Autumn rings in many things—pumpkin pie, beautifully-colored fall leaves, celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends, and the smell of wood smoke in the air. While a fire may be delightfully warm and cozy for you, it could be creating a hazardous environment for your neighbor that will have him feeling not so warm and fuzzy about you. GASP asks homeowners to think about the implications of burning wood. If you live in a city neighborhood, chances are the homes are relatively close together, and the smoke from your chimney could be entering your neighbor’s home. While wood smoke may seem benign when compared to air pollution created by vehicles and factories, it is quite toxic. Wood smoke is made up of a complex mixture of gases and fine particles produced when wood and other organic matter burn. Carbon monoxide, benzene, dioxin, phenols, aldehydes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides are released when wood is burned. Many of these components are found in cigarette smoke. Exposure to wood smoke has been associated with reduced lung function, exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis, middle ear infections, and cancer. Children and infants, pregnant women, and those with cardiovascular or respiratory disease are especially vulnerable. According to the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Healthy Environments and Communities’ (CHEC) Pittsburgh Regional Environmental Threats Analysis (PRETA) Report on particulate matter (PM), the second-most common source of PM2.5 in Allegheny County is residential fuel consumption for heating. CHEC says, “Interestingly, burning of wood (fireplaces, wood stoves, etc.) contributes the vast majority of this source (1,600 tons) compared with less than 20 tons from the use of gas or oil heat.” In addition to the deleterious air pollution you are creating when lighting up the fireplace, you may actually be robbing your house of heat, because a draft is created which pulls the heated air inside your home up the chimney. GASP recommends that you consider alternatives other than wood burning, such as weatherization and insulation to reduce household heating costs. You might think that the air pollution regulations in Allegheny County only affect industrial sources, but in fact, homeowners are also prohibited from allowing foul odors to leave their property. In addition, smoke emissions can not exceed an opacity of 20% for more than three minutes in any sixty minute period, or exceed an opacity of 60% at any time. If your smoke is thicker than that, you are in violation of the County’s Visible Emissions Regulation. If you smell malodors or see excessive smoke you should call the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) at 412-687-2243 each and every time. ACHD has acknowledged that wood smoke is a large contributor to received complaints. Roughly one-third are about wood burning. ACHD has recently taken up their open burning regulation for revisions—stay tuned here for updates. And Happy, toxic-free Thanksgiving! Rachel Filippini, Executive Director #airpollution #CarbonMonoxide #particlepollution #UniversityofPittsburghsCenterforHealthyEnvironmentsandCommunities

For Immediate Release November 21, 2013 Media Contact: Tom Hoffman | Clean Water Action 412.765.3053 ext. 202 | tomhoffman@cleanwater.org REPORT: HAZARDOUS AIR TOXIC LEVELS RAISE SOUTHWESTERN PA TO TOP OF NATION’S WORST Regional coalition of nonprofits issue common-sense recommendations for region in light of report findings PITTSBURGH, Pa.– The Center for Healthy Environments and Communities (CHEC) at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health recently released its Pittsburgh Regional Environmental Threats Analysis (PRETA), which seeks to educate about environmental quality and human health risks of significance to the southwestern Pennsylvania community. Air toxics are the focus of the third edition, and major findings in the report conclude that residents of southwestern Pennsylvania, particularly those living in Allegheny County, have a significantly higher than acceptable risk of developing cancer due to exposure to air toxics. In fact, Allegheny County ranks 63rd out of 3,225 U.S. counties in terms of cancer risk from hazardous air pollutants, placing it in the top 2 percent nationally. The highest overall rate of cancer risk in the region from total hazardous air pollutants is found in West Elizabeth where residents are 20 times more likely to develop cancer from that air pollution than those living in other areas surrounding Allegheny County. A coalition of nonprofits in the region, including Clean Air Council, Clean Water Action, Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), PennFuture, Sustainable Pittsburgh and Women for a Healthy Environment, issued the following statements and recommendations in response to the report: “Our region cannot afford