Allegheny County Economic Development (ACED) recently announced funding for projects dedicated to improving air quality and public health in the Mon Valley.  These projects are recipients of the first round of awards from the Mon Valley Public Health and Welfare Grant Program , which was established as part of the settlement from the 2018 fire at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works. The projects selected for awards address environmental concerns, enhance public and community health, and were informed by community input gathered through extensive engagement and public hearings.  ACED has allocated funds to projects that align with the needs and priorities identified by residents, businesses, and stakeholders during a community engagement process that included public hearings, digital engagement, and surveys facilitated in 2024.  The department said in a release: “This process provided a platform for voices from the Mon Valley communities directly impacted by the 2018 fire at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works, ensuring that funding decisions were rooted in the aspirations and concerns of the community.” “We applaud the county for its continued community outreach - and transparency - around how these funds are being spent,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “And we’d be remiss if we didn’t encourage our friends and contemporaries working in the Mon Valley to check out the second round of funding opportunity and pitch their air quality improvement projects.” A Little Bit More About the Projects Funded in the First Round: Valley Clean Air Now - Air Purifier and Education Project:  Funding to purchase and distribute air purifiers and hold educational sessions on airborne pollutants and mitigation strategies. South Allegheny Fire Emergency Services and Rescue - AED Device Acquisition:  Funding to purchase eight automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) for local rescue teams. Steel Rivers Council of Governments - Community Wellness Supplies:  Funding to purchase and distribute wellness supplies, with a focus on promoting safe and respiratory-friendly cleaning practices. Glassport Community Development Corporation - Community Garden Space:  Funding to create a community garden space, including site preparation and equipment purchase, promoting healthier, shared outdoor environments. Helping Out Our People - Services for Families Affected by Gun Violence:  Funding to expand counseling and support services, as well as educational programs, for individuals affected by gun violence. Rainbow Kitchen Community Services - Public Health and Welfare:  Funding to support caseworkers working with impacted communities and to purchase critical health supplies. “ACED’s investment in these programs is a direct response to the voices of the Mon Valley community. By actively listening to constituents as we developed the application system, sought applications, reviewed submissions, and awarded funds, we are able to support projects that not only improve the environment but also protect the health and well-being of Mon Valley residents,” said Allegheny County Economic Development Director Lauren Connelly. Public Engagement Continues: Upcoming Hearings and Second Funding Round To continue fostering open communication and ensuring the community’ s priorities that guides future application and selection processes, ACED will hold additional public engagement sessions.  These sessions will provide feedback on the projects funded in the first round, offer space for further community discussions on emerging needs, and outline details of the application process for the second funding round and any future application cycles. While the virtual hearing took place last night, it’s not too late to attend an in-person event happening at 1 p.m. Thursday in McKeesport.   You can register here The department is also seeking community feedback through the U.S. Steel Settlement Community Survey. Applications for the Second Round of Funding Open March 24 ACED is committed to ensuring a transparent and equitable application process. The second round of funding will officially open on March 24, allowing community organizations, nonprofits, and other stakeholders to apply for funds aimed at improving public health and air quality in the Mon Valley. Details of the application criteria and process will be informed by the public engagement sessions. Little Bit More   About the Mon Valley Public Health and Welfare Funds: The Mon Valley Public Health and Welfare Funds were established as part of a As part of the settlement, U.S. Steel agreed to make payments totaling $4.5 million, with $2.25 million allocated to ACED over five years. These funds aim to support projects that have a direct, tangible impact on public health and indoor/outdoor air quality in communities near U.S. Steel facilities. For more information on the application process, funded projects, and upcoming sessions, please visit Mon Valley Public Health and Welfare Funds - Allegheny County, PA .

Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) this week released its 2023 Air Quality Annual Report, which shows the county has met the EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 2023. It’s the third straight year that NAAQS were met. “This is what we all - ACHD, air quality groups, residents, and elected leaders - have been working together to make a reality: That Allegheny County’s air quality continues to improve,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “Do we still have air quality issues that impact our public health and perennial polluters mucking up our skies? Absolutely. Is our work done?  No. And we have to be cognizant that that work will be so much more difficult for ACHD to tackle without the proper funding. To be clear: The languishing permit fee schedule will only make progress a longer slog. We hope county council is paying attention because their constituents certainly are.”  He added: “Levels of pollution in some parts of the county do not attain the new National Ambient Air Quality Standards for PM2.5, and that also needs to be addressed.” Here’s what officials said in a press release: The Allegheny County Health Department's 2023 Air Quality Annual Report  shows the county's measures have met the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 2023.  The data from nine monitoring locations throughout Allegheny County is submitted to and accepted by the EPA. The data shows that for a third year in a row all federal standards have been met, including Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) which is particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less. Particulate matter is a type of air pollution consisting of tiny particles like smoke or car exhaust. "Our monitoring network is one of the more robust in the Country. The citing and operations of the network are approved by the US EPA and as such, we are very confident in the data from our regulatory monitoring network." said Geoff Rabinowitz, Allegheny County Health Department Bureau of Environmental Health Deputy Director. In 2023 the Eastern Canadian wildfires caused spikes in the Air Quality Index (AQI) across much of the eastern United States. In late June particulate matter from the wildfires caused the highest 24-hour PM2.5 AQI measurements in the county since PM2.5 became a federal standard. Even with the Canadian wildfire event the county was still in attainment for the PM2.5 annual standard. "The Canadian Wildfire event was concerning, it's been over 20 years since we have experienced major wildfire pollution like it," says Jason Maranche, Planning and Data Assessment Manager for Allegheny County's Air Quality program. "We are glad the data shows the county has maintained all federal standards again despite outlier events." Although standards were met, the health department still has important work to do. Areas like Liberty, North Braddock, and Parkway East, generally recorded worse air quality than other parts of the county. For example, in 2023 the 24-hours standard for PM2.5 was exceeded in the Liberty area six times. In addition to federally regulated pollutants, Liberty had 103 exceedance days and North Braddock had 38 days for the 24-hour Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) state standard. "While the county as a whole continues to meet federal standards overall, Sulfur Dioxide (S02) exceedances, Ozone exceedances, and frequent hydrogen sulfide exceedances suggest ongoing air quality challenges. Every exceedance of federal, state, and County standards could potentially impact public health, especially vulnerable populations," said Dr. Iulia Vann, Public Health Director for the Allegheny County Health Department. "We must continue to address the damage from air pollution in order to protect, promote, and preserve the health and well-being of Allegheny County residents." The annual report shares data and descriptions for all federal criteria pollutants and includes data on Pennsylvania state standards, hazardous air pollutants, health effects, AQI, and information on the air monitoring network.  Visit the Air Quality Reports and Studies  webpage for quarterly reports, annual reports, and additional studies on unique air quality issues.  The Allegheny County Health Department will use the 2023 Air Quality Annual Report as an opportunity to inform local communities on key takeaways like air quality impacts and the activities of the air quality program .  The department is hoping to put out dates for those public outreach events in the next few weeks. Editor's Note: We will keep you posted on those public outreach events. Stay tuned!

