Last year, many of us signed with relief when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled critical revisions to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS) for Integrated Iron and Steel Manufacturing Facilities.  These updates, which required fence line monitoring of dangerous pollutants like benzene, were a hard-won victory for cleaner air and public health, directly impacting facilities like U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works right here in our region. These regulations were designed to provide concrete, enforceable limits on harmful emissions, with clear compliance deadlines set. They were meant to protect us. But now, the EPA has chosen to put corporate profits over our well-being. Earlier this month, the EPA published an interim final rule that unacceptably delays these vital compliance deadlines until April 3, 2027.  This decision is a direct undermining of the progress we fought for. The EPA's justifications – vague claims of "infeasibility" provided by industry and a flimsy plea for "consistency" regarding fence line monitoring – simply do not hold up against the stark reality of the inevitable environmental and public health consequences. While saving industrial polluting facilities an estimated $3.3 to $3.5 million, frontline communities will be dealt an additional 120 tons of hazardous air pollutants  (also known as HAPs) being emitted that would have been avoided under the original deadlines.  Please let that sink in: An additional 120 tons of cancer-causing agents, respiratory irritants, and other toxins will continue to pollute our air, prolonging exposure for communities already disproportionately burdened by industrial pollution. It's clear that Trump’s EPA, an agency supposedly committed to environmental protection, is prioritizing budget considerations of polluting industries over the lives and health of frontline communities (like Clairton, Braddock and so many others here locally). While we recognize that this public comment period might ultimately be performative – a box the administration feels compelled to check – it is absolutely crucial that our vehement opposition to this, and all other rollbacks of regulations meant to protect our health and environment, is put on the record. Our collective outcry creates a formidable record of dissent, which is essential for future advocacy, legal challenges, and continued resistance. But please know the clock is ticking. EPA is accepting comments on this interim final rule through Aug. 1 . We want to make it as simple as possible for residents to join us in our dissent. All you have to do is click here to submit your concerns .  When you submit your comment, keep these points in mind: Be clear, concise, and articulate your strong disagreement. Refer specifically to the interim final rule and the Docket ID number. Explain why  these delays are unacceptable and how they will negatively impact your health, your family, or your community. Personalize your comment with your own experiences. Urge the EPA to reverse this decision and enforce the original, more protective deadlines. Editor’s Note: You can read GASP’s formal comments here - please feel free to use some or all of our comments if you need a little help getting started!

Another day, another environmental regulatory rollback announced by Trump’s EPA: The agency last week announced it will extend the compliance deadlines related to coal ash. Here’s what the regime said in a press release: "Today's actions provide much needed regulatory relief for the power sector and help deliver on the commitments outlined on the greatest day in deregulatory history to unleash American energy, lower costs for Americans, and work hand-in-hand with our state partners to advance our shared mission."   But wait there’s more (spoiler - it’s all bad news): EPA is also extending the groundwater monitoring requirements for operators of coal combustion residual management units until at least Aug. 8, 2029. Why is this happening? It’s part of the systematic dismantling of a bevy of regulations promulgated to protect our environment and public health. This past spring, EPA committed to taking swift action on coal ash , including state permit program reviews and updates to the coal ash regulations. “This is an infuriating continuation of a pattern where vital regulations, crafted to shield our communities and environment from toxic pollution, are being systematically gutted,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “We've seen this abandonment of duty far too many times, and it forces us to ask: Is EPA leadership even committed to protecting the public, or have they truly abandoned us to the whims of polluting industries?” EPA will accept comments on the companion proposal for 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. This final rule will be effective six months after publication in the Federal Register unless EPA receives adverse comments. For a copy of the pre-publication notice and more information on how to comment, visit the CCR Management Units webpage  for more details.

GASP and our friends at the Climate Action Campaign hosted a press conference at Sol Patch Garden in Braddock to sound the alarm over recent EPA regulatory rollbacks and demand accountability in their wake. GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell was flanked by Braddock resident and activist Edith Abeyta, Pittsburgh City Council Member Erika Strassburger, and registered nurse Kathryn Westman - all gave powerful comments demanding EPA uphold its mission and stop the roll backs. Little bit of background: In the past month, EPA has announced its intent to roll back a host of environmental regulations (some of which effect U.S. Steel's Mon Valley Works facilities among others), which will have an inevitable impact on the Pittsburgh region. "Braddock has lived in the shadows of major pollution sources for more than a century, and the health and well-being of our community has suffered. There is a better way. It's time for stronger air pollution standards that protect our friends and family, the people we love," Abeyta said at the press conference. We agree, Edith! And here are the comments GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell shared: Good morning. My name is Patrick Campbell, and I'm here today representing the Group Against Smog and Pollution. For decades, GASP has been on the front lines, fighting for the right to breathe clean air in our communities. Today, I stand before you with a sense of urgency, because that fundamental right is under threat. We are witnessing a dangerous trend: The systematic rollback of crucial environmental protections by the Environmental Protection Agency. These regulations, regulations like the Coke Oven Emissions Standards, limiting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, and the mercury and air toxics standards all of which were crafted over years, based on sound science and public health imperatives and input, are being dismantled. These aren't just bureaucratic adjustments; these are decisions that will have real, tangible, and potentially devastating consequences for our health and our future. Right here in Braddock, the delayed implementation of the revised National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Integrated Iron and Steel alone will allow U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works to emit greater amounts of hazardous air pollutants between now and July 3, 2027, than it otherwise would have. Let's be clear: the air quality regulations being weakened were designed for a reason. They were put in place to limit the very pollutants that cause asthma attacks in our children, trigger heart disease in our seniors, and contribute to a host of other respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. When the EPA loosens standards on emissions from power plants or industrial facilities, it means more particulate matter in our lungs, more ozone damaging our airways, and more toxic chemicals contaminating our neighborhoods. The human cost of this deregulation is immense. We're talking about increased emergency room visits, more missed school days, and a greater burden on our healthcare system. For those already struggling with chronic conditions, these rollbacks are not just concerning; they are a direct threat to their quality of life - and in some cases - their very survival. We cannot, and must not, sacrifice public health for short-sighted economic gains. Full stop. Because who bears the brunt of these rollbacks? It is our frontline neighbors. These neighbors live closest to industrial facilities, major roadways, and other sources of pollution, and have borne the greatest share of environmental burden. These rollbacks will only exacerbate that injustice. So, what can we do? We certainly cannot afford to be silent. We must raise our voices and demand accountability from our elected officials and from the EPA. Contact your representatives, share your stories, and let them know that clean air is not a luxury; it is a necessity, a right, and a non-negotiable foundation for healthy communities. Thank you.