#airpollution

Blog Against Smog

May 20, 2021

Watchdog Report: Annual Analysis on State of the Title V Air Quality Permit Backlog

A cornerstone of GASP’s clean air advocacy is watchdog work. We keep a close eye on more than just air quality data and emissions emanating from industrial polluters – we also work to keep air quality regulators accountable. Here in Allegheny County, that means keeping track of how efficiently our air local quality regulator – the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) – is managing the issuance of new air quality permits and the renewal of old ones. GASP’s legal team firs

May 12, 2021

More Enforcement Actions Related to Asbestos-Abatement Issued & Why It’s an Air Quality Concern

For those who may be unaware: When asbestos is left undisturbed it does not pose a health risk. However, during renovation or demolition, it’s common for old, brittle asbestos products to release tiny – even microscopic – fibers. These tasteless, odorless fibers can remain suspended in the air and enter your lungs when you inhale. Once inhaled, asbestos stays there forever. Like PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), asbestos is known as a “forever chemical” because its

May 4, 2021

Let’s Talk About U.S. Steel’s Decision Not to Invest In the Mon Valley Works

In an “Open Letter to our Pittsburgh Family” company President and Chief Executive Officer David B. Burritt wrote: “U. S. Steel is setting aside this project as we step forward to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world. In this world – a world that still needs steel – we need to find aggressive decarbonization solutions. The project we had planned in 2019 would have decreased our carbon footprint, but we must now move farther and faster. Just as steel transformed the worl

May 4, 2021

Study Confirms What Many Long Suspected: Clairton Coke Works Fire Sickened Mon Valley Residents

A new study co-authored by one of GASP’s board of directors confirms what many in the Mon Valley have long suspected: That a 2018 fire that knocked out air pollution controls at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works for more than three months sickened local residents. The collaborative study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, showed asthma exacerbations rose following the catastrophic Christmas Eve fire. “In addition to verifying that people living withi

Apr 22, 2021

The Climate Change Problem That Might Not Be on Your Radar: Food Waste & How YOU Can Combat It

According to ReFed, a whopping 35 percent of all food in the United States went unsold or uneaten. “That’s $408 billion worth of food with a greenhouse gas footprint equivalent to 4 percent of total U.S. GHG emissions,” according to ReFed. “Most of this became food waste, which went straight to landfill, incineration, or down the drain, or was simply left in the fields to rot.” All the while millions of Americans – an estimated one in eight – are facing food insecurity. There

Apr 21, 2021

“State of the Air” Report: Improvements Noted, But Pittsburgh-Area Air Quality Still Gets F Grade

The American Lung Associations’ annual “State of the Air” report is out and the grades are in: While our region saw incremental air quality improvements, it still scored straight F’s for exposure to ozone, short-term PM 2.5 and long-term PM 2.5. In fact, the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton region still ranks among the top-10 worst regions in the country when it comes to exposure to long-term exposure to fine particle pollution. You can read the report, which uses the latest cer

Apr 14, 2021

Welcome to Ozone Season, Allegheny Co.: Here’s What You Need to Know About the Air Pollutant

No, not the kind that’s way up high protecting us from those harmful UV rays. We’re talking ground-level ozone. What the heck is ground-level ozone? At the ground level, ozone is a harmful type of air pollution that is classified as a criteria pollutant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) because its level in outdoor air needs to be limited based on health criteria. Heard of the term smog? Ozone is its main ingredient. Since the temperature keeps creeping up int

Apr 13, 2021

U.S. Steel: Prove Commitment to Community by Taking Voluntary Measures to Mitigate Air Pollution

In fact, company CEO David B. Burritt recently noted that U.S. Steel recognizes that is a “pillar” of the community, and acknowledged the importance of being a good neighbor – a Pittsburgh virtue if there ever was one. “U.S. Steel recognizes the importance of the communities where we live and work,” Burritt said in a March 26 press release. “We want a sustainable, bright future for families in the Mon Valley and Greater Pittsburgh.” That release was issued in the midst of a m

Apr 13, 2021

Air Advisory Committee: Episodic Weather Regulation Ready to Go to Public Comment

GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini, who is a member of the committee, lauded the affirmative vote. “This was a long time coming,” she said. “GASP is hopeful that these much-needed regulations will help stave off air pollution from industry sources when bad-air days happen – as they did just this past week.” Monday’s meeting was the second time the episodic weather regulations were before the Air Advisory Committee: The group in February tabled the action item, punting t

Apr 9, 2021

Allegheny County Health Department to Begin Sending Mon Valley Air Quality Alerts

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) announced in a press release Friday that, beginning on Monday, April 12, it will begin providing public alerts for the Mon Valley when air quality forecasts indicate a potential for poor air quality. The notices are part of regulations currently moving through the Local Health Administration Law process, but the step by ACHD provides notice now for residents in the Mon Valley of the potential for poor air quality. Here’s the relea

