In 2009, the PCL Foundation focused on a new program: Public Health and the Environment. The goal of this program is to ensure all communities have access to a safe and healthy environment.

Within the context of this program, the PCL Foundation will develop and implement programs that provide environmental solutions that are equitable, and protect the environment and public health through sound land use processes and decisions. Learn public health basics.

We will work with and link environmental health, justice and community groups to the Capitol by working as a coalition. On the legislative front we will develop and advance policy solutions to meet this program’s goal of a safe and healthy environment for everyone.

To promote local and statewide land use policies that distribute the benefits of land use decisions and protect human health and the environment, PCL will: 

• Provide training in how to use California laws to assess and prevent or mitigate negative environmental and public health impacts
• Enhance the capacity of local groups to increase public participation in local land use decisions and decision-making processes
• Reform CEQA and other avenues, such as General Plans, to explicitly require public and environmental health and justice analyses and standards
• Work with affected communities to oppose, enhance or modify projects that may have an adverse impact on their health.