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GASP to DEP: Revolution Cryogenic Plant Draft Plan Needs Stronger Controls to Protect Public Health
Currently, the Revolution Cryogenic Plant is classified as a what’s known as a natural minor source of air pollution. However, with the addition of the new Cryo II Unit, its potential to emit air pollutants would actually exceed major source thresholds.
3 days ago2 min read


U.S. Steel & Contractor Facing $15,300 Fine Related to Dust Issues at Edgar Thomson Works
Editor’s Note: The Allegheny County Health Department periodically updates its website to include documents related to air quality enforcement actions. As part of our watchdog work, GASP monitors this webpage and reports on the air quality violations posted there. Since the docket has not been updated since December 2025, GASP is now filing monthly public records requests to glean more timely information related to ACHD’s enforcement efforts. This is one of the most recent a
5 days ago2 min read


Allegheny County’s Latest Air Quality Violators: Who They Are & What They Did
The Allegheny County Health Department periodically updates its website to include documents related to air quality enforcement actions. As part of our watchdog work, GASP monitors this webpage and reports on the air quality violations posted there.
Because the docket has not been updated since December 2025, GASP is now filing monthly public records requests to glean more timely information related to ACHD’s enforcement efforts. These are the most recent actions received
5 days ago5 min read


Take *This* Survey to Help Shape the Future of Health in Our Communities
The anonymous survey is open to all Allegheny County residents age 18 and older and takes about 15 minutes to complete.
6 days ago2 min read


Preserving Our Past, Powering Our Future: Celebrating the Fresh Voices for Clean Air Oral History Project
Through our Fresh Voices for Clean Air project, we’ve seen firsthand that there is no better way to protect our future than by handing the microphone to the generation that will inherit it.
Jun 112 min read


GASP Legal Work on Draft Drilling Permit Leads to Reduced Emissions
Our senior attorney John Baillie explained the facility’s permit application demonstrated that it would be capable of operating flares used to control pollution at a 98% destructive efficiency rather than the 95% that would have been allowed by the draft Installation Permit.
Jun 101 min read


EPA Finalizes Regulations that Phase Down the Use of Potent Greenhouse Gases
“The pendulum has swung back to where it was in 2020,” GASP Senior Attorney John Baillie said. “The history of the HFC regulations shows not only that it is important to follow the law, but also that what one president can do with the stroke of a pen, the next president can undo the same way."
Jun 32 min read


Allegheny County Health Department Director Says New Emergency Alert System Coming July 1
Acknowledging the long-standing community frustration over communication gaps during industrial accidents, she announced that the county is debuting a brand-new emergency alert platform called CodeRED.
May 282 min read
GASP Joins ACCAN, Community, in Celebration of 10 Years of Cleaner Air Following Shenango Coke Works Closure
GASP was honored to join Allegheny County Clean Air Now (ACCAN) Wednesday for a reunion event celebrating a decade of cleaner air since the closure of the Shenango Coke Works on Neville Island. It was a night of hugs, shared memories, and a profound sense of "we did it." Looking around the room, it was impossible not to feel hopeful about the power of a community that refuses to stay silent. “By pairing resident advocates with legal and technical air-quality experts, this mul
May 212 min read


Can PA Do Away with its Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program?
The Pennsylvania Senate earlier this month passed a bill that would require the end of the Keystone state’s vehicle emission inspection program –one that GASP has written about extensively (here and here and here).
That begs the question: Can Pennsylvania end its vehicle inspection program?
May 212 min read


GASP Investigation Reveals Major Air Quality Permit Backlogs Persist Across Pennsylvania Despite Regulatory Denials
Despite official claims from regulators that backlogs are being successfully managed, GASP’s analysis shows multiple regional offices of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) - and to a lesser extent, the Allegheny County Health Department - continue to experience critical delays.
May 202 min read


GASP Investigates: Title V Operating Permit Backlog Persists Despite Official Denials
Since 2018, we’ve researched and reported on the backlogs that exist at ACHD and at DEP’s six regional offices for processing applications for Title V Operating Permits, the permits that the Clean Air Act requires the largest sources of air pollution to have.
May 196 min read


