The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania executes adaptation governance primarily through planning and interagency coordination. Prevalent climate hazards in Pennsylvania include flooding, heat, and extreme weather events. Flooding occurs the most frequently, and heat is a particular concern in dense urban centers. 

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) leads adaptation efforts, but there is no designated executive office to coordinate them. Instead, multiple agencies and councils collaborate to fill that role. The Climate Change Advisory Committee (CCAC), established in 2008, serves as DEP’s authorized advisory body. In 2019, the GreenGov Council was established by executive order to coordinate sustainability across state government. The GreenGov Council has since launched the Pennsylvania Climate Change Mitigation and Resilience Network, an organization that educates stakeholders at all levels of decision-making. Pennsylvania has longstanding legislation to regulate floodplains, stormwater, and waterways. Although these statutes do not explicitly mention climate change, they have become tools to regulate planning for climate-driven flooding and precipitation. Currently, planning documents are the only policies that specify adaptation. 

Since 2008, Pennsylvania has been statutorily mandated to periodically update a climate action plan. The most recent plan, released in 2024, highlighted 10 priority adaptation strategies. In addition to these statewide plans, several agencies have published adaptation plans, such as the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (DCNR) Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Plan, and the Pennsylvania Coastal Resources Management Program ensures that the state’s coastal zone is adequately conserved and prepared for climate change impacts. The overview below provides a more detailed summary of Pennsylvania’s key climate-related risks, the governance framework for overseeing adaptation work at the state level, and central laws and guidelines affecting how adaptation planning, investments, and funding are carried out in the state. 

Pennsylvania’s Climate Vulnerability and Risk Profile

After New York, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the second largest state (by area) in the Mid-Atlantic. The state stretches from the Great Lakes region (where northern Pennsylvania forms part of the coast of Lake Erie) to the Delaware River Watershed, which drains into the Atlantic. Both the lake and the ocean regulate the local climate. Weather is generally cooler near Lake Erie and slightly warmer in the southeast, while the coldest temperatures are found in the mountainous part of the state.^{See footnote 1} The jet stream can dip down into Pennsylvania, causing periods of intense cold, wind, and snow.^{See footnote 2} The Appalachian Mountains run through the middle of the state, creating a unique weather system that involves more extreme temperature ranges than other parts of the state. Westerly winds have a strong control on climate, bringing weather from the country’s interior to Pennsylvania.^{See footnote 3} 

The main climate-related hazards for Pennsylvania are heat, flooding, cold waves, nor’easters, tropical cyclones, and tornadoes. Extreme heat is especially concerning in dense urban areas^{See footnote 4} and the Southeastern Coastal Plain and Piedmont Plateau parts of the state.^{See footnote 5} Flooding is becoming more frequent and intense, especially in the winter and spring due to increased precipitation. Sea-level rise is contributing to flooding in riverine areas of the state as well.^{See footnote 6} While the overall risk of sea-level rise is low in Pennsylvania, the impacts on the built environment and local ecology can be severe (for example, increasing water levels in the Delaware Estuary may lead to saltwater intrusion into drinking water and increased high tide flooding).^{See footnote 7} Coastal flooding risk is high near Philadelphia, and inland flooding risk ranges from low to very high (with the highest risk in the eastern part of the state). Wildfire risk is low across the state, though tornado and hurricane risk can be relatively high near the Eastern Seaboard.^{See footnote 8} While much of the state’s climate risk data points to potential impacts in Philadelphia, the city has invested various resources into hazard mitigation.^{See footnote 9} Like many other states across the eastern United States, flooding is the most frequent hazard Pennsylvania faces;^{See footnote 10} it poses the highest risk to the state.^{See footnote 11} Winter storms and their impacts on infrastructure and communities are also a high priority.^{See footnote 12} Drought conditions are also becoming more of an issue in Pennsylvania.^{See footnote 13} 

Adaptation Governance in Pennsylvania

Adaptation governance in Pennsylvania is distributed across several agencies and cross-agency bodies, with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) serving as the statutory anchor for climate planning under state law. Coordination occurs primarily through advisory and interagency councils rather than through a centralized executive authority of the state. 

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

DEP is the leading state agency for climate planning and the primary institutional home for adaptation governance in Pennsylvania. Its central role is defined by the Pennsylvania Climate Change Act (Act 70 of 2008),^{See footnote 14} which requires DEP to develop and update a Climate Action Plan (CAP) every three years in consultation with the Climate Change Advisory Committee (CCAC). 

Climate Change Advisory Committee

The CCAC is the statutory advisory body created by Act 70 to support DEP's climate planning responsibilities.^{See footnote 15} The CCAC is composed of 18 appointed members (6 each appointed by the governor, State Senate, and State House of Representatives) and 3 ex officio members. Appointed members represent the scientific, business and industry, transportation, environmental, social, outdoor and sporting, labor, and other affiliated communities. The three ex officio members are the Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the Secretary of Community and Economic Development, and the Chair of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, or their designees. The CCAC meets bimonthly and provides formal advice to DEP on the implementation of Act 70, including the content of the Climate Action Plan and Impacts Assessment. While the CCAC incorporates voices from multiple sectors, it functions as an advisory rather than a decision-making body, and it does not have independent authority to direct agency action.

