#airpollution

Blog Against Smog

Jan 20, 2021

Residents to Allegheny County Health Department: Better Protect Us With Strong Coke Oven Regs

Editor’s Note: The public comment period for Allegheny County’s coke oven regulations closed as of 4 p.m. Jan. 21. Residents talked about having to shut their windows on nice days to keep out noxious odors emanating from the Clairton Coke Works. They spoke about asthma attacks, about suffering itchy eyes and throats, about dust that cakes their windows and kills their outdoor plants. Some talked about fears that persistent poor air quality would ultimately force them to uproo

Jan 19, 2021

New DEP Fee Schedule Expected to Put Air Quality Program on ‘Sound Financial Footing’

We’ve got some good news to report: The revised fee schedule for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Air Quality Program officially went into effect this past weekend – a move that will allow it to adequately administer and enforce air pollution laws in the 65 of the state’s 67 counties (excluding Allegheny and Philadelphia Counties) for which it is responsible. That’s because the Air Quality Program is funded by the fees that it charges rather than by g

Jan 19, 2021

Deadline to Speak Out on Proposed Coke Oven Regulations Quickly Approaching

Editor’s Note: The public comment period for Allegheny County’s draft coke oven regulations closed as of 4 p.m. Jan. 21. Time is running out to weigh in on proposed revisions to Allegheny County’s coke oven regulations – rules the health department hopes will reduce certain air pollutants emanating from U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works as well as clarify inspection procedures. As Mon Valley residents know all too well, emissions from coke ovens have been a primary source of o

Jan 6, 2021

What You Need to Know About Allegheny County’s Proposed Coke Oven Regulation Revisions & How to

Editor’s Note: The public comment period for Allegheny County’s draft coke oven regulations closed as of 4 p.m. Jan. 21. THANK YOU to all who submitted comments! If you are concerned about emissions from U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works, there is no better time than now to let the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) know how you feel. ACHD is now accepting public input on long-awaited revisions to its air quality regulations governing coke oven emissions. GASP will be s

Dec 26, 2020

The One With All the New Year’s Resolutions <Cue Bryan Adams>

Dear Fellow Breathers, Congratulations are in order: It’s Dec. 26 and the roller-coaster ride that was 2020 is nearing an end. We survived <cue applause>! With just a few days left in what was a challenging 12 months, GASP is shifting its focus from the year that was to the year that will be. While 2020 is a year that a lot of folks will try to forget, we’re hopeful that 2021 will be one to remember. In fact, we’re resolved to make it so. It might be a bit early, but we’re l

Dec 21, 2020

GASP’s Christmas Wish? Clean Air for the Holiday (for the First Time in Three Years)

On Christmas Eve 2018 – a fire at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works disabled its air pollution controls designed to reduce sulfur content from escaping the facility. That fire led the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) to initially issue an enforcement order against U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works for continued Article XXI permit violations for daily sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions after the Dec. 24 fire. As you may recall, while Pittsburgh did get a white Christmas last y

Nov 4, 2020

Youth Panelists Sought for Chatham University Panel Discussion About Pollution, Gender & Sexual

Mark your calendars for two upcoming panel discussions regarding the intersection of soil, air and water pollution and gender justice as well as sexual orientation justice co-hosted by Chatham University, GASP, and several other local groups. The first event is slated from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 10 and will feature a group of powerful intergenerational leaders who will share their work and the ways they think about changes to those systems. Chatham is also seeking youth paneli

Oct 6, 2020

Allegheny Co. Controller: ACHD’s Taken “Encouraging Steps” to Stave Off Air Quality Permit Backlog

Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner on Tuesday said her office’s audit of the County Health Department’s (ACHD) Clean Air Act permitting program showed improvements in 2019 over its previous audit five years before but added that it continued to fall short of full compliance with its obligations under federal law. Title V Section 503(c) of the Clean Air Act indicates that permitting authorities such as ACHD “shall approve or disapprove a completed [Title V operating per

Sep 16, 2020

Local Enviro Groups to Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald: Lives Literally Depend on Your Swift Action

GASP and several local environmental groups and nonprofit partners sent a letter this week to Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald calling on him to take swift, aggressive action to improve local air quality – reminding him that in many cases, the lives of his constituents literally depend on it. The letter was sent as part of the Toxic Ten Week of grassroots actions calling on Fitzgerald to demonstrate his commitment to air quality improvement by stemming air pol

Aug 18, 2020

Allegheny County Health Department Issues Enforcement Orders Over Asbestos Abatement

According to the orders posted to the ACHD website Aug. 13, the companies violated Allegheny County’s Air Pollution Control Regulations by failing to submit required asbestos surveys and asbestos abatement demolition forms – documents that must be sent to ACHD 10 days prior to work commencing. For those who might be unfamiliar: Asbestos refers to a group of naturally occurring, fibrous minerals that can cause major breathing problems and even cancer. During demolition, old, b

