On Dec. 18, EPA designated all of Allegheny County as being in non-attainment for the annual fine particulate standard (PM2.5) of 12 micrograms/m3. The standard was tightened to this level in 2012. These fine particulates are microscopic and are linked to negative health outcomes such as strokes, heart attacks, and even premature death. Areas must show three years of data below this number to be in attainment, and Allegheny County did not. Regions in non-attainment must devise plans to show EPA how they plan to reduce air pollution to achieve the standard. Here, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) is responsible for creating this plan. You can learn more about non-attainment and see a map of non-attainment areas here: http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/2012standards/regs.htm Significantly, EPA has designated the entire county as one whole non-attainment area. Previously, EPA had separated the Liberty-Clairton area from the rest of the county, due to the significant air pollution created by the Clairton Coke Works. This action means that EPA recognizes that air pollution sources throughout the county are responsible for our poor air quality, not just one facility. In fact, 10 of the 11 air quality monitors that measure PM2.5 in and just outside of Allegheny County are ranked in the worst third of all national monitors, when looking at 2011-2013 data. EPA explains their reasoning to include the whole county on page 10 in the “Responses to Significant Comments document” found here: http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/2012standards/final/20141217rtc.pdf Sources of air pollution in our county are varied, including industrial sources such as the Shenango Coke Works; diesel pollution from trucks, trains, and construction equipment; wood smoke from open burning, wood-fired boilers, and indoor fireplaces; and many more. Thus our solution to this air pollution problem must address all of these sectors–we all have work to do to achieve better air quality our citizens deserve. Remember to call or email the Allegheny County Health Department when you smell foul odors or see smoke crossing property lines. They can be reached at 412-687-2243 or at http://www.achd.net/contactAQcomplaint.html. #PM25 #nonattainment #woodsmoke #airpollution #Shenango #LibertyClairton #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #ClairtonCokeWorks #airquality

On Nov. 14, 2014 on the campus of Chatham University, a panel of experts discussed clean construction trends, funding opportunities, and current Pittsburgh-based projects that are utilizing clean construction. Clean construction incorporates new practices, equipment standards, and job site management strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and toxic air pollutants, and to minimize site disturbances and community disruption. Participants included experts from Chatham University, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, UPMC, Allegheny County Health Department, Sota Construction, and PJ Dick. GASP and Clean Water Action applauded both Chatham University and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy for requiring contractors to minimize diesel emissions during construction of their new facilities at the Eden Hall Campus and the Frick Environmental Center, respectively. “Cleaning up construction sites benefits the health of construction workers operating the equipment as well as the many people who live and work near these projects,” said Rachel Filippini, executive director of GASP. “We are so pleased to see Chatham University and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy adopting clean construction practices. We hope other organizations will see that this offers direct, tangible benefits to the surrounding community in the form of better air quality.” Diesel particulate matter is the greatest inhalation air toxics cancer risk in the region.¹ Diesel exhaust contains many toxic air pollutants, carcinogens, ozone precursors, and fine particulate matter. Exposure to fine particles causes asthma attacks, heart attacks, lung cancer, strokes, and premature deaths. People living in southwestern Pennsylvania have a significantly higher-than-average risk of developing cancer due to exposure to toxic air pollution, including diesel emissions. Thankfully there are many strategies for reducing diesel pollution, including replacing old equipment, retrofitting equipment to meet new emissions standards, and curtailing unnecessary idling. “Reducing emissions from construction equipment will have a significant effect on diesel pollution in the region,” said Cassi Steenblok, Program Manager of Clean Water Action. According to the Northeast Diesel Collaborative, the construction industry uses more diesel engines than any other sector. A significant number of the two million diesel engines currently used in construction equipment across the nation were manufactured before the introduction of emissions regulations. “We applaud Chatham University and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy for taking this positive step on their construction sites and for their commitment to environmental stewardship and public health in Pittsburgh,” Steenblok added. Innovative grant programs, such as the Build it With Clean Diesel program, funded by the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) and managed by the Mid Atlantic Regional Air Management Association (MARAMA), will make it possible for qualified small construction companies to upgrade their fleet and thus bid on projects that have clean construction requirements. The benefits of a clean construction policy to local institutions include: Health – Direct, tangible benefits to the surrounding community and workers in the form of improved air quality and more pleasant experience on-site while construction projects are underway. Sustainability – Reduced emissions of black carbon, which offers important short‐term climate change benefits. Community Relations – Reducing air pollution from construction is a great way to show a commitment to being a good neighbor and create a positive presence within the surrounding community. Fundraising – An attractive talking point when appealing to prospective donors for their support of an upcoming project. The Pittsburgh region continues to struggle with poor air quality and ranks as one of the top 10 most polluted cities in the nation with regard to short- and long-term particle pollution.² Reducing diesel emissions at construction sites is one strategy for improving local air quality. Poor air quality created by diesel emissions damages our community’s health, especially the health of children and the elderly, who are more vulnerable to air pollution. Construction workers receive the most potent, toxic dose of diesel emissions, as they work around that equipment each day. Two major studies of health risks from diesel pollution from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health underscore the need to reduce diesel emissions. The studies examined the public health risks from diesel pollution by looking at 12,000 mining industry workers exposed to diesel carbon particles. They found an astonishing three-fold increased risk of both lung cancer and premature mortality among this study sample. Furthermore, the researchers found that lifetime exposure to diesel exhaust in some U.S. urban areas with high levels of diesel pollution could carry similar risks. According to the study, other workers who are continuously exposed to diesel exhaust are particularly at risk, such as the 1.8 million heavy truck drivers and 460,000 heavy construction equipment operators in this country as estimated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2008. To learn more about GASP’s work in reducing diesel pollution, please visit our Project page here. ¹ PITTSBURGH REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS ANALYSIS (PRETA) REPORT, Center for Healthy Environments and Communities (CHEC) at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, August 2013. ² http://www.lung.org/associations/states/california/assets/pdfs/sota-2013/sota-2013-full-report.pdf #airpollution #RachelFilippini #diesel #particulatematter #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #ChathamUniversity #dieselemissions #airquality