to have its economic turnaround story tainted by the stigma of lingering air quality woes,” concluded Court Gould, executive director, Sustainable Pittsburgh. “We need to redouble efforts to educate, measure, and make changes to reduce cancer risks from air pollution,” continued Gould. “While being in the top 2% of most things is impressive, unfortunately for residents of Pennsylvania’s second-most populous county, being in the top 2% for cancer risk from hazardous air pollutants is unacceptable and local and state officials must do more to protect citizens, ” explained Joe Minott, executive director of the Clean Air Council. “In the last few years, we have seen many reports like this one. A typical response from policymakers is to ignore the reports – or even worse – discredit them. We desperately need leaders who will not only acknowledge the problems but act on them,” said Tom Hoffman, western Pennsylvania director, Clean Water Action. “After visiting West Elizabeth on a recent trip and seeing firsthand the ugly and real health consequences of living in the highest cancer rate census tract, we can’t afford not to act.” The coalition is asking the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD), City of Pittsburgh, and other regional officials to implement the following recommendations in light of report findings and share the resulting information with the community: Implement and enforce Pittsburgh’s Clean Construction Law, which requires publicly-funded development projects in the City of Pittsburgh to reduce diesel emissions from their project’s construction vehicles, and encourage eligible contractors working in the City of Pittsburgh to apply for the Small Construction Contractors Retrofit Program to assist them in paying for emission-reduction technologies. Enforce rigorous application of Allegheny County’s updated Air Toxics Guidelines to all quality permits for facilities connected to hydraulic fracturing. Ensure the Allegheny County Health Department’s upcoming SO2 State Implementation Plan includes strong control measures for coke ovens. Attend a special Sustainable Development Academy briefing program in mid-2014 for the region’s County Executives, Commissioners, and Mayors of large municipal governments and of the highest cancer risk localities to inform public officials of the PRETA report’s findings that the region ranks in the highest percentiles for air quality cancer risk and that there are helpful recommendations for reducing these threats to public health. “The PRETA report shows that a variety of hazardous air pollutants foul our region’s air, but diesel vehicle pollution stands out as an obvious target of high priority—especially for the city of Pittsburgh,” said Rachel Filippini, GASP’s executive director. “We have many tools to reduce diesel pollution, but some are unfortunately not being enforced.” “Though our region has made great strides in improving air quality, we still have far to go,” said Tiffany Hickman, western Pennsylvania outreach coordinator for PennFuture. “In addition to strong executive and regulatory leadership on the issue, we as individuals can help to keep the air we breathe cleaner by reducing our energy consumption and switching to a clean energy provider for the home and business.” “We urge citizens to get involved with local environmental groups that are working to reduce exposure to these harmful air pollutants,” said Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, executive director, Women for a Healthy Environment. “The findings in the PRETA report present an opportunity for the citizens of southwestern Pennsylvania to raise their voice and advocate for change to improve our health and our region.” Click here to read the full report. ### #airpollution #airpollutants #airtoxics #CleanConstruction #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #cancerrisk #airquality

Brought to Pittsburgh with the support of The Breathe Project, the Clean Air Dash and Festival is a 5K race, a 1-mile Fun Run/Walk, and a Festival all-in-one, all on the South Side sliver of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. The gorgeous trail threads its way through trees along the banks of the Monongahela River, under several bridges, and directly on top of historic mill sites. It’s mostly flat, certified by USATF, and as fast as you want. You could keep going all the way to Washington, D.C., since the trail system between here and there is now complete, but we’ll only time you for the 5K! Staggered starts and chipped bibs mean you start when you want. Run with your friends, or wait for a lull so you can sprint all by your lonesome. Run fast enough and we’ll slow-clap for you at the awards ceremony—and give you a gift card to New Balance Pittsburgh so you can keep on kicking! Promenade along the muddy Mon in our 1-mile Fun Run/Walk while you await your friend or family member’s