The change in Presidential Administrations brought with it a flurry of executive orders, one of which touches on subjects that we’ve blogged about before: vehicle emission standards and the transition to electric vehicles, which are important for air quality because vehicle emissions are one of the largest sources of air pollution.   More specifically, President Trump’s   Executive Order 14148  revokes President Biden’s  2021 Executive Order 14037 , which directed the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Transportation to “consider beginning work on” rulemakings to establish vehicle emission standards and vehicle fleet mileage requirements, respectively.   Those standards and requirements were to be drafted with the goal that fifty percent of all new passenger cars and light duty trucks “sold in 2030 be zero-emission vehicles.” EPA finished work on its rulemaking by the April 2024 deadline.  As we   blogged , EPA published new   emission standards  for model years 2027-32, under which roughly two-thirds of all model year 2032 cars and light-duty vehicles sold will effectively be required to be electric vehicles - we say “effectively” because given existing technology that is the only way for automakers to meet the standards. Thus, although the rule was not written as a mandate, it will function as one.  The Department of Transportation followed suit in June of 2024,   finalizing a rule  that would require “an industry-wide fleet average of approximately 50.4 miles per gallon” for passenger cars and light-duty trucks by model year 2031. So, what does Trump’s executive order mean for the transition to electric vehicles? By itself, not very much. The regulations that implement the electric vehicles standards remain on the books and have the force of law.  “In that sense, many of the reports regarding Trump’s Executive Order were overblown,” GASP senior attorney John Baillie said.  However, it bears noting that a former administration’s rulemakings are always subject to reconsideration by a new administration –   as we have seen before  (and   more than once! ) -- and the rulemakings for the electric vehicle standards are no exception.   Such a reconsideration could be based on a new or different finding of any of the facts that undergird the standards. For example, if the earlier rulemaking did not take into account costs attendant to its implementation or overstated the benefits it would likely produce.  Indeed, the Department of Transportation   has already announced  its plans to rewrite the existing fuel efficiency standards.   “That announcement came as no surprise,” Baillie said. “Whether or not the government is able to stop or even slow the transition to electric vehicles is another question entirely, one to be decided by the market.” We will continue to follow development on this front, and report on them as they occur.

Editor’s Note: This blog was updated at 6:47 p.m. Nov. 19 to clarify the health impacts related to hydrogen sulfide. 2024 Update: Learn all about hydrogen sulfide and the latest efforts to rid the Mon Valley of our least favorite smell in our new resource guide. For many in the Mon Valley, the first week of November was punctuated by the persisting odor of rotten eggs – an odor pungent enough to force local residents to shutter their windows and doors despite unseasonably warm and sunny weather. The culprit, of course, was hydrogen sulfide (H2S for short) – a colorless, flammable, gas that’s long been an issue for communities adjacent to and downwind of industrial sources like U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works and Edgar Thomson facility. Other than the decidedly unpleasant odor, the higher hydrogen sulfide levels we see on occasion can induce tearing of the eyes and symptoms related to over-stimulation of the sense of smell, including headache, and nausea. In fact, hydrogen sulfide is so unpleasant and common near certain industries that Pennsylvania has required H2S in the ambient air to be less than 0.005 parts per million (ppm), averaged over 24 hours. This standard is enforced locally by the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) Air Quality Program. Yet, that standard was exceeded for seven straight days in early November. So far this year, the H2S standard has been exceeded 23 times at the Liberty air quality monitoring site according to preliminary ACHD data. Those signed up to receive messages through Allegheny County’s Alert system may recall that ACHD issued a statement about that prolonged period of poor air quality. In it, health officials placed the lion’s share of the blame for the days-long subpar air quality on stagnant weather conditions and asked residents to do their part to mitigate air pollution.  Absent from that message, however, was any mention of those elevated hydrogen sulfide concentrations or the exceedances of the state standard they spurred. Also missing was a plea to companies like U.S. Steel to do all it can to reduce its emissions during periods of weather expected to exacerbate air quality, creating a public health hazard.  GASP made that call last week, imploring U.S. Steel to voluntarily dial back its production on days when Allegheny County grapples with inversions or other weather conditions expected to trap air pollutants closer to the ground. This week, we’re renewing that call.  “The polluters are the problem here,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. “ACHD is making a good faith effort to combat these exceedances on several fronts. Not only has the air quality program committed to purchasing several new, mobile H2S monitors to be deployed throughout the county, they are also in the process of updating its coke oven regulations and have promised action on its woefully outdated episodic weather regulations.” But she said it’s important to note that while regulations that would force industrial air polluters to reduce operations within 24 hours’ notice from the health department of a weather event expected to cause a public health hazard are sorely needed, they won’t be in place any time soon. “We have to be realistic and understand the process: It can take as long as 18 months to bring a regulation from the first draft to enforceable rule,” Filippini said. “That’s why it’s so imperative that major H2S emitters like U.S. Steel step up and protect the surrounding community now.” GASP senior staff attorney John Baillie agreed. “Asking residents to curtail certain activities when air dispersion is poor might make an impact on levels of particle pollution, but there’s absolutely nothing we as individuals can do to affect levels of hydrogen sulfide,” he said. “But as the largest emitter of hydrogen sulfide in the county, U.S. Steel certainly could.” GASP has said it before and will say it again: If U.S. Steel can reduce operations to accommodate market conditions, it can reduce operations to accommodate weather conditions. The company is simply choosing not to do so. “Here in Pittsburgh, we grew up watching Mr. Rogers, so the notion of being a good neighbor is one that’s ingrained in so many,” Filippini said. “As a ‘Burgh-based company, one would think they’d have a vested interest in the health and welfare of residents in neighboring communities as well as its own employees.” Despite one open letter and several subsequent calls to action, U.S. Steel has made no public comment addressing if, how, and when it would heed calls for it to be a more responsible corporate citizen and reduce operations during bouts of poor air dispersion. And it’s well past time that it did. Allegheny County is no stranger to inversions. They happen here often. Local folks may recall that just last year, our holiday season was marred by eight days of unbearable air thanks to a major inversion.  While often severe, some have even been deadly. While GASP was not around during the infamous 1948 Donora smog incident that killed 20 people and sickened thousands more, we were involved in the policy debates following an air pollution episode during November of 1975 , to which an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study attributed 14 excess fatalities. And yes, we pushed for updated episodic weather regulations back then, too. At the time, our members called on regulators to address what was (and is) a glaring omission: A curtailment plan for U.S. Steel. In a 1976 press release GASP wrote: “U.S. Steel’s recalcitrance and (regulators’) inadequacy must not be permitted to persist to the next emergency in Allegheny County. All sources must submit signed curtailment plans and sources which do not comply must be prosecuted.” So the question remains: How many more air pollution-related emergencies will Mon Valley residents need to endure? It appears the answer can only come from one of two places – U.S. Steel or ACHD. For its part, ACHD appears to be trying to take strides to solve the problem while U.S. Steel has done nothing but fight the county at every turn when it comes to mitigating H2S emissions – most recently objecting to coke oven regulation updates the department believes will reduce fugitive and other emissions. That’s why we are asking today for your help and your voice: We need to send a clear message to U.S. Steel that it must take action to voluntarily reduce operations when severe weather is expected to negatively impact air quality and public health.  We encourage you to contact U.S. Steel to ask them to do just that. You can contact the company a couple of different ways: You can call U.S. Steel spokeswoman Meghan Cox at 412-433-6777 or email her at mmcox@uss.com . Email Clairton Coke Works plant manager Michael Rhoades at mrhoads@uss.com . You can tag the company in a tweet – its Twitter handle is @U_S_Steel. More of an Instagram user? The company’s handle on that platform is @ussteelcorp. We also encourage you to join GASP, Allegheny County Clean Air Now, Breathe Project, Clean Air Council, Clean Water Action, PennFuture, and residents at a virtual rally slated from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 20 to speak out about this most recent bout of horrific air quality and demand accountability. You can get more information and RSVP here. Editor’s Note: Stay tuned – we’re following this issue closely and will update the website with more information as it becomes available. Join us on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter for immediate updates. #H2S #airpollution #hydrogensulfide #USSteel #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #ClairtonCokeWorks #airquality #MonValleyWorks

Save the date, friends: Allegheny County Council’s proposal to fully fund our air quality program through increasing certain fees on industrial polluters could be back up for discussion next month and we want to send a strong message to members serving on the Health and Human Services Committee. Basically, that message is: Stop politicizing our public health. We need to ensure we have a fully funded air quality program now more than ever: The flurry of executive orders taking aim at both environmental and public health initiatives, research, and funding, should be the impetus we need to come together to protect our corner of the universe.  We need to let committee members know they need to listen to the residents - the voters - who’ve trusted them to do the right thing. To let them know that residents - voters - will need to hear an explanation from those who have voted no (or threatened to) without ever having to look them in the eyes and tell them why. We need to ask them why they are opposed - specifically - to a proposal that has been vetted by the Allegheny County Air Advisory Committee and the Allegheny County Board of Health and then subject to a public comment where it received nearly unanimous support.  We (collectively) have called their offices, emailed them, and sent them messages on social media. We showed up to committee meetings and to council meetings to show our robust support. We need to ask them what more we need to do for them to listen to the people. So, save the date: The committee meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Allegheny County Courthouse. GASP will be there and we hope you will join us. The agenda is out but very sparse on details. It can be viewed right here: Stay tuned - more to come from GASP on the meeting. Until then, here’s a refresher  on why this funding proposal is so important and who - and how - to contact and what to say.

