Philadelphia and Delaware County are uniquely vulnerable to impacts of climate change, even compared to the rest of Pennsylvania. Residents in communities along the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers face extreme heat and flooding risks compounded by the large amounts of polluting industrial facilities in densely populated riverfront areas.
Clean Air Council’s three-year Climate Resilient Communities project brought together residents in South and Southwest Philadelphia as well as Chester, Trainer, and Marcus Hook in Delaware County to address the combined risk of climate change and pollution. The Council’s forthcoming Climate Resilient Communities report, developed by landscape architects at Olin Design Studio, provides key findings and recommendations to address the risks and build climate resiliency.
One of the key findings of the study is that riverfront industrial infrastructure can cause dangerous public health conditions, like increased air and water pollution, during extreme heat and precipitation events. Recommended resiliency strategies include strengthening connections between local leaders, neighbors, and community groups and the expansion of storm shelters, cooling centers and air conditioned recreational space.
Over the course of three years, Clean Air Council and community partners surveyed residents and hosted regular meetings in each focus neighborhood. Residents reviewed local climate models, identified locations most impacted by heat and flooding, and provided extensive feedback on resilience strategies that would have the greatest impact in their communities.
Council staff then worked with residents and partners in each neighborhood to develop green infrastructure projects to mitigate heat and flooding impacts and support climate resiliency. Ideas for projects included transforming vacant lots into community gardens, adding native trees and pollinator plants to local parks, and transforming existing parks into naturescapes for families and children to enjoy. Based on residents’ feedback, four climate resilient communities projects were implemented.
In Delaware County, the Council worked with the City of Chester, Legacy Arts Chester and Bonnie’s Community & Development Corp to make significant improvements to Sun Village Park, including a storybook walk and native pollinator garden, new picnic tables and benches, and vibrant mural and art installations around the park’s pavilion and tennis courts. The Council also worked with Trainer Borough, Marcus Hook Area Neighbors for Public Health, and the NMS Watersheds Alliance to install a storybook walk, native pollinator garden, native flowering trees, mural arts, and a free little library at Wilcox Park next to Monroe Refinery in Trainer. These revitalized park spaces in Delaware County provide residents with shaded spaces to connect with nature, art, literacy, and other neighbors. Respite and community gathering spaces help to build social connection and cohesion, which are vital to a community’s climate resiliency plan.
In South Philadelphia, the Council worked with the Church of the Redeemer Baptist’s Growing Together Community Garden to expand the existing native pollinator garden and create a gathering space for gardeners of the site’s over 200 plots. This included the installation of new picnic tables with shade umbrellas as well as several park benches. The creation of a community gathering space in the garden will support residents to further develop this local greenspace, which helps to cool the neighborhood and build community cohesion.
In addition to the pollinator garden and seating areas, Council staff worked with Philly Thrive’s Mutual Aid circle and the Tasker-Morris Neighborhood Association to create a climate guide of the Grays Ferry neighborhood that shows pollution sources as well neighborhood resources. The guide is featured in a custom made climate information station in the garden, which features a planter box as well as a space to distribute community flyers and pamphlets.
In Southwest Philadelphia’s Eastwick neighborhood, Council staff worked with Eastwick United, Eastwick Friends and Neighbors, and the Eastwick Recreation Center to place three additional climate information stations around Eastwick. These climate hubs (which are also public planters) inform residents about neighborhood meetings on local flood risks, illegal dumping, and other environmental health and climate issues. Council staff also worked with these organizations on a detailed climate guide of Eastwick that includes nearby environmental hazards as well as many local assets.
Clean Air Council will continue sharing the key findings and recommendations of the Climate Resilient Communities report with local decision makers, and will continue to work with local leaders to expand access to safe public amenities like parks and greenspaces while encouraging responsible development along local riverfronts. For more information please contact Advocate Russell Zerbo at rzerbo@cleanair.org, Philadelphia Organizer Jendaiya Hill at jhill@cleanair.org, or Delco Outreach Coordinator Alyssa Felix-Arreola at afa@cleanair.org
This Climate Resilient Communities project was made possible through a grant from the William Penn Foundation.