The Green Workplace Challenge is back again for another year of exciting competition! If you work for a business, nonprofit, college or university, local government, or a K-12 school in southwestern Pennsylvania, sign up today to start saving money and gaining recognition for energy savings and other green initiatives. The GWC is a free competition for organizations to track and measure performance in the areas of energy, water, waste and transportation. Every action adds up to big impact: Since 2011, for example, participants saved $7.4 million in energy and enough water to fill Heinz Field 13 feet deep! Let’s make the impact even bigger. To sign up, please visit www.gwcpgh.org. Everyone is invited to attend the GWC kick-off event on Oct. 29 at Phipps Conservatory. Register at www.gwcpgh.org. The deadline to sign up for the competition is January 31, 2015. #greeninitiatives #GreenWorkplaceChallenge #PhippsConservatory

A sincere thank you to all the wonderful people, organizations, and businesses who donated their time and resources in helping to make the 2014 Clean Air Dash a success. Special thanks to co-sponsors The Heinz Endowments’ Breathe Project and the University of Pittsburgh. To see race results visit: http://results.chronotrack.com/event/results/event/event-8594?lc=en Didn’t have a chance to participate in this year’s dash? You can own a piece of history as we are selling Clean Air Dash T-shirts for just $12 (includes shipping). Just email Jessica@gasp-pgh.org to get a few! #CleanAirDash #HeinzEndowment

The 2nd annual Clean Air Dash 5k is Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014 at the South Side’s Three Rivers Heritage Trail! Celebrate our community’s progress in improving air quality in our region, and learn about the ways to keep fighting! This flat 5k race course is perfect for all ages and fitness levels so bring your whole family! Adaptive athletes are also welcome! Wheelchair athletes, the course is ADA accessible and there is a medal in this category. Not ready for a whole 5k? There’s also a fun run/walk! All events begin at 8:30 AM on South 26th Street, but come by 8 AM for a group yoga stretch, and to get raffle tickets for our great prizes. Day-of registration is available until 8 AM. If you’ve already signed up, please pick up your bib, chip, T-shirt, and race packet on Friday, Oct. 3, from 10 a.m.to 5 p.m. at the Baierl Recreation Center (on the 2nd floor of the Petersen Events Center), located at 3719 Terrace Street. If you can’t pick this up on Friday, please come by 7:30 a.m. Sunday. Street parking on Sunday is free, and there are many hundreds of pay parking spots in several garages to the south and east of the event. Bike racks exist at many locations throughout the area as well. Here’s a look at the race course: Individual and team registration is open at http://j.mp/2014Dash. All 5k registrants are entered to win a Cannondale Quick 6 Hybrid bicycle, donated by Pro Bikes LLC of Squirrel Hill! It’s light and fast and includes a free 90-day tune-up. Adults: $25 Kids: $20 Fun Run/Walk: $10 Pitt Students: $15 Teams of 5 or more get discounts! Please contact Jessica Tedrow, Education and Events Coordinator, at jessica@gasp-pgh.org for youth registration or more details about the event. Sponsored by: The Andy Warhol Museum Carnegie Science Center City Theatre Commonwealth Press Emergen-C Green Building Alliance L.L. Bean LuLuLemon Athletica Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera Pittsburgh Magazine Pittsburgh Quarterly Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium Seven Springs Mountain Resort South Side Tattoo and Body Piercing Sunny Bridge Natural Foods #airpollution #CleanAirDash #ThreeRiversHeritageTrail

