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 experiences and envision a better future. Why This Event Matters to GASP and Pittsburgh The purpose of the People's Hearing in Pittsburgh directly aligns with GASP's mission to advocate for a healthier region. This event will: Convene community representatives from Pennsylvania and surrounding regions to testify about the threats to their health, land, and work—many of which are directly tied to air quality and pollution. Create space for dialogue to lay the groundwork for policies and movements that will secure a cleaner, healthier, and economically and culturally vibrant future. In the face of attempted environmental regulatory rollbacks and efforts to silence community platforms, this hearing offers a vital stage. It's an opportunity to ensure that the experiences and knowledge of those most impacted by pollution— your experiences —are put back on the public record and uplifted nationally. Join Us: Your Presence is Your Power! We hope those who can WILL add their voices at this historic event or simply attend to stand in solidarity with like-minded folks seeking positive change. Need more info? Want to register? All that can be found here.

Did you hear? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $115 million in grant funding for projects that cut harmful pollution from the nation's existing fleet of older diesel engines - and GASP is encouraging local communities to apply for a cut of the money. Here’s the skinny: Under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant funding competition, EPA anticipates making four to 10 awards in each of EPA's 10 regions to eligible applicants. EPA is soliciting applications nationwide for projects “that significantly reduce diesel emissions and exposure, especially from fleets operating at goods movement facilities in areas designated as having poor air quality.” Applicants may request funding to upgrade or replace older diesel-powered buses, trucks, marine engines, locomotives, and nonroad equipment with newer, cleaner technologies. Priority for funding will also be given to projects that engage and benefit the health of local communities already overburdened by air pollution, protect grant-funded investments from severe weather events caused by climate change, and applicants that demonstrate their ability to promote and continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended. EPA is seeking cost-effective diesel emission reduction projects that maximize health benefits, reduce diesel exposure for those facing poor air quality, and/or employ community-based inclusive and collaborative approaches to reduce harmful emissions. By way of background: Diesel-powered engines move most of the nation's freight tonnage, and today nearly all highway freight trucks, locomotives, and commercial marine vessels are powered by diesel engines. Smog- and soot-forming diesel exhaust impair air quality, threatening the health of people in nearby communities. Exposure to this pollution can lead to disruptive and costly asthma attacks, illnesses, lost days of school and work, and emergency room visits. These adverse health effects have been shown to disproportionately impact children, older adults, those with heart or lung conditions, and low-income and minority communities. DERA enables EPA to offer funding to accelerate the upgrade and turnover of legacy diesel fleets. Funding opportunities for diesel reduction projects are provided through an annual appropriation by Congress to DERA. DERA prioritizes funding projects in areas facing the largest air quality issues. Many of these projects fund cleaner engines that operate in low socio-economic areas whose residents suffer from higher-than-average instances of asthma, heart, and lung diseases. More than 73,700 engines, vehicles, or other pieces of equipment were replaced or retrofitted to run cleaner with DERA funds during fiscal years 2008 to 2018, according to the DERA 5th Report to Congress . The grant funding opportunity is open until Friday, Dec. 1. For any questions on the application, applicants should email written questions to: dera@epa.gov . For any technical issues with grants.gov, please contact grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov . More information, including applicant eligibility and regional funding breakdowns, can be found at the DERA website .

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected Allegheny County's Targeted Airshed Grant for funding, awarding money to directly address environmental and health inequities in the Mon Valley by replacing diesel buses with new ones zero-emission vehicles for Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT). In a press release Monday, officials said that the $10 million in additional funding from the EPA will allow Allegheny County to lower the emissions PRT buses produce in the Mon Valley. The grant will get the agency closer to the goal of a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2045. The $10 million grant will be utilized by PRT to replace four 40-foot diesel transit buses. These new buses will serve riders in the Mon Valley area. The grant will also support the purchase and installation of two electric chargers along with the necessary infrastructure in the garage to which the buses would be assigned. The new zero-emission buses are anticipated to be purchased and put into service in 2026. Zero-emission buses have been shown to contribute to healthier communities, especially communities that are classified as in high need by environmental justice indexes, like EJScreen or the environmental justice index developed by the Allegheny County Health Department. The Mon Valley is a major travel corridor. Pittsburgh Regional Transit operates 23 bus routes serving the Mon Valley carrying 52,400 riders on an average weekday. Seven routes operate on PRT's Martin Luther King, Jr. East Busway, reducing trip times for riders traveling between Mon Valley communities, Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood, and downtown. Based on data collected and analyzed by the ACHD, PM2.5 emissions from vehicles contribute about 25% of all air pollution in Allegheny County, according to the release. “This is great news,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “Our neighbors in the Mon Valley grapple with poor air quality more than most, so all efforts to help combat diesel and other emissions can only help improve quality of life for those folks.”