Philadelphia, PA - Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania (PSR PA) applauds Governor Wolf for his formal order supporting and directing the office of environmental justice. However, we have seen much of the fossil fuel infrastructure beginning with fracking to pipelines to cracker plants which have and will continue to impact disenfranchised communities. We know communities that have suffered from daily air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, and cancer clusters.
In order for the office of environmental justice to be meaningful, they must actively seek out community input and have regulatory authority to stop pollution at its source. In addition, the siting and permitting of fossil fuel infrastructure is frequently placed in the middle of established communities through eminent domain in order to advance private businesses. We believe that this is a violation of homeowner rights. We need wider setbacks consistent with public health studies to ensure that all communities are protected from the known harms of fossil fuel extraction.
About Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania: Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) Pennsylvania promotes social responsibility by protecting health, the environment and communities through education, training, direct service, and advocacy. PSR Pennsylvania is a public health, 501c3 non-profit organization which fulfills its mission through programs focused on health and the environment and working with youth. Composed of a variety of health professionals, PSR Pennsylvania is uniquely equipped to speak to threats posed to public health in our region. For more information go to https://www.psrpa.org or follow us on Twitter @PSRPennsylvania, Instagram @psrpennsylvania, or Facebook.