triumphant finish. Bring Fido and let him go nuts in the new off-leash dog park on the Festival’s grounds. Does anyone actually have a dog named Fido? Where did this come from? Show me your Fido and his nametag and you get a free hamburger or other hand-crafted grub slung from some of Pittsburgh’s new darling food trucks. And when it’s all over, you’ll be in the heart of what’s arguably Pittsburgh’s most vibrant neighborhood, with great shopping from lowbrow to boutique, live music both in venues and on the sidewalks, and amazing food choices like Cambodian, Thai, fusion tacos, and frusion Pan-Asiatic mélange brunch. OK, now I’m just making stuff up. But really, the restaurants are great! The park can be reached by several bus routes, or you can walk or bike in from along the trail. Our free bike valet parking, borrowed from Bike Pittsburgh, makes cycling to the event worry-free. Auto parking at the site will be severely limited, so please use the parking lots at both ends of the trail or the parking spots all through the South Side. And please pass this flyer around: http://gasp-pgh.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Clean-Air-Dash-flyer.pdf Not convinced? Check out a sneak peek of our course below: On Twitter? Follow us @GASPPgh and @athletesforair on Twitter to get the latest news on this event and all kinds of air quality and sustainability happenings in the Burgh. Search #cleanairdash to see what everyone else is saying about the Dash. What’s left? REGISTER! http://beta.active.com/pittsburgh-pa/running/clean-air-dash-and-festival-2013 Registration ends October 18th at noon, so don’t delay. See you on October 19th! #AthletesUnitedforHealthyAir #CleanAirDash #dogpark

It’s the Pittsburgh-region’s most exciting giving event of the year. Your gift to GASP today, and today only, will be added to by the Pittsburgh Foundation. Pretty simple, right? Read more and please donate today at www.pittsburghgives.org. Donations will help us continue our fight against air pollution and for better air quality. Thank you! #airpollution #airquality #DayofGiving #ThePittsburghFoundation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 16, 2013 Contacts: Rachel Filippini, Executive Director Group Against Smog and Pollution 412.924.0604 or (c) 724-972-9885 rachel@gasp-pgh.org Robert Levin, President Levin Furniture 724.872.2050 ext. 239 rlevin@levinfurniture.com Levin Furniture Donates Free Registration for Students in Pittsburgh’s First-Ever Clean Air Dash and Festival PITTSBURGH, PA – Thanks to a generous donation from Levin Furniture, 65 young people (18 years of age and younger) will run free of charge in Pittsburgh’s inaugural Clean Air Dash and Festival, on Saturday, October 19. This USA Track & Field-certified 5K course is flat and fast, suitable for all ages and skill levels. Runners will enjoy a scenic, fun race through one of the city’s most-loved greenways—theThree Rivers Heritage Trail in South Side Riverfront Park, followed by a free, family-friendly festival celebrating the region’s progress toward better air quality. Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) is hosting this event with support of the Breathe Project and many community sponsors. To learn more about the Clean Air Dash and Festival and to sign-up visit: http://gasp-pgh.org/projects/au/5k/. To take advantage of the free student sponsorships contact Sam Thomas at sam@gasp-pgh.org or 412-924-0604. “Levin Furniture has a passion for sustainability and commitment to the local community, and we are thrilled to be part of this fun and festive day,” said Robert Levin, President of Levin Furniture. “We’re also pleased to support the great efforts being made across the Pittsburgh region to raise awareness of the importance of clean, healthy air among young people and their families.” “We are excited to be able to engage more participants in the Clean Air Dash and bring them to our race thanks to the generosity of Levin Furniture,” said Rachel Filippini, GASP Executive Director. “This inaugural event is a celebration of sustainable and healthy communities, clean air, and improvements in the region’s overall environmental health.” The Clean Air Dash and Festival is the perfect opportunity to let your child or student participate in a fun, physically active competition, while they learn how important clean air is for their own health and the well being of their community. Young people are especially sensitive to the health impacts of air pollution because their lungs are still developing and they breathe a proportionately greater volume of air than adults. They also spend more time engaged in vigorous activity outdoors. In addition to the 5K, there will also be a one-mile Fun Run/Walk. Attendees can also scale the Venture Outdoors climbing wall, practice football skills with a Pittsburgh Passion player, calm their souls with some yoga, learn about a variety of