Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Must Make Environmental Justice a Top Priority

Published

2 years ago

June 5, 2024

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Must Make Environmental Justice a Top Priority

Pennsylvania communities deserve environmental justice.

Imagine living all your life next to a power plant that sends smoke into the atmosphere each day. Imagine your local water system being filled with chemicals that go into your bloodstream every time you hydrate. Imagine your kids getting asthma at a young age because of the harmful particulates in the air they breathe. For too many Pennsylvania residents, these situations are all too real.

This year, voters will consider whom to support in the State House, a critical opportunity to strengthen Pennsylvania’s slim pro-environment majority in Harrisburg. For decades, the legislature has been under the influence of large corporate polluters, doing their bidding and thus endangering the health of thousands of Pennsylvanians one community at a time. Now that the environmental movement has gained a foothold in Harrisburg, Pennsylvanians can set their sights on building support for a more robust environmental agenda. A top priority must be the pursuit of environmental justice policies.

READ: Time to Move on Bold, New Clean Energy Plan for Pennsylvania

Environmental justice is needed to protect the health and well-being of citizens who have suffered from living in close proximity to fossil fuel-burning and polluting infrastructure. Individuals who live near power plants, landfills, factories and highways face health risks that other residents do not. Higher risks of asthma, cancers and fertility issues from chemical exposure, and chronic cough issues are among the challenges that too many residents face.

It is disproportionately low-income communities, Latino and African-American communities that bear the worst burden from these industry-caused illnesses. For decades, these issues and the inequality underlying them went unexplored, unexplained, and ignored.

Finally, Pennsylvanians are calling for environmental justice in a statewide effort to push back on environmental racism.

The truth is that decision makers who decide where to build factories, power plants, incinerators, landfills, and sewage plants have either 1) not considered the impact on local populations or 2) deliberately placed such infrastructure near communities without political clout. As a result, burdened communities with little political influence suffer from worsening air quality and water conditions.

Three bills in Harrisburg will do something about it.

HB 652 would give standing to communities in close proximity to unsafe facilities. It would create a legal definition of “burdened communities” to insist upon consideration for affected neighborhoods and ensure local voices are represented in decision processes on utilities, factories, landfills and powerplants. Under the bill, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) would be allowed to deny permits to project applicants whose plans have a measurably corrosive health impact on surrounding communities.

READ: How Fossil Free Penn Is Advocating For Climate Justice

HB 707 would protect one of the only state organizations in place to advocate for marginalized communities from environmental abuse: the Environmental Justice Advisory Board (EJAB). Composed of historically marginalized groups, environmentalists, academics, and industry experts, EJAB does essential work in scrutinizing and replacing policies that harm human health. The bill safeguards the EJAB from potential partisan dismantlement under any future anti-environment administration.

HB 742 would give marginalized communities a seat at the table and petition the government to change harmful projects and policies. The bill directs the DEP Secretary to form Regional Environmental Justice Committees consisting of historically marginalized groups and environmental experts. Individuals from burdened communities would be able to petition these committees about adverse environmental effects of state policies. This crucial step would give voice to local residents to prevent environmental damage to local people.

Pennsylvania is one of the few states in the nation that provides citizens a constitutional right to a clean environment. As Section 127 of Pennslylvania’s constitution reads: “The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment.” For far too long, this right was not properly afforded to individuals and families in burdened communities.

There are some who are still fighting for frackers, drillers, and oil companies that pursue profits at the expense of human health. We must do everything we can to defeat these forces and ensure our commonwealth lives up to its constitutional promise.

We hope that readers will contact their legislators and encourage them to support HB 652, HB 707, and HB 742 to protect the health and wellbeing of all Pennsylvania residents, no matter their zip code, race, or socio-economic situation.

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 2 Day results for Feb. 27, 2026

Published

1 hour ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

The Pennsylvania Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

11-18-39-43-67, Mega Ball: 23

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 2 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

Day: 4-7, Wild: 5

Evening: 8-8, Wild: 0

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

Day: 6-7-7, Wild: 5

Evening: 0-0-3, Wild: 0

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

Day: 7-2-1-4, Wild: 5

Evening: 5-7-3-1, Wild: 0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

Day: 8-4-5-4-4, Wild: 5

Evening: 1-1-9-8-7, Wild: 0

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 5 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

04-14-16-20-38

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Treasure Hunt numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

02-04-08-13-30

Check Treasure Hunt payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Match 6 Lotto numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

10-12-23-31-33-46

Check Match 6 Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

03-04-13-28-42, Bonus: 02

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Sign the Ticket: Ensure your ticket has your signature, name, address and phone number on the back.
Prizes up to $600: Claim at any PA Lottery retailer or by mail: Pennsylvania Lottery, ATTN: CLAIMS, PO BOX 8671, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
Prizes from $600 to $2,500: Use a Claim Form to claim at a retailer or by mail: Pennsylvania Lottery, ATTN: CLAIMS, PO BOX 8671, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
Prizes over $2,500: Mail your signed ticket with a Claim Form or in person at a Lottery Area Office (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Lottery Headquarters is currently not open to the public. Visit the PA Lottery website for other office locations near you.

