Update of the Sustainable PA Community Certification is underway
Did you know? More than 100 municipalities throughout Pennsylvania have earned certification as a Sustainable PA Community! Since its creation nearly five years ago, the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification has helped advance healthier, cleaner, and more prosperous communities for more than 3.4 million residents in the Commonwealth.
Sustainable Pittsburgh (SP) and the Pennsylvania Municipal League (PML) manage this free and voluntary program, which is recognized by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development on its grant application process for municipalities.
SP and PML are in the midst of updating and streamlining the 131 criteria in the program that municipalities use to assess their sustainability performance.
Performance is measured under several sustainability focus areas including community design and land use, energy efficiency, health and wellness, intergovernmental cooperation, recycling and waste reduction, fiscal controls, and internal management and operations—to name a few.
Through the input of more than 50 subject area experts gathered during working group sessions over the last three weeks, SP and PML are well positioned to provide municipal leaders with national and international best practices, showcase local examples, and better connect municipalities with funding and programmatic resources as part of this revamped program.
In step with the criteria update, the assessment structure is changing too. The online process is being completely overhauled and optimized for ease of use and resourcefulness. We are excited for these upcoming changes! Stay tuned for the rollout in early 2020.
In the meantime, municipalities can continue using the current system to assess their sustainability performance and earn certification. If your municipality is interested in saving money, conserving resources, and serving vibrant communities, this certification is for you!
Contact Jim Price at jprice@sustainablepittsburgh.org for more information and to request a password to log in. SP and PML look forward to supporting municipal efforts and highlighting successes!