The Pennsylvania Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) program delivers data to protect Pennsylvanians from environmental hazards that could harm their health. The program monitors environmental exposures and related health outcomes, measuring changes over time and differences between regions in the state. EPHT provides a virtual platform to think critically about ways to address environmental health problems. It seeks to inform health interventions and policy initiatives by identifying groups, such as those living in Environmental Justice (EJ) communities, that bear an unequal burden of environmental pollution. It aims to be a centralized source of accessible and accurate environmental health information to promote a healthy Pennsylvania for all.
EPHT Initiatives
Pennsylvania is getting hotter. The EPHT Program, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program, is working to reduce heat stress. We monitor environmental health and climate data, including the prevalence of heat-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits, to reduce heat-related injuries and illnesses. Heat stress can impact anyone, but certain populations such as workers and the elderly may be at greater risk of heat-related injury and illness.
The following resources have been created:
Map data source: National Weather Service (NWS) heat advisories, excessive heat watches, and excessive heat warnings as compiled by the Iowa Environmental Mesonet at Iowa State University. In most parts of Pennsylvania, the NWS issues a heat advisory when the heat index is forecasted to be at least 100°F degrees and an excessive heat watch or warning when the heat index is forecasted to be at least 105°F degrees. The NWS issues heat alerts using forecast zones which often, but not always, align with county boundaries.
This resource details individual, community, and structural level actions to learn about and advocate for better environmental health. To date, we cover nine environmental health topics.
- Heat-related illness
- Lead poisoning
- Outdoor air pollution
- Water quality
- Carbon monoxide
- Indoor air pollution
- Vector-borne diseases
- Environmental Justice
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
The EPHT Program creates resources to celebrate environmental health awareness days, weeks, and months.
The Environmental Public Health Tracking Program is funded by the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For more information, please contact us at dehe@pa.gov or 717-787-3350.
EPHT Resources
Environmental Health Fact Sheets
Putting Environmental Health Data into Action
Putting Environmental Health Data into Action - Spanish
Environmental Health Indicators (EHI) Map
Public Health Impacts of Climate Change Threats in Pennsylvania
Additonal Resources
EPA's Report on the Environment