When are the Pennsylvania Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: 1:35 p.m. and 6:59 p.m. daily.
Cash4Life: 9 p.m. daily.
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily
Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. daily.
Treasure Hunt: 1:35 p.m. daily.
Match 6 Lotto: 6:59 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
Powerball Double Play: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Pennsylvania editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Pennsylvania

Affordable Housing Centers of Pennsylvania Helps Homeowners Protect Their Investment Across Generations » NCRC

Published

13 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Affordable Housing Centers of Pennsylvania Helps Homeowners Protect Their Investment Across Generations » NCRC

For the past 17 years, the Affordable Housing Centers of Pennsylvania (AHCOPA) has provided a range of programs designed to build wealth within low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. AHCOPA provides services to approximately 3,000 people each year via their pre-purchase, post-purchase and mortgage prevention counseling programs.

When Kenneth Bigos joined AHCOPA as their Executive Director in 2013, he set out to expand the organization’s offerings beyond first-time homeownership counseling services. He identified estate planning as an urgent need for the region’s LMI communities as well.

A 2022 Consumer Reports survey found that 77% of Black and 82% of Hispanic Americans do not have a will in place, which is needed to ensure that their home investment continues to build generational wealth. Consequently, the state court steps in upon the owner’s passing to decide how assets will be distributed, with property not being able to be transferred to an heir until that lengthy process is complete. In Philadelphia alone, there are approximately 10,000 properties with titles that have not been legally settled.

In response to this, AHCOPA launched the Will Power program in 2022 by leveraging existing relationships with pro-bono lawyers in the creation of wills and trusts for community members. The program has created an opportunity to serve a larger portion of Philadelphia’s population.

While the first-time homebuyer program initially attracted people in their mid-30s, Will Power participants are generally in their late 60s, prompting AHCOPA to think about what housing support looks like across an individual’s lifetime.

“Elderly households are more vulnerable,” Bigos said. “To reach these homeowners, we had to develop relationships with trusted agencies, such as senior centers, churches and other institutions that we would not typically work with in our first-time homebuyer program.”

As a result of that work, AHCOPA marked a major milestone in October 2025: the signing of 1,000 wills. Thanks to the success of Will Power and the first-time homebuyer program, AHCOPA has solidified its reputation as the go-to financial advisor for working-class residents.

Looking ahead, they are planning to add a new program designed to support people beyond the initial purchase of their home, which will include coaching to help owners develop their financial literacy. This would encompass how to build savings to buy a first home and avoid foreclosure in the event of a crisis.

For Bigos, NCRC membership is key to ensuring the success of these programs, especially in terms of organizing at the federal, state and local levels advocating for continued funding.

“Engaging with decision makers is very important and being an NCRC member has helped facilitate those relationships,” Bigos said. “Their support has been very impactful.”

Jesse Rhodes is a Contributing Writer.

Photo courtesy of the AHCOPA team.

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Pennsylvania

How gambling revenue helps Pennsylvania fire departments

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

How gambling revenue helps Pennsylvania fire departments

It is hard to imagine that money spent and collected at casinos and in slot machines around the state can wind up being used at local volunteer fire departments throughout the commonwealth, but it’s true.

In Pennsylvania, a portion of the state’s gaming revenue is allocated to support fire departments and emergency management services to the tune of about $30 million each year.

Departments can apply for those funds through a series of state grants, and most departments say that the money from gaming is vital to help them pay for equipment, vehicles and even improvements to their buildings.

“This time we put in for a grant to finish our second floor of our facility here,” said Derry Township Fire Chief Mark Piantine.

Piantine says that gambling revenue has purchased many things for his department in the past like swift water rescue boats as well as a new equipment washing station. Now he hopes that money can give his company a place to sleep when they are working long shifts in bad weather.

“The last storm we had, the Snowmageddon here a couple of weeks ago, we had people staying overnight,” Piantine said. “They were laying across the seats of the trucks and on the floor sleeping because our second floor is not finished.”

Piantine says every little bit helps both their department and other departments, because when it comes right down to it, running a fire department is expensive.

“When you buy a regular pair of gloves, you may pay $25 for them. We buy a pair of gloves, they’re $75 to $100,” said Piantine. “You can buy a pair of boots for $50, ours cost $600.”

Just a few miles away, in the city of Latrobe, Chief John Brasile says that while the city does a lot for them financially, gaming revenue helps a lot. It even helps them make payments on their rescue unit.

“We have about a year’s worth of payments left on it,” Brasile said. “And we use our money for debt reductions on that truck.”

“And that’s essentially from gambling revenue?” Chris DeRose asked.

“Yes. It comes from the State Fire Commissioners’ Office,” Brasile said.

“When is that truck paid off?” DeRose asked.

“About this time next year,” Brasile replied. “And then we can use that money for other stuff then. We would like to get new rescue tools for that truck and they’re expensive.”

The fire departments KDKA has spoken with about using state grant money from gambling revenue say that gambling money is great, but it is not a cure-all. And in fact, on Thursday night, the Latrobe Fire Department was holding yet another fundraising event to help them once again raise money for new fire equipment.

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