DEP strives to embrace sustainable practices in day-to-day operations and lead by example. Expand to read highlights about DEP’s recent efforts to advance sustainability within the agencies and through our programs.
Sustainability Team
The DEP Sustainability Team leads agency-wide efforts to embed sustainable practices into everyday operations. The team develops ideas, resources, and internal policies that encourage employees to take action toward a more sustainable workplace.
Made up of staff from multiple bureaus and locations, the team ensures sustainability efforts are implemented, tracked, and reported across the department.
Volunteer Community Efforts
DEP staff regularly partner with local organizations to support community sustainability efforts.
In 2025, for Earth Day, DEP employees and volunteers took part in litter cleanup events across the state—helping to keep Pennsylvania beautiful and litter-free. Staff from Harrisburg, Williamsport, Meadville, Wilkes-Barre, and Norristown contributed their time and energy to make a visible impact.
DEP Electric Vehicles
DEP currently operates 8 electric vehicles (EVs), 32 plug-in hybrids, and provides 56 charging stations for employee use on commonwealth business.
To support the transition to cleaner transportation, DEP is training EV Ambassadors in each regional office. These ambassadors help educate staff on using EVs and promote continued expansion of the fleet.
Within the DEP internal GHG inventory, the Sustainability team uncovered that over 55% of the department of emissions come from vehicles and about 49% of those emissions could be reduced by using “flex-fuel” in eligible vehicles.
Supporting Sustainable Commuting
At DEP’s Central Office, staff can choose a transit voucher instead of a parking space. Each month, around 50 employees use this benefit to commute by public transit.
Regional offices—such as the Southeast Regional Office (SERO)—are also strategically located near public transportation, making car-free commuting more accessible.
Hoteling, Reorganization & Office Consolidation
As part of a statewide effort, the Commonwealth is reducing office space in both owned and leased buildings. At DEP, this supports our mission to protect Pennsylvania’s air, water, and natural resources by lowering our environmental impact.
By consolidating office space, we’re shrinking our physical footprint, cutting energy use, and reducing emissions.
At the Rachel Carson State Office Building, construction is underway to upgrade building's HVAC and lighting are being upgraded to more efficient systems starting in mid-2025 which will reduce amount of energy and floors are being redesigned which will allow for the department to occupy a smaller footprint reduce emissions.
Onsite Renewable Energy
Through DEP’s Shared Energy Manager Program, the Northwest Regional Office is partnering with the City of Meadville to install a 136-kW rooftop solar array on the city-owned building at 230 Chestnut Street.
Meadville City Council approved the project and awarded the bid as part of the 2025 budget on December 3, 2024.
LEED Certified Buildings
DEP operates out of three LEED-certified buildings: the Southeast Regional Office Building (SROB), Southcentral Office Building, and Cambria District Office Building.
The SROB in downtown Norristown was designed to be Pennsylvania’s “Greenest Building” and won the 2005 Environmental Design and Construction Excellence in Design Award for government buildings.
Sustainable features include:
- Over 75% of construction waste diverted from landfills
A super-insulated building envelope and wood-frame windows
Underfloor air distribution
A four-story atrium that brings natural light into all office spaces
A location near public transit for car-free commuting
These design choices reflect DEP’s commitment to reducing environmental impact in both building construction and day-to-day operations.
Green Procurement Policy
DEP partners with the Department of General Services (DGS) to follow green procurement practices and expand opportunities to buy sustainable products.
As a major purchaser of paper goods and office supplies, DEP can significantly reduce its environmental footprint through smarter purchasing. For example, choosing recycled paper over traditional options helps lower emissions.
DEP procures on over 800,000 pages of paper with at least 30% recycled paper content and significantly less impact than traditional paper.
Reducing Paper Use
DEP is working to make more processes paperless for residents and businesses. One key example: Recycling Grants offered by the Bureau of Waste Management’s Division of Waste Minimization and Planning are now fully electronic.
Applicants can apply, sign agreements, and submit and receive reimbursements—all online—cutting down significantly on paper use.
Promoting Sustainability Across the Commonwealth
Recycling Technical Assistance
DEP provides Recycling Technical Assistance to local governments to strengthen recycling programs and improve material recovery.
To date, more than 340 technical assistance reports have been produced.
Local governments can receive up to $7,500 for a consultant to help optimize their recycling and waste minimization efforts.
In some cases, this support may lead to further grant funding.
PA Climate Change Mitigation and Resilience Network
DEP has partnered with eight commonwealth agencies to create the PA Climate Change Mitigation and Resilience Network (aka PA Climate Network) a self-sustaining, member-driven network that connects and educates stakeholders on climate solutions across Pennsylvania.
The network offers:
Sector- and state-specific climate trainings
In-person events and webinars covering topics such as:
Guaranteed Energy Savings Agreements (GESA)
Hydrothermal Carbonization Wastewater Processing
Hydrogen Hub Development
Sustainable Schools
Orphan and Abandoned Well Plugging
DEP has plugged over 300 orphaned and abandoned wells to protect water sources and reduce environmental and safety risks.
This ongoing effort:
Responds to community concerns
Identifies and addresses additional high-risk well sites
