2025 EJ in PA Award:
Recipient Organizations
PERC is incredibly excited and honored to announce the three recipients of the 2025 Environmental Justice in Pennsylvania Award!
These organizations have demonstrated an unwavering dedication to environmental stewardship, community engagement, and justice, which has fostered salient change both at the community-wide and the individual level. Each organization will be receiving a financial award that is set to support blossoming as well as steadfast programming that will impact communities across PA in the way they need it most. PERC is excited to share this year's recipients!
As Dr. Robert Bullard, the Father of Environmental Justice, once said,
“Community organizations, institutions, that have been doing this work in the city for many, many years, they need to be funded. They need to have—they need capacity to staff up and to start doing the kind of work, because they have the trust and because they have the experience and because they are here, they are local.”
As PERC is honored to support these organizations through this award, please take a minute to learn about, engage with, and congratulate our awardees!
412 Justice
Located in Pittsburgh, 412 Justice is "a multiracial, intergenerational, and multi-issue organization that focuses our efforts around economic, environmental, and education justice...Our environmental justice campaigns are focused on ensuring that disinvested communities have access to a clean and healthy environment with resources within their community."
Key Programs: EJ Candidate forums, member meetings, EJ game nights, Get Out the Vote, Advocacy Days, EJ Investigative Reports, MAAP
Center for Coalfield Justice
Working in Washington and Greene Counties, the Center for Coalfield Justice prioritizes "working with area residents values their knowledge about the land, waterways, and communities... to improve policy and regulations for the oversight of fossil fuel extraction and use; to educate, empower and organize coalfield residents; and to protect public and environmental health."
Key Programs: MAD-FACTS, Cecil Township Ordinance Campaign, Community Roundtables, Advocacy Days
Socials: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, BlueSky Social
Urban Erie Community Development Corporation
Based in Erie, the Urban Erie Community Development Corporation works to "accomplish what is greater by increasing the capacity for economic self-sufficiency through cutting-edge educational services and training, empowering youth to build their skills and grow to their potential, and by inspiring the community to take steps towards creating a better future for its people and organizations," which includes environmental opportunities and training!
Key Programs: Eastside Grassroots Coalition, MCI Coalition, Grow Erie Aquaponics, EJAB speakers, neighborhood cleanups