environmental issues, and enjoy some tasty treats from food trucks. The Clean Air Dash and Festival is an educational and fundraising event that supports GASP’s Athletes United for Healthy Air campaign. The campaign aims to educate athletes of all kinds about our regional air quality issues, ways they can minimize their exposure to air pollution while exercising and playing sports, and how to become champions for cleaner air. # # # The Group Against Smog and Pollution, Inc. (GASP) is Pittsburgh-based non-profit citizens group working for a healthy, sustainable environment. Founded in 1969, GASP serves as a watchdog, educator, litigator, and policy-maker on many environmental issues with a focus on air quality in Southwestern Pennsylvania. For more information, visit http://www.gasp-pgh.org. Levin Furniture is a three-generation, family owned and operated furniture and mattress retailer with 23 stores in Southwestern Pennsylvania and Northeastern Ohio. Levin’s, founded in 1920, has a long history as a socially responsible member of the communities in which they operate. The company supports many groups and causes including the Free Care Fund at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, the American Red Cross, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. For more information, visit http://www.LevinFurniture.com. #airpollution #airquality #RachelFilippini #ThreeRiversHeritageTrail

Editor’s Note: The below is a guest post by PennFuture. This post is one in a month-long series speaking to 15 of PennFuture’s significant victories. It was 15 years ago this September that we began our work to protect the environment and champion a clean energy economy. Mercury is a proven neurotoxin. It can damage the developing brains and nervous systems of babies (including those in utero), children, and adults. Some may foolishly deny the reality of climate change, but no one denies that mercury can poison us. Pennsylvania’s mercury emissions are very high. So, where does it all come from? Largely from the smokestacks of our coal-fired power plants. Nearly a decade ago, in 2004, PennFuture decided to right this wrong. Facing an uphill battle, we nevertheless filed a petition with the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board to enact regulations on power plants. Through a long process that involved many of our supporters, we managed to get the state to issue the regulation. Alas, that regulation was challenged by power plant owners, and the Commonwealth Court declared the mercury rule unconstitutional in 2009. Fortunately, the federal government jumped in and proposed a federal standard to limit mercury from power plants across the nation. PennFuture worked hard to generate public support for this standard. It became law in 2011, yet we still weren’t able to let our guard down. Relying on an arcane provision of Congress called the Congressional Review Act, the polluters’ friends on Capitol Hill attempted to overturn the mercury standard. Again, PennFuture rallied the troops to plead that Senators Casey and Toomey vote to protect our kids instead of polluters. (Senator Casey voted to protect public health. Senator Toomey? No. Why not, Senator Toomey?) Fortunately, this tale has a happy ending. In June 2012, common sense prevailed and the mercury standard remains as federal law. Even so, we remain vigilant. We at PennFuture have been thrilled to be a part of this public health victory. And we couldn’t have done it with you, so thank YOU! PennFuture will celebrate 15 years of environmental victories on September 25. Please consider joining us! Read the original from PennFuture’s blog here. #EnvironmentalQualityBoard #PennFuture #neortoxins #Mercury #CongressionalReviewAct

The people at Sustainable Pittsburgh seem nice. They’re friendly, smiley, and always have their arms outstretched to give you a handshake. But behind their gleaming facades hide a dangerous motive–they are secretly trying to make everyone sustainability experts. I know this, because GASP has joined their Green Workplace Challenge (GWC), a “friendly” competition that pits like-sized organizations against each other in a battle-to-the-greenest. By performing sustainability actions, organizations receive points (and save a lot of energy and money in the process). Most points wins, Yogi Berra style. And the only way to achieve victory in the triple-bottom-lined arena is to know…everything. From water meter sub-metering, to carbon offsets, to software tools that help you track your office’s energy usage, we are studying the fine-grained details that fill in the shadows or make the highlights gleam on the canvas of sustainability. Oh sure, there are plenty of simple Challenge tasks that are quick, simple, and will save your workplace money immediately. But we want to win, darn it. Our office has a lot to love, like some rooms with great natural lighting, indoor bike