Federal Environmental Justice directives require transportation agencies responsible for planning and programming federal funds, including state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), to identify and address disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental impacts on minority and low-income populations. Despite issuance of federal and state guidance and training programs, many MPOs nationwide continue to seek clarity on effective environmental justice (EJ) approaches and procedural considerations. The South Central Pennsylvania Unified EJ Process and Methodology study was a year-long effort undertaken by a consortium of MPOs in Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 8 to identify a unified and replicable approach to implementing EJ in transportation planning. PennDOT, Federal Highway Administration PA Division, and Federal Transit Administration Region III provided technical assistance and support to the effort. The consortium engaged a technical assistance consultant to facilitate a collaborative process to identify a process framework, a set of analytical methodologies, and effective strategies for advancing EJ in the regional transportation planning process. The study demonstrated a model for convening regional, state, and federal partners to reach consensus around an effective EJ process and methodology. This paper provides an overview of the study process, findings related to the concerns of the participating MPOs, and a brief description of the recommended analytical approaches. The paper discusses lessons learned during the course of the study and considers additional work required to further enhance the EJ process.

联邦环境司法指令要求负责规划和规划联邦基金的运输机构，包括州交通运输部和大都市规划组织 (MPO)，以识别和解决对少数族裔和低收入人群造成的不成比例的严重和不利的人类健康和环境影响。尽管发布了联邦和州指导和培训计划，但全国许多 MPO 仍在寻求明确有效的环境正义 (EJ) 方法和程序考虑因素。宾夕法尼亚州中南部统一 EJ 过程和方法研究是宾夕法尼亚州交通部 (PennDOT) 8 区的 MPO 财团进行的为期一年的工作，旨在确定在交通规划中实施 EJ 的统一且可复制的方法。PennDOT，联邦公路管理局 PA 司和联邦交通管理局 III 区为这项工作提供了技术援助和支持。该联盟聘请了一名技术援助顾问来促进协作过程，以确定在区域交通规划过程中推进 EJ 的过程框架、一套分析方法和有效策略。该研究展示了召集地区、州和联邦合作伙伴以围绕有效的 EJ 流程和方法达成共识的模型。本文概述了研究过程、与参与的 MPO 关注点相关的发现，并简要说明了推荐的分析方法。