Pennsylvania Tracking Program

Website: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/envirohealth/Pages/EPHT.aspx
Email: ra-dhehtracking@pa.gov

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Mission

The Pennsylvania (PA) Tracking Program’s mission is to be a centralized source of environmental health data and resources to promote a healthy Pennsylvania for all.

Quick Stats

• Pennsylvania is the birthplace of our country and known as the “Keystone State.”
• With nearly 13 million people, Pennsylvania is the fifth largest U.S. state.
• About a third (30.8%) of the population lives in census tracts with higher rates of environmental injustices. These are tracts where 20% or more of the population lives below the poverty level and/or 30% are from racial and ethnic minority populations (American Community Survey, 2017–2021).
• Pennsylvania’s rich industrial history left a legacy of environmental contamination. The state ranks third in the nation for the most number of sites on the National Priorities List

 Accomplishments

• Adding environmental health to state health planning efforts: The PA Tracking Program collaborated with colleagues in the PA Department of Health to add an environmental public health goal to the 2023–2028 State Health Improvement Plan. Namely, the goal seeks to improve environmental health, particularly focusing on communities with environmental injustices. Specific objectives are taken directly from PA Tracking Program indicators related to air quality, heat-related illness, and childhood lead poisoning.
• Supporting environmental justice within the PA Department of Health: The PA Tracking Program helped lead the PA Department of Health in creating an Environmental Justice (EJ) Strategic Plan. Published in December 2022, the plan outlines five strategies to prioritize environmental justice as key to achieving the department’s vision of a healthy PA for all.