parking, and a fresh, airy, white-and-blue decor theme. This tin ceiling tops the front room and always drops jaws: However, the same room has a not-so-desirable feature as well that also drops jaws. That feature is our hideous plastic-bubbly-window-things. Behold: They’re thin, they’re dim, and they’re grody. In fact, state government won’t allow us to use that room due to its high grodiness levels. And since we’ve commissioned a new mosaic sign for the front of the building that will go near these windows, we know we must replace them pronto. Otherwise our beautiful new sign will just be shoe shine on grandpap’s old house slippers. This fruit isn’t low-hanging–it dropped from the tree last year and has been rotting ever since. In our GWC-spurred study, we have learned about double- and triple-paned argon-filled glass, glass block with glass pane inside, Energy Star ratings, R-factors and U-values, and on and on. Lots of learning, but how to make sense of everything? Enter AJ Stones, Master Green Remodeler and longtime friend of GASP. After a brief walkthrough of our workspace, we discussed redoing these windows with energy efficient glass pane or glass block, and mulled over much, much more. If our budget allows, you’ll see more improvements as the Green Workplace Challenge progresses. To get an idea of what green renovators can do for your home or business, take a look at a recent case study done by AJ and others with Diagnostic Energy Auditors, Western Pennsylvania, on a Park Place Victorian beauty of a home that needed a fresh look treatment of its energy systems. And let us know if you’ve done any energy upgrades recently that you’d like us to feature. You might even inspire us to figure out how to squeeze a few more GWC points out of our place! #AJStones #GreenWorkplaceChallenge #MasterGreenRemodeler #SustainablePittsburgh

GASP’s legal team regularly comments on draft air permits and files appeals when necessary to reduce harmful emissions from natural gas compressor stations. Our recent work on two compressor stations in Southwestern Pennsylvania has helped limit air pollution from these sources and ensure that regulators are correctly applying air quality regulations. Pa. DEP aggregates natural gas compressor station with nearby well pad In response to comments submitted by GASP, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently aggregated a natural gas compressor station with a nearby well site for purposes of air permitting. The Jupiter Compressor Station is located in Greene County and operated by EQT Gathering, LLC. In April, GASP submitted comments on this station’s draft operating permit. Our comments pointed Last October, DEP issued a guidance document explaining its policy on how these single source determinations should be made for the oil and natural gas industries. In practice, DEP has applied this policy in an overly restrictive manner that is inconsistent with the definition of a “source” under the federal Clean Air Act. DEP’s policy states that sources located within 1/4 mile of each other are presumed to be “adjacent” to each other; sources located at a greater distance may be considered adjacent on a case-by-case basis. In practice, however, DEP has tended to ignore any sources located beyond 1/4 mile, even though U.S. EPA has clearly stated that there should be no bright-line rule concerning how far apart sources can be located and still be considered adjacent to each other. In this case, the Jupiter station and the Pyles Well Pad are located within 1/4 mile of each other; as such, under DEP’s policy, these air pollution sources are presumed to be adjacent to each other. Jupiter is operated by EQT Gathering, LLC, and the Pyles Well Pad is operated by EQT Production; these are both wholly-owned subsidiaries of EQT Corporation, and thus Jupiter and the Pyles Well Pad are considered to be under common control. These facilities also share the same two digits of their SIC codes. GASP pointed out that all three aggregation requirements were met here, and DEP agreed. As a result, emissions from the Pyles Well Pad were considered in the Jupiter station’s operating permit. This station is the first example we have seen where DEP has aggregated a compressor station with a nearby well site in response to public comments. GASP has argued many times in comments and in litigation that similar air pollution sources should be aggregated, but DEP has not agreed with those arguments in the past. Although the decision in this instance did not result in any significant changes to Jupiter’s permit, it provides a useful example of a case where DEP has correctly aggregated these sources. GASP appeal of Kriebel Compressor Station results in emission reductions In response to an appeal filed by GASP, the Allegheny County Health Department’s (ACHD) Air Quality Program and Kriebel Minerals, Inc. agreed to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from