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NBC Philadelphia: Philly lawyer files another lawsuit to stop SEPTA’s fare increase – This week the same Philadelphia lawyer whose previous lawsuit caused a judge to order the full restoration of SEPTA’s services is filing another suit. This class-action lawsuit aims for SEPTA to roll back its 21.5% fare hike. The previous lawsuit resulted in SEPTA tapping into their state capital assistance funding over the next two years. The Pennsylvania legislature continues to miss budget deadlines, leaving public transit without a state budget.
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CHESTER, PA (August 22, 2025) – Clean Air Council, City of Chester, and partners are proud to announce that Sun Village Park in Chester, PA, has officially reopened! The newly revitalized park includes a storybook walking trail, new benches and picnic tables, native plantings and mural arts installations. The project is the culmination of a three-year climate resilience communities project funded by the William Penn Foundation, and led by Clean Air Council, along with many Chester residents who contributed their feedback to the process.
Clean Air Council worked with Olin Design to map and better understand the potential climate impacts to residents living in communities along the Delaware River. Residents provided extensive feedback on where they notice stormwater runoff, flooding, and heat islands, as well as where they would like to see a green infrastructure project installed to help mitigate potential flooding and heat impacts from climate change. Residents chose Sun Village Park and selected all of the new features that have now been installed.
Additionally, as part of this community-led project, residents gathered at the Sun Village Park pavilion every week this summer for “Arts in the Park” workshops with Bonita Taylor from Bonnie’s Community and Development Corporation and Katarina Sindoni from Legacy Arts Chester. Children from the community gathered weekly to create sculptural mural arts from recycled materials, painting and building flowers and other three-dimensional pieces that have now been installed throughout the park. A vibrant mural was also installed on the pavilion pillars by Carrie Kingsbury of Promised Land murals. The murals reflect the colors and musical theme of the first book in the storybook walk.
“Sun Village Park is a shining example of what happens when community voices lead the way. This beautiful space reflects the creativity, resilience, and pride of Chester’s residents — especially our young people, whose artwork now lives in the heart of this neighborhood,” stated Mayor Stefan Roots. “I’m grateful for the collaboration with Clean Air Council, Legacy Arts Chester, and all our partners who helped make this vision a reality. Together, we’re building a greener, safer, and more vibrant Chester for generations to come.”
The incredible partnership that made this possible was honored Friday with a grand opening celebration. Dozens of community members and representatives from Clean Air Council, City of Chester, Legacy Arts Chester, and the Friends of Sun Village Park were in attendance. Local residents enjoyed a free water ice truck and the opportunity to explore the new storybook walking trail and see the new murals, including sculptural mural arts made by children in the community from recycled and upcycled materials.
“I am very excited about the revitalization of Sun Village Park,” said Bonita Taylor, long-time Sun Village resident and Friends of Sun Village Park leader. “This is a project we have been waiting for for many years; it is bringing happiness and a safe space to our community.’
For more information, visit the Friends of Sun Village Park’s Facebook page.
TRAINER, PA (July 28, 2025) – Clean Air Council and partners are proud to announce that Wilcox Park in Trainer, PA has officially reopened! The newly revitalized community park at Wilcox and 3rd Streets is the culmination of a three-year climate resilience communities project with the Clean Air Council, Marcus Hook Area Neighbors for Public Health, and many residents who contributed feedback to the process.
Wilcox Park is located just one block from the Monroe Refinery in Trainer Borough. As part of this project, Clean Air Council and Marcus Hook Area Neighbors worked with Olin Design to map and better understand the potential climate impacts to residents living in and around industrial facilities along the Delaware River. Residents provided extensive feedback on where they notice stormwater runoff, flooding, and heat islands, as well as where they would like to see a green infrastructure project installed to help mitigate potential flooding and heat impacts from climate change. Wilcox Park was chosen, and residents selected all of the features that have now been installed. The new park includes a storybook trail, native plantings, a new picnic table and bench, a Free Little Library, and a park mural installation.
“As a long time resident of Trainer it’s nice to finally see something nice and vibrant at the park!” said Holly Brooks, a founding member of the Friends of Wilcox Park. “So many families love to visit when there are things to do and see. For the kids it will help boost their confidence in reading and be able to be outdoors more instead of sitting inside the house. I am so excited to see it all unfold in the months and years to come.”
The incredible partnership that made this possible was honored Sunday with a grand opening celebration. Dozens of community members and representatives from Clean Air Council, Marcus Hook Area Neighbors for Public Health, and the Friends of Wilcox Park were in attendance. Local residents enjoyed a free water ice truck as well as an “Arts in the Park” workshop, where children created sculptural mural arts from recycled and upcycled materials.