On Feb. 6, 2014 GASP gave notice of intent to sue Shenango, Inc., a coke-making facility on Neville Island, based on Shenango’s chronic violations of certain emissions standards and limitations that apply to Shenango’s operations, specifically: A standard that makes it illegal for the periods during which there are visible emissions during Shenango’s charging operations to aggregate to more than 55 seconds (for any five consecutive charges); A standard that makes it illegal for the opacity of visible emissions from Shenango’s pushing emissions control device outlet to equal or exceed twenty percent at any time; A standard that makes it illegal for there to be visible emissions from more than five percent of Shenango’s coke oven doors at any time; A standard that makes it illegal for visible emissions from Shenango’s battery combustion stack to equal or exceed twenty percent opacity for a period aggregating to more than three minutes during any sixty-minute period; A standard that makes it illegal for visible emissions from Shenango’s battery combustion stack to equal or exceed sixty percent opacity at any time; and A limitation on the sulfur content of Shenango’s coke oven gas. On April 7, 2014 Shenango entered into a Consent Order and Agreement (the “COA”) with the Allegheny County Health Department (“ACHD”). GASP has reviewed Shenango’s most recent quarterly and semi-annual compliance reports to determine how Shenango’s compliance record has been following the COA. First, the good news: the COA required Shenango to submit and implement a “Charging Procedures Work Plan.” That Plan looked to address Shenango’s chronic violations of the charging standard listed above. Shenango submitted its Plan on time, and has not reported a violation of that standard since implementing it in the period GASP reviewed. The COA also required Shenango to undertake measures to eliminate its violations of the pushing standard listed above. Specifically, Shenango was required to repair and extend its pushing emissions control shed and submit and implement a “Baghouse Maintenance Plan.” These measures appear to have eliminated Shenango’s violations of that standard in the reviewed period. There is also mixed news: Shenango implemented a coke oven door maintenance program that is mentioned but not required, by the 2014 COA. That program has reduced, but not eliminated, Shenango’s violations of the limitation on visible emissions from the door areas of its coke ovens. Finally, the bad news: the rate of Shenango’s violations of the limitation on the sulfur content of its coke oven gas has actually increased following the COA. Shenango violated that standard 14 times during the second quarter of 2014, after having violated it only once during 2014’s first quarter and twice during the last quarter of 2013. In other bad news, the COA did not impose any new requirements on Shenango to address its chronic violations of the limitations on visible emissions from its combustion stack, and those violations have continued to occur. In fact, such violations have occurred at an increasing rate over the last several years. The following graphs show the number of stack violations that Shenango has reported for each month since the beginning of 2011. The straight lines toward the bottom of each graph are trend lines generated by Microsoft Excel: –John Baillie, Staff Attorney #Shenango #ShenangoCokeWorks #ConsentOrder #NevilleIsland #emissions #combustionstack #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #cokeovengas