the Rostraver Rt. 51 Compressor Station by 87%. Kriebel Minerals’ Rostraver Rt. 51 facility is located in Forward Township, Allegheny County. It compresses and dehydrates natural gas received from nearby conventional wells. GASP appealed the permit, arguing that greater engine emissions reductions were technically and economically feasible, and required as a matter of law. Ultimately, Kriebel Minerals and ACHD agreed. Kriebel will install a more effective engine exhaust catalyst, and maximum allowable NOx emissions from the engine will be reduced from 5.12 tons per year to 0.66 tons per year. While engines like the one operating at the Kriebel facility are relatively small, emissions from this type of source are worth the attention because there are so many small stationary engines in operation, and add-on controls to reduce their emissions are incredibly cost-effective. Better controlling this category of sources has the potential to greatly improve air quality at minimal cost, and would be a wise approach for air pollution control agencies to consider as they work to meet revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards for NO2 and ozone. #airpollution #emissions #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #DEP #MarcellusShale #ACHD #airquality

In July of 2012 GASP appealed a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) air quality permit for the installation and operation of two 10,000 horsepower natural-gas fired compressor turbines at the National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation’s (NFG) Buffalo Compressor Station in Buffalo Township, Washington County. We are pleased to report that, after lengthy negotiations, GASP, NFG, and DEP were able to reach a settlement agreement resolving the issues raised in our appeal. On June 28th the appeal came to a formal close when GASP withdrew its appeal and the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board closed the case docket. The primary issue in the Buffalo appeal related to the method DEP and NFG relied on to calculate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the facility. GASP identified several errors in these calculations that resulted in a roughly 10% underestimation of facility GHG emissions. Properly calculated, the new equipment would have caused the Buffalo facility’s potential GHG emissions to exceed 100,000 tons per year (TPY), triggering the more stringent “major source” air pollution requirements of the Clean Air Act. The settlement agreement includes limits on fuel consumption at the Buffalo facility, along with reporting and record keeping requirements sufficient to ensure compliance with these limits. As a result of these fuel restrictions, the facility’s GHG emissions will remain below threshold as a major source or air pollution. As a co-benefit, these fuel limits will also reduce the facility’s potential emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by roughly 9 TPY, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by roughly 7 TPY, carbon monoxide by roughly 4 TPY, and formaldehyde by roughly 1.5 TPY. But the significance of this agreement is not limited to the Buffalo facility itself. GASP discovered many of the same calculation errors during our review of another permit around the same time as Buffalo. If we hadn’t brought these errors to the attention of DEP, we believe they would have continued to crop up in future DEP air quality permits for turbines and engines. These correct emissions calculations, provide a more accurate picture of the climate impact of facilities like the Buffalo Station—particularly important when weighing the merits of natural gas as a bridge fuel. The corrected GHG calculations will also result in additional facilities either being subject to more stringent major source permitting requirements or committing to additional emissions reductions to avoid major source status. Read the agreement here. #BuffaloCompressorStation #airpermits #CleanAirAct #DEP #airquality

Summer temperatures are here, and here to stay for a few more hot, sultry months. Running air conditioning uses a lot of electricity, which means a lot of coal and gas is being burned. Pittsburgh’s Cool Roofs initiative is fighting back the heat, the air pollution, and the high utility bills, by painting the roofs of some city-owned buildings with a white, reflective coating. GASP is helping paint Friday, June 14, and we still need volunteers! Come early, from 8:30 to 12:30, to paint the primer and first coat. Or join us to finish the job from 3:30 to 5. We’ll be painting the roof of a fire station at 7024 Lemington Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15206. Learn all you need to about the day from this guide. RSVP with Jamin by email or call at (412) 924-0604. A car pool and a bike pool is available as well. #airconditioning #PittsburghCoolRoofsInitiative