The GreenGov Council

The GreenGov Council is an interagency coordinating body established under Executive Order 2019-01^{See footnote 16} to promote sustainable and climate-conscious practices across state government operations. The Council is co-chaired by the Secretaries of the Department of General Services, DEP, and DCNR, and it encourages the incorporation of environmentally sustainable practices into the Commonwealth's policy, planning, operations, procurement, and regulatory functions. The Council represents the closest approximation to a cross-agency climate coordination mechanism in Pennsylvania, though its mandate focuses primarily on state government operations and sustainability practices rather than on external adaptation governance.^{See footnote 17}

Several other state agencies also have meaningful roles in adaptation governance related to the infrastructure and systems within their respective mandates. These include DCNR, which oversees 2.2 million acres of state forest and 124 state parks; the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), which manages the Commonwealth's transportation infrastructure; and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), which coordinates hazard mitigation, preparedness, and disaster recovery. Each of these agencies engages with climate adaptation chiefly through the lens of its core mission.

Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency

PEMA performs several duties related to climate adaptation. The Hazard Mitigation section publishes the state’s Hazard Mitigation Plan,^{See footnote 18} which is hosted by “Ready PA,” an emergency preparedness website created by PEMA.^{See footnote 19} Ready PA provides seasonal preparedness tips, including information on extreme heat, flooding, and severe storms (for summer).^{See footnote 20 See footnote 21 See footnote 22} PEMA is the administering agency for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation grants, such as Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities (BRIC).^{See footnote 23} Through its Public Safety arm, PEMA provides weather resources for river level forecasting, general weather alerts, and storm warnings.^{See footnote 24} The agency works with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Philadelphia District office, which is headquartered in Philadelphia, as well as the Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo District offices.^{See footnote 25 See footnote 26} PEMA has partnered with the Philadelphia District to hold a series of workshops about flood risk mitigation grants for Pennsylvania localities and to develop a flood risk tool for the state.^{See footnote 27 See footnote 28} PEMA also participates in the Pennsylvania Silver Jackets Team, a collaboration among PEMA (and several other Pennsylvania state agencies), FEMA, the National Weather Service, USACE, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the US Department of Agriculture, and the US Geologic Survey. Silver Jackets hosts webinars, undertakes joint outreach projects, and collaborates on the state Hazard Mitigation Plan to promote interagency hazard mitigation efforts.^{See footnote 29}

Pennsylvania Coastal Resources Management Program

The Pennsylvania Coastal Resources Management (CRM) Program was established in 1980 via Executive Order 1980-20.^{See footnote 30} The Program is responsible for managing two coasts on opposite ends of the state, the Lake Erie coastal zone and the Delaware Estuary coastal zone.^{See footnote 31} DEP is the lead agency for the CRM Program through the Interstate Water Resources Management Division.^{See footnote 32} CRM is networked among other state agencies, including DCNR. EO1980-20 also established the Coastal Zone Advisory Committee, which includes one representative from each of the nine agencies and commissions that manage the state’s coastal zones. The Committee provides technical advice and interagency coordination to implement the CRM Program.^{See footnote 33} CRM also established the Urban Waterfront Action Group (UWAG) in 1980 for waterfront development permitting. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission coordinates monthly meetings of UWAG, with financial support from CRM.^{See footnote 34} The Program administers the annual Coastal Zone grant, which is funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Applicants can use funding to address priority areas of the CRM Program, some of which contribute to climate adaptation (such as preparedness outreach, nature-based solutions, and landscape evolution modeling).^{See footnote 35} CRM regularly collaborates with Pennsylvania Sea Grant on outreach and research in the state’s coastal zones.^{See footnote 36}

Climate Data

In addition to the state Climate Impacts Assessment mandated by Act 70 and overseen by DEP, other agencies and entities help manage and publicize climate-related data for state and public use. Flood risk data is hosted by Penn State University through “PaFloodRisk”. Its tools allow residents to determine their risk status by looking up their address on FEMA’s digital flood insurance risk map for the state.^{See footnote 37} The official source of flood data in the state is PEMA’s Floodplain Management Program.^{See footnote 38} In partnership with the Pennsylvania Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program, the Department of Health runs a “Heat Stress Project” through the Environmental Public Health Tracking program. The program provides data on climate, health, and preparedness for extreme heat.^{See footnote 39} DEP hosts information about drought status in Pennsylvania. Drought status is handled in part by the Commonwealth Drought Task Force, with the Commonwealth Drought Coordinator making the final decision.^{See footnote 40} The State Climatologist at Penn State offers historical data on precipitation, snowfall, and temperature.^{See footnote 41}

Adaptation Law and Policy in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s legal framework related to adaptation is built mainly around statutes governing floodplains, stormwater, and waterways. These statutes, which have become tools for managing climate-driven flood and precipitation risk, include the Flood Plain Management Act (Act 166 of 1978), the Stormwater Management Act (Act 167 of 1978), the Dam Safety and Encroachments Act (Act 325 of 1978), and the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247 of 1968). None of these laws were written with climate change in mind, and none incorporate explicit climate considerations into statute. To date, the Commonwealth's explicit adaptation-related legal requirements have been largely limited to planning; Act 70 of 2008 established the obligation to periodically update a climate action plan and impacts assessment.

