GASP has been closely following the EPA's unprecedented assault on bedrock air quality regulations intended to reign in harmful emissions from some of America's largest industrial polluters and protect human and environmental health. We've written extensively about these environmental rollbacks and have provided public testimony blasting the EPA for its failure to protect the American public and the air we all breathe while largely giving polluters a free pass. On Friday, GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell provided public testimony at an EPA hearing regarding the latest rule change: The agency's repeal of emissions standards for power plants. He spoke not only on behalf of GASP, but on behalf of all of our members. Here's what he told them: Good afternoon. My name is Patrick Campbell, and I am executive director of the Group Against Smog and Pollution, or GASP. Since 1969, our nonprofit has worked to improve air quality in southwestern Pennsylvania. GASP strongly opposes EPA’s proposed repeal of federal emissions standards for existing coal-fired power plants and future gas-fired power plants. EPA has a clear duty under the Clean Air Act: protect public health and the environment. Repealing these safeguards would move the agency in the wrong direction. Abandoning EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases and power plant pollution would undo decades of progress. Combined with efforts to reverse the Endangerment Finding, eliminating federal limits on power plant climate pollution would violate the letter and spirit of the law. The World Health Organization makes the stakes clear. Extracting and burning fossil fuels drives climate change and air pollution. WHO reports that household and outdoor air pollution cause about 7 million premature deaths each year. It also projects that climate change will cause about 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050 from heat stress, malnutrition, and malaria alone – some of those additional deaths will include U.S. citizens. Cutting emissions protects both the climate and public health and saves lives. Southwestern Pennsylvania has carried the burden of coal- and gas-fired power plant pollution for generations. GASP has challenged delays and rollbacks involving regional polluters, including the Conemaugh, Keystone, and the Tenaska Westmoreland gas facility. EPA data show the scale. In 2023, Conemaugh emitted 2.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Keystone emitted 2.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, and Tenaska emitted 2.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Together, those three plants released nearly 8.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in one year. Our residents already face elevated rates of respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, and childhood asthma associated with industrial air pollution. Removing federal oversight would keep outdated, high-polluting operations running longer, worsening local air quality and adding more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The burden is not shared equally. Low-income neighborhoods, communities of color, and people living near polluting facilities bear the greatest risks. Environmental justice means putting their health ahead of the convenience and profits of polluters. If EPA repeals these standards, vulnerable communities will keep paying for electricity with their lungs, their health, and their quality of life. GASP urges EPA to reject these rollbacks, maintain strong federal limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, and fulfill its duty to protect public health and the environment. Thank you.

Editor’s Note: The Allegheny County Health Department periodically updates its website to include documents related to air quality enforcement actions. As part of our watchdog work, GASP monitors this webpage and reports on the air quality violations posted there. Because the docket has not been updated since December 2025, GASP is now filing monthly public records requests to glean more timely information related to ACHD’s enforcement efforts. The below is among the most recent actions received through the Right to Know process. ACHD recently issued a $3,500 civil penalty against Heidelberg Materials following a 100% opacity emissions incident at the Lindy Paving Asphalt Plant located along Second Avenue downtown. The Aug. 14 enforcement action stems from a visual inspection conducted during a routine drive-by along the Boulevard of the Allies the morning of June 29. The impact on local air quality? One of GASP’s air quality monitors situated near the Lindy Paving Plant showed a spike in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) around the time of the incident: Plant representatives explained that the incident occurred while unloading a cement truck, noting that a line leading into the silo may have clogged, causing pressure buildup and excess emissions. However, ACHD noted that inspectors were unable to access the top of the silo directly because the ladder lacked a safety cage, requiring specialized harness equipment. According to the enforcement order, Heidelberg Materials cooperated during the investigation and immediately created a new inspection protocol and documentation sheet to monitor future truck unloading operations. You can read the entire enforcement order here.

