Group Against Smog & Pollution

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

At long last, Allegheny County Council is poised to vote Nov. 18 on a long sought (and direly needed) air quality permit fee schedule that would fully fund the Allegheny County Health Department’s Air Quality Program. The news comes in the wake of Council’s Health and Human Services Committee meeting on Wednesday, when members recommended ACHD’s proposal be placed on the Nov. 18 agenda for a full vote. GASP will again be there to urge council to vote YES on ACHD’s original pr

Remember the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (otherwise known as RGGI)? We blogged a number of times  about Pennsylvania’s attempted entry into program. As a reminder: RGGI is a cap-and-trade system that a number of states in the northeastern United States participate in.   Under the system, large fossil-fuel fired electric generating units are required to purchase credits to allow their emission of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), which they can trade. The idea? By gradually reduc

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

GASP is thrilled to share a critical opportunity to elevate the conversation around environmental justice right here in our backyard - our friends at 412 Justice are co-hosting the National People's Hearing Tour later this month. This two-day public gathering slated for Nov. 21 and 22 at the Omni William Penn Hotel Downtown and will be centered on testimonies, community-driven solutions, and cultural celebration, inviting people from across the nation to share their experienc

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

Fellow Breathers, some congratulations are in order: Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) Director Dr. Iulia Vann has been named one of the de Beaumont Foundation's 40 Under 40 in Public Health - a national recognition honoring her exceptional leadership and enduring commitment to improving lives, advancing health equity, and transforming public health systems to serve all communities more effectively.  The de Beaumont Foundation announced the program's Class of 2025 tod

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...

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) on Friday released new details related to air quality monitoring in the wake of the deadly...

Just a quick appreciation post: The gang at GASP wants to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who attended our recent Walk and Talk at...

Last month’s deadly explosion at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works left the community reeling, and while the Allegheny County Health...

Friends, we have some awesome news to share: GASP has hired its first-ever environmental health manager. Her name is Rachel Macias, and...

Did you know that every year, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) must publish an air quality network monitoring plan providing a detailed description of how - and where - air pollution is monitored in Allegheny County? It’s true! The annual Air Network Monitoring plan is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and details the specific location of each monitoring station, as well as the department’s monitoring methods, monitoring objectives, frequ

The federally required annual review of Title V Air Quality permitting by the Allegheny County Health Department showed repeat concerns...

Dear Fellow Breathers, Can you believe it?! Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) is celebrating its 56th year of fighting for healthy air in our community! And what better way to mark the occasion than with a special membership drive? We're so proud of the work we've done together since our inception in 1969. From advocating for stronger regulations at the local, state and federal levels, to educating the public about air quality issues, to taking legal action against prol

The gang at GASP wants to send a huge THANK YOU to everyone who attended our recent panel event, “The Air We Breathe: Health, Cancer, and...

Do you know - or are you - a high school student interested in environmental issues and storytelling? Because we need help getting the...