Apr 6, 2021

National Healthy Schools Day '21 Build Back Better: GASP Joins Call for Clean Air in Every School

Schools urgently need to rebuild better after years of institutional and facility neglect. For two decades, healthy schools advocates have stressed the importance of clean indoor school environments to children’s health and ability to learn. Now, with schools reopening after a year of missed learning for too many children, poor air and water quality, misuse of toxic disinfecting products, no infection control plans, and aged ventilating systems are all challenges to staying f

Mar 24, 2021

ACTION ALERT | Tell Allegheny County Council: Air Quality Permit Fee Changes Desperately Needed

The petition is now closed. Thank you to everyone who signed! Imagine if you will, a world where local air quality program staffers must complete complex reviews and craft lengthy reports FOR the major industrial polluters they are charged with regulating. For free. Surprise: That’s what’s happening NOW right here in Allegheny County, where air quality staff members – inspectors, engineers, and attorneys – complete things like ambient air quality modeling, risk assessments, a

Mar 15, 2021

Residents Tell Allegheny Co. Health Dept: Put Our Health Above Industry Profits with Strong Permits

The message was delivered again and again by residents during the more than 90-minute hearing: U.S. Steel needs to clean up its act, and the health department needs to make sure they do it through permits that are as protective of public health as possible. More than two dozen residents made remarks Monday morning at Allegheny County Health Department’s virtual public hearing regarding myriad air quality permits – among them draft installation permits for U.S. Steel’s cogener

Mar 11, 2021

Two Pittsburgh Contractors Fined More than $19K for Asbestos-Related Air Quality Violations, Enforce

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) assessed a civil penalty of more than $19,000 against two Pittsburgh-area contractors recently for violating local asbestos-related air pollution regulations. In a Jan. 8 enforcement order against CPR Holdings of Gibsonia and Flynn Construction Management General Contracting Inc. of Pittsburgh posted to the health department website this week, ACHD officials outlined the companies’ nine air pollution control act violations. The vi

Mar 10, 2021

Neville Island Company Fined More than $7K for Open Air Release of Cement, Failure to Submit Reports

A Neville Island cement company was assessed a civil penalty of $7,150 for what the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) described as an open-air release of cement following an equipment breakdown. Kosmos Cement Co., a subsidiary of Kentucky-based Eagle Materials that operates a terminal facility in the township, failed to report an Oct. 5, 2020 valve failure that spurred the emissions event – one that came to the department’s attention thanks to a visual emissions compl

Mar 3, 2021

Updated Air Quality Permit Fees Approved by Allegheny Co. Board of Health

The Allegheny County Board of Health on Wednesday greenlighted increases for air quality permit fees and set the price tag for 14 new fees related to the permitting process – changes that are expected to help buoy enforcement and compliance efforts. The board voted 4-2 in support of the fee changes, which now head to Allegheny County Council for final approval. Dr. Kotayya Kondaveeti and Anthony Ferraro cast the dissenting votes. Absent were board Chairman Dr. Lee Harrison an

Feb 25, 2021

Air Quality Matters: Yes, Industrial Emissions Stink, But Don’t Ignore Your Indoor Air Quality

Those of us who reside in the Mon Valley, Neville Island, and other parts of Allegheny County (and beyond) know all too well how offsite odors from industrial facilities can impact your day-to-day life. But while the quality of our outdoor, ambient air is of paramount importance, it’s equally important not to neglect the stuff you’re breathing in your own home. The pandemic and the social distancing recommendations that came along with it are about a year old, which means a L

Feb 8, 2021

Advisory Committee Votes to Table Episodic Weather Regs, Health Department Says It Might Take it to

Draft episodic weather regulations long-sought by residents and air quality advocates could be sent out for public comment as soon as March 3, despite a committee vote Monday night. After about an hour of discussion, Allegheny County Health Department’s Air Advisory Committee voted unanimously to table the regulations, sending the draft back to the regulation subcommittee for more specifics. For inquiring minds who want to know: The next regulation subcommittee is scheduled t

Jan 28, 2021

Invisible Home Danger Leads to Medical, Advocacy Journey – Could You Be at Risk?

Editor’s Note: When GASP launched its Amplify Project last year, our goal was simple: To help amplify the voices of people in our community that need to be heard – our young people, our neighbors in frontline communities, and people who have first-hand experience grappling with the very real health impacts associated with poor air quality. While GASP’s focus has long been on the quality of outdoor ambient air, with people spending a whole lot more time at home, the quality of

Jan 25, 2021

GASP Pittsburgh Introduces New Youth Education Initiative ‘Fresh Voices for Clean Air’

The Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) is seeking Allegheny County students in grades 9, 10, and 11 who are interested in becoming environmental game-changers. If that’s you or someone you know, we invite you to apply today for an innovative new program called Fresh Voices for Clean Air. GASP is partnering on this unique opportunity with Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (GASP), a non-profit organization working in the greater-Birmingham area in Alabama that

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