Bringing Global Insights to Local Skies: GASP & Partners Attend Air Sensors International Conference
For an organization like GASP—and for communities like ours that bear the brunt of industrial emissions—attending this conference helped us bridge the gap between cutting-edge global science and the real, breathable air in our neighborhoods.
May 193 min read


When the EPA Stands Down, Your Local Watchdogs Step Up
At a time when environmental protections are being rolled back at an alarming pace at federal level, your local watchdogs are here to step up.
May 60 min read


U.S. Steel Contests OSHA Violations Stemming from Deadly August 2025 Clairton Coke Works Explosion
U.S. Steel has contested citations issued by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stemming from the deadly August 2025 explosion at the Clairton Coke Works. The OSHA website shows the company has contested all 10 of the violations - nine of which were related to subpar safety procedures and employee training, and one was for failing to provide the agency with required reports as required. U.S. Steel was fined $118,000 for those violations. One of U.S.
May 41 min read


THANKS For Attending Walk-and-Talk with Allegheny Land Trust at Churchill Valley Greenway
We wanted to issue a HUGE SHOUT OUT to all the folks who joined us on our walk-and-talk with Allegheny Land Trust last week at Churchill Valley Greenway. It's spring in Pittsburgh - this time of year, you never know what you’re gonna get. Could be blue skies and sunshine, could be gray and drizzly. This time around, we got the latter. Extra special thanks to Sara Klingensmith at ALT for all her help co-leading the walk! Despite a little rain and overcast skies, yinz were all
May 41 min read


Two PA Generating Stations Slated for Closure to Continue to Operate Through 2032 Thanks to DEP Consent Decree
Gov. Josh Shapiro this week announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was seeking final court approval of a consent decree that will allow two generating stations in the Commonwealth to reopen and operate through 2032. The Keystone and Conemaugh Generating Stations are both coal-fired power plants having the same operator. Keystone is in Armstrong County and Conemaugh is in Indiana County. Both plants had been slated to close at the end of
Apr 232 min read


EPA Redesignates Allegheny Co. as in Attainment for 2012 PM2.5 NAAQS
Several months ago, we blogged about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to redesignate Allegheny County from nonattainment of the 2012 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter to attainment. We have an update: In the April 16 edition of the Federal Register, EPA published a Final Rule that does, in fact, redesignate Allegheny County to attainment of the 2012 NAAQS for PM2.5. To put it another way: It’s official, official now.
Apr 221 min read


GASP Joins CROWD, EHP & Protect PT to Demand Stronger Permit for Leto Well Pad in West Deer
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with local families and environmental advocates, the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) on Monday attended a public hearing to challenge the installation permit for the EQT Leto Well Pad and Dehydrator in West Deer Township. GASP joined our partners at Concerned Residents of West Deer (CROWD) , a dedicated group of neighbors who have spent years fighting to protect their community from heavy industrial shale gas operations in residentia
Apr 163 min read


PennDOT and Northeast Paving Fined for Unpermitted Blasting on I-376 Bridge
An enforcement action by the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) serves as a stark reminder that public health regulations aren't optional—even for state agencies. Here’s what happened: During a routine inspection in April 2025, ACHD representatives visited the I-376 Bridge over Boyce Road and determined that while the site already held a permit for sandblasting structural steel, crews were also performing unpermitted abrasive blasting on rusted rebar for concrete repai
Apr 132 min read


NCP Carbon Fined Over Equipment Breakdowns
The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) has issued a $7,140 civil penalty against NCP Carbon for repeated air quality violations and failure to report equipment breakdowns in 2025. Located in Jefferson Hills, the facility specializes in carbon products, including carbon raiser, injection carbon, and metallurgic coke. According to a March 9 ACHD enforcement order, between June and October 2025, department representatives documented several instances of excess emissions o
Apr 132 min read
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