Aug 13, 2020

Sign Our Petition to Tell ACHD it Must Provide Public Update on Edgar Thomson Emissions Issues

GASP needs your help to send a message to the Allegheny County Health Department that enough is enough: The public deserves a substantive update on the air quality issues revolving around U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works facility. Read and sign our petition below. Editor's Note: The deadline to sign the petition has passed. Thank you to everyone who signed! #noticeofviolation #airpollution #USSteel #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #EdgarThomsonPlant #ACHD #airquality

Aug 5, 2020

Recent Air Quality Standard Amendment Will Further Limit Mercury Emissions at U.S. Steel Facility

U.S. Steel’s Braddock-based Edgar Thomson Works is one of 11 integrated iron and steel manufacturing facilities in the country to be subject to amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) that were finalized recently by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These amendments didn’t just come out of the blue: Section 112 of the Clean Air Act directs the EPA to categorize sources of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and develop NESHAPs

Jul 21, 2020

Watchdog Report: Lower Emission Limits Could Be Coming Soon to a Coal-Fired Power Plant Near You

Lower emission limits could be coming soon to local coal-fired plants thanks to an Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) recommendation that the Environmental Protection Agency require daily limits on oxides of nitrogen on electricity generating units in Pennsylvania. The recommendation applies to coal-fired plants equipped with selective or non-selective catalytic reduction units (known as SCR and NSCR, respectively). For those who are unfamiliar: SCR and NSCR units control NOx e

Jul 20, 2020

DEP Awards $2.1 Million in Grants for Cleaner Fuel Vehicle Projects to Help Improve Air Quality, Add

Editor’s Note: The following was taken from a press release issued today by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). More than $2.1 million in 2019 Alternative Fuel Incentive Grants were awarded Monday – money that will fund 18 cleaner fuel vehicle projects statewide. DEP officials said the grants “will help improve air quality and public health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address climate change.” “We’re committed to helping Pennsylvanians breathe cl

Jul 15, 2020

Concerns About Air Quality Dominate Public Comment at Allegheny County Board of Health Meeting

Concerns over poor air quality and recent emissions issues at U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works facilities dominated the public comments period of the Allegheny County Board of Health meeting Wednesday afternoon. Nearly 20 people submitted comments sharing their worry over poor air quality, including GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini, who expressed concern over a lack of transparency regarding recent emissions issues at the Edgar Thomson plant. She again called on Alleghen

Jul 9, 2020

Still No Official Explanation for Emissions Issues at U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Plant

Editor’s Note: GASP on Aug. 26 delivered a petition signed by nearly 600 people and 16 local organizations calling for the Allegheny County Health Department to provide a substantive update on the ongoing emissions issues at U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson plant. After complaints from concerned citizens and clean air groups over an opaque, reddish-brown plume billowing from U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Plant on the evening of June 17, the Allegheny County Health Department agreed to

Jul 8, 2020

DEP: Capping Carbon Pollution Would Save Hundreds of Lives, Billions of Dollars

Cutting carbon dioxide pollution from power plants would save hundreds of lives and billions of dollars in Pennsylvania, according to new analysis from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Governor Tom Wolf has made reducing air pollution from power plants by participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) a top climate priority. Participating in the program would also drive up economic activity in Pennsylvania by billions of dollars a

Jun 29, 2020

GASP Awarded Grant to Help Educate Middle School Students About Air Quality & Climate Change

The Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) was recently awarded a $17,497 grant through the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to develop and distribute climate change and air quality education tool kits for middle school students. “It’s crucial that our children, who are the next generation of decision-makers, understand the importance of clean air. One thing we’ve learned is it’s difficult to expect community members to care about – and advocate for – impro

Jun 25, 2020

ACHD Announces SO2 Exceedance, Says June 17 Edgar Thomson Plume Due to Valve Failure

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) on Thursday announced that according to preliminary data from the North Braddock air quality monitor, there was a sulfur dioxide exceedance earlier today. It also announced that an emissions plume emanating from U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works was due to a valve failure at the plant. Here’s the message ACHD sent out through the Allegheny Alerts system: ACHD has preliminary information that the North Braddock sulfur dioxide (SO2)

Jun 25, 2020

GASP Joining Triboro Ecodistrict, New Sun Rising & Others for Clean Air Project Virtual Kickoff

The Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) will join fellow local air quality experts, activists, and elected officials in a discussion about Pittsburgh air quality. Join us from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. June 30 for the virtual kickoff of the Clean Air Project, an initiative spearheaded by the Triboro Ecodistrict and New Sun Rising. During the online event, we will discuss where local pollution comes from, what the health implications are, and most importantly: how you can become mo

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