Group Against Smog & Pollution

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) published notice of its intent to issue a Plan Approval to Shell Chemical Appalachia LLC for modifications to the company’s ethane cracker in Monaca, Beaver County - with plans for a public hearing March 19. Specifically, the Plan Approval would: authorize Shell to modify flares that it uses to control air pollution at the Facility, as required by new federal regulations; authorize Shell to install new equipment in

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. Air Quality Violations Lead to $46K Fine for Synthomer Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) issued a more than $46,000 civil penalty against West Elizabeth-based Synthomer - a Title V facility that produces syn

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has fined U.S. Steel $118,000 for safety violations stemming from the deadly August explosion at the Clairton Coke Works. OSHA documents show that the company was cited 10 times - nine of those were related to subpar safety procedures and employee training, and one was for failing to provide the agency with required reports as required. The fines were first reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune Review . Additionally,

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. New documents uploaded this week to the Allegheny County Health Department’s website show that U.S. Steel was issued more than $359,000 in stipulated penalties for air quality violations that occurred at its Clairto

There’s been yet another equipment breakdown at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works facility, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) announced in a press release Thursday. Here’s what the release said: According to the release, ACHD received a call from U.S. Steel regarding a breakdown of pollution control equipment at Clairton Coke Works. A breakdown happens when equipment isn't working properly and releases more pollution than normal. This can happen when equipment fail

GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell asked the board to use its authority to push ACE to refresh appointments to the Air Advisory Committee.

As we continue to advocate for a cleaner, safer Mon Valley, the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) is keeping a close eye on the fallout from the deadly August 2025 explosion at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works . In case you missed it, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) published an interim report following that issued interim safety recommendations to the company. You can read the entire document here  (and we totally recommend that you do). F

Yinz smell that?! That tell-tale stench of rotten eggs? You’re not smelling things: Concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (or H2S for short) are sky-high in and around the Mon Valley today. And you’re not alone in your suffering - social media and Carnegie Mellon University’s Smell Pittsburgh app lit up with complaints starting overnight Monday and continuing into the afternoon Tuesday: For the uninitiated: H2S is a toxic gas that occurs both naturally (from sources such as sw

Bad news to report today, friends. Here’s what’s going on: As you may recall, back in July, we blogged about the EPA’s   proposal to postpone compliance deadlines  in the revised National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for integrated iron and steel manufacturing facilities (the II&S NESHAPs), including U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works in Braddock.  GASP also   spoke out against  the proposed postponement in September. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, EPA

We find ourselves somewhat surprised to report that the federal government’s struggle against its own revised National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for coke ovens continues.  Quick background: The EPA promulgated the Revised Coke Oven NESHAPs in 2024.  Among other things, they required that coke oven operators monitor for benzene at their fencelines; imposed new limits on emissions of hazardous air pollutants from coke oven pushing, quenching, and battery s

The EPA on Nov. 20 published a   proposed rule  that would redesignate Allegheny County from “nonattainment” of the 2012 National Ambient Air Quality Standard for fine particulate matter (the “2012 NAAQS for PM2.5”) to “attainment.”   EPA’s proposed rule is based on monitored air quality data that shows that all areas of the county attained the 2012 NAAQS for PM2.5 during the years 2018, 2019, and 2020.  The proposed rule also discusses more recent monitored air quality data,

The Board of Health on Wednesday approved revisions to Allegheny County Health Department’s portion of Pennsylvania’s State Implementation Plan (SIP). What is a SIP? Here’s how ACHD explains its website: When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes a new National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) or revises an existing standard, it sets in motion a series of actions aimed at ensuring that air quality throughout the country meets those standards. State Im

Allegheny County Council on Tuesday approved air quality permit fee increases long sought by the Allegheny County Health Department.

The Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) has submitted comments on Cleveland Cliffs’ Monessen Coke Works draft Title V Operating permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The facility is a conventional coke plant producing coke and related carbon by-products and is located in Monessen along the Monongahela River.  The Monessen Coke Works facility includes two coke batteries, by-products recovery process plant, boiler operations plant,

The Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) has submitted comments on Carlisle Construction’s draft Title V Operating permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). By way of background: Carlisle Construction is a manufacturer and supplier of building products for the commercial and residential construction markets. GASP's comments on the draft Title V Operating Permit focused on:    the need to include a requirement that emissions from the fa

A Connecticut engineering firm retained by U.S. Steel to investigate the deadly Aug. 11 explosion at its Clairton Coke Works facility today released preliminary findings. The firm, Engineering Design & Testing Corp., issued the following information on its website Thursday: The explosion took place in the 13-14 Coke Battery transfer area when an 18-inch cast iron valve ruptured, releasing flammable coke oven gas, which subsequently exploded. The valve was originally manufactu

Calling all Westmoreland County residents: The time to weigh in on the long-awaited Title V operating permit for the Tenaska Westmoreland Generating Station is NOW.   But how we got here and what’s in that permit will take a little bit of explaining…   How We Got Here   A couple of years ago, we blogged  about testing issues at the Tenaska Westmoreland Generating Station in South Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County. For the uninitiated: Tenaska is a 940-megawatt, natural

We need to start with a little science lesson so we can drive home an air quality issue that probably isn’t on your radar. The subject? Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are a family of chemicals used mostly in refrigerators and air conditioners.   For such uses, they have replaced chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were phased out worldwide by the so-called Montreal Protocol, an international agreement struck in 1989. CFCs damage the stratospheric ozone layer, which protects u

Now for something completely different - some GOOD news out of the EPA:   The agency signaled in an Oct. 3 notice its intent to kill an...

Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week published a proposed rule  to eliminate greenhouse gas reporting requirements for...