Harrisburg, PA – Since January 1, 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) conducted over 107,000 inspections to protect Pennsylvanians’ constitutional right to clean air, pure water, and a healthy and safe environment. DEP also responded to more than 400 environmental emergencies, like spills from traffic accidents to chemical fires.
DEP inspections include both scheduled and unscheduled on-site visits to permitted facilities, as well as document reviews to verify compliance with environmental laws and regulations. These inspections—whether on-site or operational—ensure that air emissions stay within air quality standards, drinking water remains safe, and rivers and streams are protected from pollution. They also encourage industry to invest in technologies, training, and practices to comply with regulations and level the playing field for companies that are working in good faith to comply with state rules and promote environmental stewardship.
“DEP works tirelessly to ensure that we are fulfilling our mission of protecting the air, land, and water of Pennsylvania,” said DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “We are here to ensure that our natural resources are protected from pollution — and holding polluters accountable — so that companies that play by the rules can continue to flourish here in the Commonwealth. When there is an accident or an emergency that threatens the environment and safety of our residents, DEP staff are there to guide the response.”
Between January 1 and December 15, 2024, DEP conducted 107,284 inspections, identified 35,237 violations, and resolved 32,699 of them, including some from 2023.
DEP’s efforts to hold polluters accountable also included investing civil penalties into Pennsylvania communities. In Beaver County, DEP, and the Beaver County Environmental Mitigation Fund, awarded more than $4.7 million to fund community projects in areas affected by the Shell petrochemical facility. In Washington County, DEP secured more than $1.6 million from legacy pollution from the site of a former zinc smelter, which will fund community projects once the final cleanup of the site is complete.
In 2024, DEP also responded to 410 environmental emergencies, including a sewage pipeline break in Lycoming County, multiple abandoned mine subsidence incidents in Luzerne County, and helping to coordinate disaster responses during Tropical Storm Debby. After such emergencies, DEP staff return to the site to assess and implement necessary cleanup measures, such as removing contaminated soil or filling an abandoned mine subsidence with concrete to make it more stable.
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