GASP has worked for years to reduce air pollution from diesel vehicles. A recent Pittsburgh Regional Environmental Threats Analysis report on hazardous air pollutants puts diesel exhaust at the top of the concern list for cancer risk from inhaled air pollution. A similar report on particulate matter shows that vehicle miles traveled by diesel vehicles have risen since 2002 in every county in the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley region. Currently, GASP and other environmental groups are addressing illegal idling, with an emphasis on idling done by school buses. Children are particularly susceptible to diesel pollution for many reasons. They are more active and are outside more than adults, giving them more exposure to poor air quality. Being smaller makes them that much closer to the tailpipe, so they get more concentrated blasts. And much of the diesel pollution occurs when the students are on the bus, because the cabin traps emissions coming from the engine and holds them throughout the ride. A 2014 survey of many local schools found illegal idling happening throughout Pittsburgh. The mandated “No Idling” signs were also absent at many locations. GASP worked with Pittsburgh Public Schools to ensure signs are available for all of their schools, and they should all be up by the 2014-2015 school year. GASP is also delivering signs to all parochial, charter, and private schools in the district. Please talk to your school personnel if you see idling for more than five minutes per 60 minute period (15 minutes if students are on board). Contact us as well if the problem persists! To learn more about Pennsylvania’s no-idling law and our other diesel initiatives, please visit our Diesel Campaign page. #airpollution #airquality #idling #PittsburghPublicSchools

On July 31 and Aug. 1, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held listening sessions in Pittsburgh. The officials took comments from the public on the EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan, which will regulate carbon dioxide emissions from electrical generating units. While the plan is not perfect, GASP supports it in essence. The proposal, when fully enacted by 2030, will prevent thousands of premature deaths and up to 150,000 asthma attacks in children per year, slow down global warming, lessen the cost of electricity, and make our nation a leader in the next generation of clean technology. Learn more by visiting EPA’s web pages on the issue, and read our comments below. You can also submit your own comments, directly from EPA’s web site, but must do so by Oct. 16. August 1, 2014 Via Electronic Submission Re: Comments on Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0602 Dear Environmental Protection Agency: The Group Against Smog and Pollution, also known as GASP, submits these comments in support of the Clean Power Plan. While the details of the plan are rather complicated, the big picture is simple to comprehend. Global warming threatens our nation, and CO2 causes much of the warming. The EPA has the authority and the mandate to regulate CO2, and this proposal does just that. Many commenters have praised the reduction of CO2 and mitigating global warming, and we applaud the EPA for taking this strong step, by addressing emissions from our nation’s largest single source of CO2. This action will be a model to countries around the world and we should take pride in leading the fight. But as a nonprofit based in southwestern Pennsylvania that’s also fought for 45 years to reduce emissions that have short-term, or even immediately toxic effects, such as particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, air toxics, and other pollutants, we are especially excited to see the co-benefits of reducing these pollutants that this rule will provide. Pittsburgh is known for its smoky past. Many outsiders still have that image of the city. While Pittsburgh no longer turns on street lights at noon to see through the smoke, we do suffer from high levels of ozone and fine particulate matter. Perhaps “The Blue Ozone Haze City” or “The City With High Levels of Microscopic Particulates” just aren’t catchy enough to have become our new nickname. Our air quality slowly improves year after year, but so does our knowledge of the danger of these pollutants. GASP works to reduce emissions from our backyard air pollution sources, such as three nearby coke works (including the largest coke works in the nation), several steel mills, heavy diesel traffic, and many more. We also need relief from upwind sources. We are victims of emissions from power plants in Ohio, in Indiana, in Illinois, and beyond. This rule addresses the entire electricity-generating sector, nationwide, and thus reduces the ability for some to say “Why should we clean up when our neighbors aren’t?” And what do we get by enacting this plan? By 2030, there will be over 50 thousand less tons per year of fine particulates, and over 400 thousand tons per year less sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These reductions will prevent thousands of premature deaths, half a million missed school and work days, and up to 150 thousand in asthma attacks in children every year. The plan is to be commended for its flexibility. States can use a variety of strategies to meet state-specific goals, and states can also choose to work with neighboring states to create regional plans, if that makes sense to them. The proposal is the result of over a year of direct engagement with stakeholders, and in many ways it’s just the next logical step along a path the states started long ago. Forty-seven states already have demand-side energy efficiency programs. Almost 4 out of every 5 states utilize renewable energy portfolio standards or goals. This proposal builds on the tested, proven successes already achieved by many states. The proposal will save far more in health benefits than its estimated cost. The cost of doing nothing was calculated by the White House Council of Economic Advisers to be 19 times more per year. 19 times more. We cannot afford to wait any longer. What other changes might we see by 2030, beyond much cleaner air and a more stable climate? More creative hydropower projects, like the several that already exist on legacy dams and reservoirs in the region (and the many more being considered). Solar panels on the top of every municipal water tower, county court house, and public works garage. More energy-efficient light bulbs being sold for $1 in thrift stores, like a local electric utility did here recently. More companies using electric power at night to reduce spikes in demand (and to save their company lots of money). Geothermal power projects like in the South Side Library, a 105-year old building that added the technology during a renovation. Vertical axis wind power turbines like the one at Phipps Conservatory, just a few miles from here, or on farms, or in small towns, delivering power to themselves and their neighbors. I see flexibility, efficiency, resiliency, and jobs. Homes, neighborhoods, towns, and cities that are smarter and stronger. Thanks to the Green Building Alliance’s leadership, Pittsburgh is home to one of the nation’s few 2030 Districts. 2030 Districts are voluntary, collaborative efforts where building owners in urban cores agree to slash energy and water use and transportation emissions. We will see states create incentives for more 2030 Districts like Pittsburgh’s. Finally, we will see lots and lots of jobs. Pittsburgh has reinvented itself before and is now poised to take advantage of how this proposal will spur innovation in multiple sectors—from producing cleaner energy, to transmitting it, to using it more efficiently. New techniques and technologies will be needed, ensuring that our nation will be on the leading edge of this advance. Long-term, this proposal will lessen the negative effects of climate change. Short-term, it will spur growth and innovation, secure our position as a leader in future technologies, and save lives. Thank you for the opportunity to comment. Jamin Bogi Policy and Outreach Coordinator Group Against Smog and Pollution 5135 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15224 #CO2 #airpollution #sulfurdioxide #JaminBogi #nitrogenoxides #GreenBuildingAlliance #particulatematter