“This new addition to a small underused park will undoubtedly add value to both homeowners and especially all of the children that will be using the park,” said Rafael Hernandez, founding member of the Friends of Wilcox Park and a member of the Trainer Borough Environmental Advisory Council. “It was a privilege to work with the Clean Air Council, Trainer borough, the maintenance crew and the residents. This is what a community looks like!”
For more information visit the Friends of Wilcox Park’s Facebook page.
On Tuesday evening, July 30th, over 60 residents and key stakeholders gathered in-person at the Keystone First Wellness and Opportunity Center in Chester, with another 30 residents and key stakeholders joining via Zoom, to learn the key findings and recommendations of the ASSESS Community and Environmental Health Study of southeastern Delaware County.
The report included several key recommendations for policy makers such as:
- Enact environmental justice legislation that addresses and mitigates cumulative impacts.
- Prioritize community engagement, inclusion, and transparency in any decision-making processes that affect fenceline residents before facilities and infrastructure are proposed.
- Implement or expand air, odor, and noise monitoring programs in Southern Delaware County and develop mitigation plans as needed.
- Enact policies & programs that reduce pollution, crime & violence, and food insecurity; improve access to mental health services and green community spaces.
The ASSESS study is a collaboration of Marcus Hook Area Neighbors for Public Health, Clean Air Council, Johns Hopkins University, and community co-investigators. The study utilized a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) model in which residents were full partners in the design, implementation, evaluation, and publication of the study results.
The study aimed to address the impacts of pollution on physical, mental, and environmental health in southeastern Delaware County communities, along the I-95 corridor from Marcus Hook up through Eddystone. The study involved both a survey to collect data and a series of focus groups to better understand residents’ lived experiences. Both the survey questions and focus group questions were designed with input from community co-investigators, such that the study itself was tailored to the needs and issues that pertain to the community.
The report offered several key recommendations for policymakers, local leaders, researchers, and community organizers. One recommendation that got a lot of attention at the meeting was to push forward Cumulative Impacts Environmental Justice legislation that has already been introduced in both the House and Senate in Pennsylvania, but which to date has not moved forward.
“The ASSESS Study represents a significant opportunity for all community stakeholders—including elected officials, citizens, and activists—to work together,” said Thom Nixon, community co-investigator. “As highlighted in our town meeting on July 30th, the study provides a basis for advocating for new local and state-level laws addressing the cumulative impacts of multiple industries on overburdened communities. These industries, including petrochemical plants, have long histories of pollution affecting our land, air, and water in Southeast Delaware County.”
During the presentation, community co-investigators Thom Nixon, Kearni Warren, Echo Alford and Eve Miari, along with JHU researcher Sara Lupolt, shared some of the key findings of the study:
- Residents of southern Delaware County are overburdened by a combination of both chemical and non-chemical stressors. These “cumulative burdens” harm physical, mental, and environmental health in a myriad of ways.
- Symptoms of physical and mental health problems are far more widespread in the community than what has been diagnosed or previously documented. Residents are making a clear connection between their health impacts and the pollution, odors, and noise in their environment.
- Children in southern Delaware County are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of pollution, as well as the cumulative impacts of pollution and non-chemical stressors, such as economic insecurity, lack of access to affordable housing, food insecurity, violence and crime. Many more children in southern Delaware County experience symptoms such as coughing and wheezing than have medically documented asthma diagnoses.
- 95% of survey participants reported noxious odor issues that interfered with daily activities and quality of life.
You can see the full report for all key findings and additional recommendations here.
If you missed the meeting, you can still view the presentation slides.
What’s Next?
In the coming months, Marcus Hook Area Neighbors for Public Health and Clean Air Council will be working to develop an advocacy plan that will take the findings of the ASSESS study and put them into action. Please join us!
MHANPH meets regularly to discuss and address air quality issues, watershed protection, climate resilience, and environmental health in southern Delaware County. You can follow MHANPH on Facebook and Instagram and get on the email list to find out about upcoming events!
Clean Air Council, in partnership with MHANPH, is also in the process of launching an air monitoring program that will install outdoor air monitors at residents’ homes to collect real-time air quality data. Participants will be compensated for hosting a monitor. Check out https://cleanair.org/airmonitor for more information on the Council’s air monitoring program.
