The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is committed to ensuring its operations are accessible to all. DEP does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities. The agency extends this protection and mission of inclusion to the public, DEP employees, and candidates for employment. DEP will provide accommodations in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, both as amended, as well as federal regulation 40 C.F.R. § 7.45. DEP regularly monitors itself for compliance and invites members of the public to submit a request if they need additional assistance or would like to notify us of issues to improve accessibility.
Effective Communication
DEP will generally, upon request, provide appropriate and reasonable accommodations leading to effective communication with qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in DEP’s programs, services, and activities.
Modifications to Policies and Procedures
DEP will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities.
Federal law does not require DEP to fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services in complying with the ADA. 42 U.S. Code § 12182. Additionally, federal regulation 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(p) does not require DEP to take any action that imposes an undue hardship as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 12111(10)(A), including financial or administrative burdens, in adhering to the ADA.
How to Request Accommodations
Individuals may request reasonable accommodations to access DEP services, programs, and activities. Examples of accessibility requests include:
- Printed materials in alternative formats (including large print or braille)
- Sign language interpreters for meetings or events
- Assistive listening devices
- Accommodations for public meetings and hearings
DEP will not place a surcharge on an individual with a disability or any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of providing auxiliary aids, services, or reasonable modifications of policy.
The DEP Accommodation Request Form should be sent to DEP’s Non-Discrimination Coordinator by email or postal mail as shown below:
For questions on how to file a complaint, please contact DEP’s Non-Discrimination Coordinator.
Neil Bakshi
DEP Non-Discrimination Coordinator
400 Market Street, 16th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17105
Email: RA-EPNonDiscrim@pa.gov
Phone: (717) 787-0880
DEP encourages all requests for accommodations to be submitted at least five full business days before the service, program, or activity that it may be needed for.
DEP Facilities
The ADA provides that “except as otherwise provided in 35.150, no qualified individual with a disability shall, because a public entity's facilities are inaccessible to or unusable by individuals with disabilities, be excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of the services, programs or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any public entity." 28 C.F.R. § 35.149.
The accommodation of individuals with disabilities is a routine and integral element of DEP planning. The following is a summary of some of DEP’s actions to maximize accessibility to its offices.
- DEP offices must be accessible and usable by persons with disabilities.
- Alterations to existing offices, within the scope or limits of a building, must provide usability by persons with disabilities to the maximum extent feasible.
- Existing offices that have not been altered must not deny access to persons with disabilities.
- Where existing site constraints limit the ability to fully meet the latest ADA standards, the improvements or upgrades must be done to provide access to the maximum extent feasible.
DEP Website and Online Communications
DEP adheres to the Accessibility Policy set by the Office of Administration to ensure that as many people as possible can use internet-based information and services, regardless of disability or functional limitation. Commonwealth agencies are required to produce accessible websites in compliance with ITP-ACC001, which adheres to the industry-standard Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG). This policy establishes guidance for the development of accessible websites and other information technologies for users requiring assistive technologies, in accordance with Section 508, Subpart B of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as revised in 1998. In instances where complete accessibility is not achievable, information and other assistance will be made available through alternative means.
Please contact us at RA-EPNonDiscrim@pa.gov if you have any accessibility issue with DEP’s webpages. We will try to share with you the information by alternate means or make the needed changes to provide the materials in an accessible way.
File a Complaint Related to DEP Accessibility
DEP has established the following procedure to receive Discrimination Complaints, which include complaints that a program, service, or activity of the department is not accessible to persons with disabilities. To submit a grievance please complete the Discrimination Complaint Form. For questions on how to file a complaint, please contact DEP’s Non-Discrimination Coordinator.
DEP Non-Discrimination Coordinator
Phone: (717) 787-0880
Email: RA-EPNonDiscrim@pa.gov
400 Market Street, 16th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17105
Nondiscrimination Protections and Accessibility Requirements Extend to DEP Contractors and Grantees
Executive Order 2016-04 – Equal Employment Opportunity provides that nondiscrimination protection on the basis of disability is required in the awarding process of contracts and grants by DEP and by those contractors and grantees who secure them in their own operations. DEP contractors and grantees are required to adhere to nondiscrimination protections on the basis of disability in both their employment practices and in the provision of services to their own clients and service recipients. These protections additionally extend to subcontractors of contractors of DEP.
Employment
DEP does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all state and federal laws, including the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act of 1955 and regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Title I of the ADA.
How to Request Accommodations for Current Employees or Candidates for Employment
Current employees can go to Employee Self Service (ESS) and click on the tile titled: “Create Accommodation/Religious Request” or submit a written request to the DEP internal resource account by email at RA-OABEEO@pa.gov.
Candidates for employment can submit the request using the same resource account or this link. The Office of Administration only has authority to process accommodation requests from current employees and candidates for employment.
Feedback or Questions Regarding DEP Accessibility
Please contact us at RA-EPNonDiscrim@pa.gov if you have questions for or feedback for DEP in its work to ensure accessibility to the public. DEP aims to respond to your comments or questions within ten business days. You may contact the Office of Administration to escalate your feedback or questions.
This Accessibility Statement has been formally approved by DEP.
ATTENTION: If you speak a language other than English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call: 717-783-9954 or send an e-mail to: RA-EPLanguageAccess@pa.gov.
Atención: Si usted habla un idioma que no sea el inglés, los servicios de asistencia lingüística, de forma gratuita, están disponibles para usted. Llame al: 717-783-9954 o envíe un correo electrónico a: RA-EPLanguageAccess@pa.gov.
注意: 如果您说英语以外的语言, 您可以免费获得语言援助服务。电话: 717-783-5500 或发送电子邮件至: RA-EPLanguageAccess@pa.gov.
CHÚ ý: nếu bạn nói một ngôn ngữ khác ngoài tiếng Anh, Dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ, miễn phí, có sẵn cho bạn. Call: 717-783-5500 hoặc gửi e-mail đến: RA-EPLanguageAccess@pa.gov
ВНИМАНИЕ: Если вы говорите на языке, кроме английского языка, Услуги по языковой помощи, бесплатно, доступны для вас. Звоните: 717-783-5500 или отправить по электронной почте: RA-EPLanguageAccess@pa.gov.
주의: 영어 이외의 언어를 구사하는 경우에는 언어 지원 서비스를 무료로 이용하실 수 있습니다. 전화: 717-783-5500 또는 RA-EPLanguageAccess@pa.gov에 전자 메일을 보냅니다.
Attenzione: se parli una lingua diversa dall'inglese, i servizi di assistenza linguistica gratuiti sono a tua disposizione. Chiamare: 717-783-5500 o inviare una e-mail a: RA-EPLanguageAccess@pa.gov.
الاهتمام: إذا كنت تتحدث لغة أخرى غير الانجليزيه ، وخدمات المساعدة اللغوية ، مجانا ، وتتوفر لك. الاتصال علي 717-783-5500 أو إرسال بريد الكتروني إلى: RA-EPLanguageAccess@pa.gov.
ATTENTION: Si vous parlez une langue autre que l’anglais, les services d’assistance linguistique, gratuits, sont à votre disposition. Composez le: 717-783-5500 ou envoyez un courriel à: RA-EPLanguageAccess@pa.gov.
ATTENTION: Wenn Sie eine andere Sprache als Englisch sprechen, stehen Ihnen kostenlose Sprachunterstützung zur Verfügung. Rufen Sie an: 717-783-5500 oder senden Sie eine E-Mail an: RA-EPLanguageAccess@pa.gov.