmental health issues could be affected by the new office’s role.
The available record shows the bill was referred to the Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee, but no vote totals or committee transcript were provided. As a result, there is no direct evidence of support or opposition in the materials supplied. The caption suggests the bill is framed as a policy and administrative measure focused on environmental justice, which typically draws support from advocates for public health and community protections, though the absence of debate text prevents a more specific assessment of sentiment.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes. In general, bills creating environmental justice offices can raise questions about agency authority, regulatory burden, implementation costs, and whether the office should have advisory or enforcement powers. Potential supporters would likely emphasize equity, pollution reduction, and community health, while potential critics might focus on administrative expansion, overlap with existing programs, or impacts on permitting and economic development.