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County Council Still Mum on Air Quality Permit Fee Schedule, GASP Blasts Lack of Action & Asks Residents to Contact These 3 Reps


Allegheny County Council met again this week, and AGAIN, the air quality permit fee schedule changes long sought by the health department were not among the action items on the agenda.


This lack of action comes in the wake of months of pressure from environmental advocates, residents and even public officials.


And it’s absolutely outrageous.


GASP submitted written comments to council in advance of its Tuesday meeting that you can read here.


For those just tuning in: ACHD has been delegated the authority to enforce both federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to the control of air pollution in Allegheny County and the federal Clean Air Act requires that ACHD have adequate funding and personnel to carry out that authority.


The Clean Air Act also requires that ACHD’s program for Title V facilities charge fees that are sufficient to cover the cost of administering the program.


Since it has become clear funding ACHD receives from the county and commonwealth are also insufficient to cover the cost of administering the non-Title V side of ACHD’s Air Quality Program, it is entirely appropriate that the polluting facilities that require time and resources from the Air Quality Program pay fees that cover the cost of that time and those resources.


County should not be subsidizing the costs of doing business in Allegheny County for industry. And right now, that’s what’s going on. 


It’s wild that certain members of council have made this in any way a controversial vote. Because it isn’t dramatic. The fees aren’t a tax. They aren’t punitive. There’s nothing to negotiate. The new fees are based on actual costs. It’s simple budgeting, people.


We know we’ve been asking yinz for MONTHS to reach out to your reps and urge them to vote YES and we thank you so much for your action and your passion. Unfortunately, we need to ask for your help one more time.


As a reminder, we need 10 county council members to vote yes for this thing to pass. Right now, it is out understanding that these three members are on the fence and could use some more encouragement from us all to vote YES:



The ask? 


Get the air quality permit fee schedule changes on the agenda at your next meeting and then get it on the table for a real, substantive discussion and possible vote. This has been on council’s plate for months, the changes have been affirmatively recommended at every point in the approval process, and to stop hiding behind procedure and do their jobs.



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