Adaptation Planning Requirements

Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan

As noted above, Act 70 requires DEP, with advice from the CCAC, to produce a climate change impacts assessment report. This report must detail scientific predictions about how changing temperature and precipitation patterns may affect the Commonwealth, human health, the economy, and various sectors such as forestry and recreation.^{See footnote 42} DEP must also develop a Climate Action Plan that identifies greenhouse gas-related trends and baselines, evaluates cost-effective strategies for reducing or offsetting emissions and assesses costs and benefits of these strategies, and recommends to the General Assembly any legislative changes necessary to implement the plan.^{See footnote 43} DEP and the CCAC are required to update the impact assessment and plan every three years. The most recent plan was updated in 2024.^{See footnote 44}

Resilient Design and Siting Requirements

Resilient design requirements in Pennsylvania are largely derived from baseline flood risk management standards, principally the National Flood Insurance Program. The state has recommended that relevant state agencies develop climate-resilient design guidelines, though as of this writing that recommendation has not been translated into binding regulatory requirements.^{See footnote 45} 

Floodplain Management

Pennsylvania's floodplain management is administered through PEMA. The agency provides “community assistance visits, contacts, mapping, technical and mapping assistance, and training on floodplain management.”^{See footnote 46} The floodplain management team requires that municipalities in mapped floodplains submit annual floodplain management reports. Other requirements are outlined in the Pennsylvania Code, Title 25, Chapter 106 - Floodplain Management.^{See footnote 47} § 106.31.c requires that residential buildings (including hospitals, jails, and emergency services centers, among others) within the flood hazard areas have the lowest floor elevated one and a half feet above the 100-year flood elevation. PEMA provides a model ordinance to support compliance with the state’s Floodplain Management Act and the National Flood Insurance Program requirements.^{See footnote 48}

Adaptation Investments and Funding 

While Pennsylvania does not currently have a state-level requirement to integrate climate risk into investment decisions, it leverages various federal funding sources to support implementation of some projects that help build resilience.

Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority

The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) is the state revolving fund for water infrastructure, providing low-interest loans and grants for drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and non-point source projects.^{See footnote 49} PENNVEST funding originates from a combination of state funds approved by voters, Growing Greener funds, Marcellus Legacy funds, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) allocations, federal grants from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act, and recycled loan repayments.^{See footnote 50} This has enabled the state to consider, solicit, and implement green infrastructure projects to promote resiliency.

Statewide Adaptation Planning and Technical Assistance

Pennsylvania has developed a number of climate planning efforts at both the state agency and local levels that provide a foundation for adaptation action.

DEP's 2024 Pennsylvania Climate Impacts Assessment identifies priority climate hazards already affecting the Commonwealth. This includes increased flooding, extreme heat, and disruptions to water resources.^{See footnote 51} The assessment provides sector-specific findings that inform adaptation planning across the state government.^{See footnote 52} The 2024 Climate Action Plan builds on those findings by identifying 10 priority adaptation strategies addressing flooding, extreme heat, power outages, and tropical storms. The strategies span areas such as state agency coordination, local resilience programs, nature-based solutions, utility climate risk analysis, and enhanced emergency management.^{See footnote 53}

Individual state agencies have also developed adaptation plans for the systems in their oversight. These include DCNR's Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Plan, which outlines action steps to reduce climate impacts on state public lands, and PennDOT's 2045 Long-Range Transportation Plan, which addresses climate resilience for transportation infrastructure.^{See footnote 54 See footnote 55}

The state also operates several technical assistance programs aimed at building local resilience capacity. DEP administers the Local Climate Action Program (LCAP), which provides free technical and personnel assistance to local governments seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change, and has trained more than 81 cities, townships, boroughs, counties, and regional organizations representing more than 450 municipalities across the state. In 2023, the GreenGov Council launched the Pennsylvania Climate Change Mitigation and Resilience Network (PA Climate Network), an agency-driven organization that connects and educates diverse stakeholders across Pennsylvania to advance informed climate solutions and serve as a trusted resource for sharing best practices and advancing climate education and literacy.^{See footnote 56}

This summary aims to highlight the most important adaptation and resilience efforts underway in Pennsylvania, but it is not exhaustive. Other adaptation and resilience efforts may be led by other state agencies, localities, and private partners within the state. Source documents and additional resources, many of which are housed in the Adaptation Clearinghouse, are highlighted below.

This research was last updated on October 20, 2026.