Editor’s Note: The Allegheny County Health Department periodically updates its website to include documents related to air quality enforcement actions. As part of our watchdog work, GASP monitors this webpage and reports on the air quality violations posted there. Because the docket has not been updated since December 2025, GASP is now filing monthly public records requests to glean more timely information related to ACHD’s enforcement efforts. The below are the most recent actions received through the Right to Know process. Allegheny County Health Department Revokes Mon Valley Asbestos Abatement Contractor’s License Following Myriad Violations The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) has officially revoked the asbestos abatement contractor license of Green Development and Construction following a series of violations the department said took place during a demolition project in Wilkinsburg. The Aug. 18 revocation order requires Green Development and its owner, Nadia Green, to immediately cease all asbestos abatement work across all active sites within Allegheny County. According to enforcement documents, Green Development failed to comply with the terms of an April 24 Administrative Order that placed the contractor under strict conditional oversight because of prior non-compliance issues. The latest enforcement action stems from an emergency demolition of a collapsing structure located at 1555 Marlboro Avenue in Wilkinsburg. ACHD said Green Development and Construction: failed to perform a required pre-abatement inspection failed to notify the department prior to abatement activities taking place failed to identify the source of water used to suppress hazardous asbestos dust during demolition and failed to submit required daily work summaries and air monitoring results. But that’s not all. According to ACHD, the contractor also performed unauthorized work. The enforcement order reads: On August 18, 2026, Green Development uploaded nine photos of setup and work being completed without an approved and issued asbestos demolition permit. On August 18, 2026, ACHD performed an inspection of the Subject Property and found the structure fully demolished, and the lot flattened to an even grade with straw applied to the exposed fill. Green Development has 30 days from receipt of the order to file a formal appeal. You can read the entire enforcement order here. Allegheny County Health Department Hits Wexford Developers with $23,510 in Fines Over Asbestos and Dust Violations ACHD on Aug. 18 issued two enforcement orders against developers and contractors involved in the Eddy Homes Autumn Grove development at 1070 Pleasant Hill Road in Wexford. More than $23,500 in civil penalties were assessed against property owner Pleasant Hill Development’s lead contractor, Eclipse Construction Management, LP, site developer Riemer, Incorporated, and demolition contractor Legacy Point Construction following an investigation triggered by public complaints. The companies were fined $17,850 for failing to conduct asbestos surveys or submit proper notifications prior to demolishing three structures—a house, barn, and garage—to make way for a 12-unit residential subdivision. In a separate action, ACHD fined the companies $5,660 for failing to control airborne dust and for submitting an inaccurate Corrective Action Plan. You can read the enforcement orders here and here. Allegheny County Health Department Fines Property Manager $14,950 Over Refusal to Conduct Asbestos Survey The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) hit property management company Rentwell Pittsburgh with a $14,950 civil penalty after the firm repeatedly refused to perform a required asbestos survey following renovations at a West End commercial property. The Aug. 14 enforcement order stems from a public complaint regarding collapsed ceiling plaster and uncontained dust at a mixed-use storefront located at 436 South Main Street. According to the enforcement order, ACHD began investigating the property in July 2025 after receiving reports of collapsed plaster, dust generation from cleanup efforts, and unpermitted ceiling repairs. Under federal National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) and local air quality regulations, mixed-use commercial buildings must undergo a thorough asbestos survey prior to disturbing building materials. ACHD noted that Rentwell's obstructed inspectors' ability to evaluate whether tenants or the surrounding public were exposed to airborne asbestos fibers during the renovation. Because Rentwell Pittsburgh actively refused to cooperate, ACHD added a 25 percent penalty adjustment factor for non-cooperation. In addition to assessing the civil penalty, ACHD ordered the company to perform a comprehensive asbestos survey on all remaining building materials to determine potential public health risks. You can read the entire enforcement order here. Editor’s Note: GASP remains concerned about the number - and severity - of asbestos-abatement violations in Allegheny County and will continue to work to educate the public and our partners in the community about the issue and associated regulations. For those who'd like to know more about asbestos exposure and public health, check out GASP's resource page here. 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