UPDATE 7/3/2014: The County sent its final Air Monitoring Network Plan to the EPA for approval on July 1, 2014. Read our comments and the County’s response, starting on page 88. We are encouraged to see that most or all of our suggestions are being evaluated for potential implementation. Today, GASP sent comments to the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) regarding their Air Monitoring Network Plan. We have raised several questions about the locations of certain air quality monitors and the types of air pollution monitored, including: A near-road nitrogen oxides (NOx) monitor is being installed in Wilkinsburg along the Parkway East. The law seems to require another monitor to be installed along with it–one that measures fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The county’s current plan does not include plans for this PM2.5 monitor. Though the Cheswick power plant is the largest source of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions in the county, there is no SO2 monitor downwind of the facility. SO2 readings in Glassport were significantly higher than in nearby Liberty, but the county stopped operating the Glassport monitor in 2006. This air pollution can cause or worsen respiratory and cardiovascular disease and even lead to cancer, stroke, and premature death. NOx is also a precursor of ground-level ozone, which causes lung damage, and acid rain. Our region’s residents deserve to know exactly what is in the air they breathe every day. Read our full comments and the ACHD plan. The plan will soon be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency and GASP will keep you updated on this important issue. #PM25 #airpollution #airmonitoring #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #airquality

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently released a proposal that puts emissions limits on some big sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These pollutants combine in the atmosphere to create ground-level ozone, a pollutant that burns eyes, triggers asthma attacks, and is even linked to premature death from cardiovascular disease. Ground-level ozone is not a good thing, simply put, and the Pittsburgh region already struggles to meet the federal, health-based standards for ozone levels in the ambient air. So new regulations are good, right? Not yet. In this instance, the DEP proposal will allow much more air pollution to be discharged than is currently being emitted. The proposal sets limits that seem to ignore modern air pollution control technology. Selective Catalytic Reduction units (SCRs) are already installed in many coal-fired power plants in Pennsylvania and all around us. They are reasonably available, technologically feasible, and economically feasible, which are the criteria that DEP must evaluate when making these limits. So why isn’t the DEP setting air pollution limits that consider the best technology? If you’d like to tell the DEP to set tougher limits, please do so by emailing them your comments. After agreeing to their terms, click “Additional RACT Requirement for Major Sources of NOx and VOCs” from the dropdown menu asking which rulemaking you’d like to comment on. Comments will be taken until June 30. Link here: http://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/RegComments/Agreement.aspx Please let us know if you’d like an explanation of any part of the rulemaking, and we’d love if you shared your comments with us. GASP delivered our own comments in person during a public hearing on 5/27. You can read our comments here. #airpollution #RACTRequirement #VOCs #emissions #DEP