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Thanks to a data sharing partnership with Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services, financial assistance program enrollment and participation is now faster and easier
PHILADELPHIA (July 31, 2026) – Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) is making access to utility assistance programs even easier for eligible customers through a data sharing partnership with Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (PA DHS). Through this cooperation, PA DHS -- which administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) -- now provides PGW with LIHEAP applicant information for those who have consented, to streamline enrollment and allow automatic recertification for eligible customers into PGW’s Customer Responsibility Program (CRP). CRP is a bill assistance program that helps low-income customers afford their PGW bills and receive pre-program debt forgiveness.
What does this mean for PGW customers? Thanks to this new partnership:
“It is exciting that through this data sharing agreement, PGW will improve program access for more low-income customers, while still maintaining high program integrity,” said Denise Adamucci, Senior Vice President of Customer and Regulatory Affairs at PGW. “This data sharing partnership with PA DHS reduces access burdens for our customers – by simplifying the process so they can focus on what matters most to them. We look forward to continuing to work in cooperation with PA DHS to help our customers in new and innovative ways.”
Customers enrolled in CRP who did not apply for LIHEAP or who used the LIHEAP grant for a different utility will need to re-certify. Those who are not already enrolled can apply online through My Account or by mail or fax using the CRP application (available to customers in 14 languages).
Beyond its data-sharing agreement with PA DHS, PGW has also teamed up with local peer utilities to better serve income-eligible households. This spring, PGW and two other local utilities contacted their income-eligible customers, sending more than 320,000 emails across Philadelphia to promote each other’s utility assistance programs. If a customer is eligible for one utility’s program, they are likely eligible for another utility’s program. Through this utility cooperation, more Philadelphians benefit from utility assistance and lower their overall household energy burden.
For information on each program and ways to enroll, eligible customers can apply to each program through the utility’s website:
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PGW is identifying potential decarbonization options to shape future energy decisions
Philadelphia (July 29, 2026) – Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) is dedicated to leading Philadelphia’s clean energy future and is pursuing several different opportunities and initiatives to move the company and the City forward. One effort launched this year is PGW’s Low Carbon Pathways project, aimed at exploring possible long-term decarbonization pathways while also prioritizing safety, affordability and reliability to advance decarbonization goals and support a cleaner, greener Philadelphia. To undertake important work, PGW engaged a leading sustainability consulting firm, Environmental Resources Management, Inc. (ERM), which was competitively selected by PGW to support analytical modeling and stakeholder engagement.
“The goal of this study is to explore a range of viable options as representative examples for comparison, and to establish a foundation for future decision making,” said Janelle Johnson-Grummert, PGW’s Director of Sustainability. “As we drive sustainability efforts, we want to prioritize the greatest emission reductions possible while ensuring no customers are left behind and all have access to safe, reliable, and affordable energy.”
To continue reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) in Philadelphia, PGW has set annual emissions reductions targets since 2023, to meet its ambitious long-term goals. For its 2025 fiscal year (September to August), PGW’s target reduction was 10,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) and PGW notably exceeded this target, achieving a total reduction of over 12,000 metric tons of CO2e. PGW currently accounts for approximately 21 percent of the City of Philadelphia’s city-wide GHG emissions. While PGW’s share of GHG emissions is less than transportation and electricity, the reductions PGW is making a meaningful step in achieving the City of Philadelphia’s commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Led by ERM and PGW, the comprehensive analysis will look at outcomes from several scenarios, including:
The Low Carbon Pathways Project study and will be completed in fall 2026. As part of the study PGW will host two virtual community engagement sessions to discuss and gather feedback from Philadelphians to help inform PGW’s ongoing and future work. More information about the Low Carbon Pathways study and PGW’s ongoing sustainability work can be found at pgworks.com/sustainability.
