Environmental Justice
At PG&E, we strive to balance the need to maintain and expand our system to deliver safe and reliable energy with the responsibility to understand and respect the needs of our neighbors.
Our efforts are guided by an Environmental Justice policy, which establishes clear guidelines for working cooperatively with communities. The policy is designed to ensure that PG&E is transparent, accountable, responsible and consistently working to address the concerns of communities.
We live our commitment by:
- Employing a full-time Environmental Justice Program Manager.
- Training and educating employees about environmental justice and our policy.
- Managing our operations and facilities to minimize impacts on nearby communities.
- Integrating environmental justice considerations into reviews of potential new sources of power generation.
- Investing in alternative fuels and renewable energy to improve air quality in the communities we serve.
- Taking responsibility for impacts related to historic operations.
Defining Environmental Justice
Recognizing environmental justice as a growing concern, many states and federal agencies have adopted policies, executive orders, regulations and guidance documents on this issue. In 1999, California enacted the nation's first environmental justice law, which defined environmental justice as: The fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Among other priorities, we began a multi-year training program last year to ensure that employees understand PG&E’s environmental justice policy and how it applies to their work. Led by PG&E’s Environmental Justice Program Manager, the course targets employees whose work may involve activities or decisions that could potentially impact environmental justice communities.
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