Making Environmental Complaints
You can make complaints and tell authorities about environmental concerns. These can include:
Air Quality/Asbestos/Odor/Open Burning
Water Quality - Lakes, Rivers, Streams/Stormwater/Sewage Odor
Open Dumping/Solid Waste/Landfill Odors
Drinking Water
Hazardous Waste/Used Oil
In some cases, somebody will come check on the concern, and in other cases it will be logged for the agency to keep an eye on.
As always, the more people making the complaint the more power it may have. Engage your relationships to make your voices louder.
Decision-Making Power: Community
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In your complaint or alert, be as specific as you can. Include as much of the following as you can:
Observations – what you saw, felt, heard, and smelled.
What the weather was
Time of day
How people were feeling
If you have any data from monitoring or public monitoring websites
Any photos or videos
Tell them if you live in an environmental justice community and why this problem is an environmental justice issue – this may get more or quicker attention.
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In addition to your state Department of Environmental Protection, you should also think about making complaints to:
Local or county health department
State department of health
City councilperson, mayor or other local elected officials
County commissioners or other county officials
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This activity may be easier for someone or a team who has these strengths:
Influencing + Motivating
Strategy + Thinking
Executing + Doing
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Ohio:
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Complaint Form: https://epa.ohio.gov/help-center/contact-us/submit-a-complaint
Pennsylvania:
Center for Coalfield Justice: How to report an environmental emergency/file and environmental report with the DEP: https://centerforcoalfieldjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/20221027-How-To-File-Complaint-with-DEP-a-step-by-step-guide-2.pdf?ms=email&emci=42834abd-00a7-ed11-994d-00224832eb73&emdi=d2f7c6e0-08a7-ed11-994d-00224832eb73&ceid=6011570
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Complaint Form: https://www.dep.pa.gov/About/ReportanIncident/Pages/EnvironmentalComplaints.aspx
West Virginia:
West Virginia Department of Environmental protection Complaint Form - Dam safety, underground storage tanks, hazardous waste, or water/waste: https://dep.wv.gov/WWE/ee/geninfo/Pages/complaints.aspx
WVDEP complaint form - Dust, fallout, odor problems and open burning: https://dep.wv.gov/daq/general/pages/default.aspx
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