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PHILADELPHIA – On Friday, July 10, the Department of Sanitation was joined by its sustainability partners in a press briefing on the status of the City’s Municipal Solid Waste Contracts. Pennsylvania's Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (Act 101) requires counties and municipalities to implement a "fair, open, and competitive" process for selecting waste management and disposal programs. This ensures equitable access to capacity and guards against favoritism, fraud, and extravagance. As part of the evaluation and selection processes for the new contracts the Sanitation Department utilized the City of Philadelphia’s Best Value RFP process to evaluate all bids and responses to the waste and recycling RFPs, including a new category that evaluates environmental sustainability, along with capacity and cost which are a part of the negotiation process.
The City of Philadelphia Municipal Solid Waste and Recycling contracts expired June 30, 2026. Contract extensions for a period of six months were executed through the Procurement Department to allow the Sanitation Department sufficient time to evaluate bids submitted in response to City’s Request for Proposals (RFP) Process, negotiate costs, and work with Procurement to post the new contract awards and prepare ordinances for City Council approval. Prior to the contract negotiations, the City met with multiple entities to learn about their concerns and interests related to the waste RFP. As a result, a component was added to evaluate environmental impacts as part of the RFP selection process. This added provision allowed for an objective evaluation of various waste strategies, and an effective and efficient determination of the environmental impacts of each option submitted.
Evaluation criteria during the process included costs, transportation impact assessment, environmental impact assessment (landfill and waste to energy comparisons, emissions data), education and litter support. In addition, two independent firms, MSW Consultants and Civil & Environmental Consultants, conducted environmental impact analyses. Negotiations are completed and the results have been submitted to the Procurement Department for posting and vendor notifications. Posting of the Notice of Intent to award will be on July 10, 2026 at www.phlcontracts.phila.gov.
The evaluation of the contracts through the Best Value RFP process provides an opportunity for the Sanitation Department to deliver a recommendation that is fiscally and environmentally responsible to the residents and stakeholders of Philadelphia. Given the deep concerns about the environmental impact of the City’s waste disposal, the Department sought to take careful deliberation to ensure a sound decision was made in managing the city’s waste and recycling.
The evaluation and selection process included a panel of various sustainability partners. The Committee Review of Proposals included representatives from the Department of Sanitation, Office of Sustainability, Department of Health, and Office of Clean and Green.
“Our goal through this RFP process was to encourage competitive bidding from multiple waste disposal companies to offer solutions that provide environmentally sustainable and fiscally responsible proposals to consider that meets the City’s vision of a safer, cleaner, and greener Philadelphia,” said Carlton Williams, Director, Office of Clean and Green Initiatives. “We believe the RFP Process will lead to a contract that is financially sound, environmentally safe (according to PADEP standards) and includes the best option for the City to explore alternative methods for disposal.”
“Ultimately our plan of action is to invest in practices that helps the City meet its zero waste goals by creating systems where the City’s waste is diverted into more sustainable processes,” said Crystal Jacobs Shipman, Commissioner, Department of Sanitation. “The city will continue to explore alternative methods for disposal including organics processing, composting, textiles recovery, recycling, and anaerobic digestion. We will utilize what’s at our disposal presently by awarding a contract to the respondents of the Best Value RFP.”
“Balancing the benefits and harms from waste management is one of the toughest aspects of public health,” said Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson, Commissioner, Department of Public Health. “The efficient management of our City’s waste is a key consideration in the health of our residents, but traditional methods of that management can be harmful. The Health Department was pleased to participate in this RFP process, and is excited to help every step of the way as we make Philadelphia the cleanest, greenest, and safest big city in America, with economic opportunity for all.”
“The City recognizes that the most sustainable approach to waste management is to lead with waste reduction,” said Elizabeth Lankenau, Director, Office of Sustainability. The Office of Sustainability is committed to collaborating with the Office and Clean and Green, the Sanitation Department, and partners across the city to advance and accelerate zero waste goals. In particular, we are excited to support the innovative organics and sortation pilot ideas that resulted from this RFP process.”
“Waste diversion in Philadelphia is one impactful way for Philadelphia Gas Works to help lower greenhouse gas emissions and lead Philadelphia’s clean energy goals forward,” said Elliott Gold, Vice President of Corporate Planning, PGW. “This partnership can help identify and evaluate options for sorting, diverting and processing organic waste to productive purposes.”
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