So, anything big happen lately? OK. We admit. Lame joke. Sorry, sorry: Sometimes if you can’t laugh, you’ll cry. This week has been a whirlwind (and it’s only Thursday). And the changes on the federal level are coming at a blistering pace. The new administration has already revoked so many of President Biden’s executive orders related to environmental justice and climate change and yanked the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement.  Folks are concerned about rollbacks of crucial regulations dealing with coke oven emissions and other air quality-related policy. An energy emergency has been declared. The attack on renewable energy is reaching a crescendo, drilling has been expanded and it’s only day four.   It can be easy to feel discouraged (or gutted even). But as Fred Rogers once said, "In times of trouble, look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." Because here in Pittsburgh, we are rich with helpers. In every sector. We hope you join us not only in looking for those helpers, but in being them, too. As the saying goes, think globally, act locally. Here at GASP, that's exactly what we'll continue to do. Since 1969, we've been using all of our collective skill, passion, and power to: Improve our region's air quality Protect our collective public health Be a watchdog to polluting industries and the agencies that oversee them And you can count on us to be right there with you. The GASP team will be there to review permits, proposed regulations, and challenge them when necessary. We'll break down the complicated environmental issues you face and help you understand how to take meaningful action. And most importantly, we'll champion the rights of the most vulnerable among us. It's a new era, and we're going to weather it together, friends. As a first step in navigating this new era, we've made the decision to leave one of our social media platforms. While many of you have followed us and found important air quality updates on X, leaving this platform has been a long time coming, and recent events solidified our decision. You can still find GASP on these platforms: Facebook Instagram: @gasp-pgh Bluesky: @gasp-pgh LinkedIn You can also find us on our website or email us anytime at info@gasp-pgh.org .  In solidarity, The Gang at GASP

Good news: Fifteen environmental justice communities in Allegheny County are eligible to receive a combined $930,000 to beautify the area and mitigate flood damage. Students from the University of Pittsburgh's Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation are currently working with Braddock, Homestead, Wilkinsburg and Wilmerding to design projects. Residents will start to see the climate resilience transformations as early as this summer. The 15 eligible communities were identified using the ACHD EJ index , which was developed using community feedback and existing data on eight social and environmental indicators. These communities will receive incentives and assistance to develop climate resilience plans.   The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) was awarded the grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Environmental Justice Government-to-Government grant (EJG2G). The funding will support initiatives aimed at increasing climate resilience in environmental justice communities and contribute to ACHD's Plan for a Healthier Allegheny goal of having 33 communities with a climate resilience plan by 2027. The health department's goal is to increase the number of communities that are prepared to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Landforce will implement the projects designed by Pitt students which could include rain gardens and other installations to help reduce flood risk and address the community's climate resilience needs. Allegheny CleanWays will conduct cleanups aimed at reducing flood risk and water contamination such as eliminating illegal dumping sites, removing litter from storm drains or cleaning debris from waterways. The Allegheny County Health Department will also collaborate with the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority , the Allegheny County Departments of Sustainability and Emergency Services and two local Councils of Governments (COGs): Steel Rivers COG and Turtle Creek Valley COG . Get updates on the projects in the community by visiting Allegheny County EJG2G: Overview and Updates or sign up here for quarterly updates.

Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) Executive Director Patrick Campbell on Tuesday presented formal comments at a state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) hearing in support of the agency's proposal to designate Allegheny County as a nonattainment area for the revised primary annual National Ambient Air Quality Standard for fine particulate matter. Here's what he told them: Good afternoon. My name is Patrick Campbell, I am the executive director of the Group Against Smog and Pollution - or GASP - a nonprofit working to improve our regional air quality since 1969. Thank you for the opportunity to address you today. GASP supports the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s proposal to designate Allegheny County as a nonattainment area for the revised primary annual National Ambient Air Quality Standard for fine particulate matter. Local residents, researchers, medical professionals and fellow environmental advocates know all too well how PM2.5 poses significant and widespread health risks to Allegheny County residents. As the so-called Steel City, Pittsburgh has a long history with industrial pollution. And the largest point-source of PM2.5 pollution in the entire state - U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works - is right here in Allegheny County.  That facility alone emitted more than 45 tons of PM2.5, as well as thousands of tons of precursor pollutants like Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Oxides, and Volatile Organic Compounds.  Exposure to these microscopic particles has been linked to serious respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and developmental impacts. It’s important to acknowledge that both nationally and locally, the burden of PM2.5 pollution is not equally distributed. Communities of color and low-income neighborhoods - like those we see here in the Mon Valley and other areas of Allegheny County - experience disproportionately higher levels of exposure, exacerbating existing health disparities.  And this environmental injustice demands urgent action.   The designation of Allegheny County as nonattainment is a critical step toward addressing these serious health concerns. This designation will empower the Allegheny County Health Department to: Identify the primary sources of PM2.5 pollution within the county Develop and implement effective strategies to reduce emissions Prioritize interventions in areas most impacted by air pollution GASP urges DEP to move forward with this designation for Allegheny County and to work collaboratively with local communities, environmental organizations, and public health agencies to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to achieve and maintain attainment of the revised PM2.5 NAAQS. Thank you. Editor's Note:

Today, we need a little help from our friends, fellow breathers. Specifically, our friends who live in the Hill District area. We need to find four host locations for air quality monitors as part of an EPA-funded project studying emissions from Lindy Paving.  “We are  specifically looking for locations in the neighborhoods in the Hill District closest to Lindy Paving like Crawford Roberts, the area around Kennard Park, and Middle Hill,” GASP field technician Julie Stouffer explained. “Not only would you be helping GASP and our community partners, it’s also an awesome opportunity for residents to better understand what’s in the air they and their neighbors are breathing.” To what end, you may ask? “We hope that by monitoring and sampling the air around polluters like Lindy will help provide leverage to environmental advocacy efforts and offer an opportunity for communication with the health department about local concerns,” she continued.  Need more info? No problem! Here are some documents for your review: Host Agreement Project Fact Sheet Julie will also be presenting on the air quality monitoring project at a free program at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Hill District branch. You can get more info on that right here. Editor’s Note: You can also check out this page for further details.  Also: Please feel free to reach out to us at julie@gasp-pgh.org  for any other questions you may have!

January is National Radon Action Month and the Allegheny County Health Department’s (ACHD) Housing and Community Environment Program is providing more than 900 free radon test kits for residents. Across the state 40 percent of homes are believed to have elevated radon levels, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes into homes from the ground. When breathed in, the radioactive particles move around in a person’s lungs and cause radiation damage to cells. With an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year, radon is the second leading cause of the illness. The gas is completely undetectable by smell, taste, sight, or feel making the use of a test kit crucial to identifying the hazard. Testing regularly is the only reliable way to know if radon is in the home. The test is for informational and awareness purposes only, as ACHD does not regulate indoor radon levels. Pick up a test M-F between 8 AM and 4 PM at the Housing and Community Environment office (3190 Sassafras Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15201). One kit per household while supplies last so call ahead at 412-350-4046. The easy-to-follow instructions include the address the test should be shipped to after it is run to be analyzed by a laboratory for results. With the results of the test, residents are able to make an informed decision on how best to protect their lung health. According to the EPA, remediation for radon, done by a certified contractor, should be completed at 4pCi/L or higher, but is recommended for results as low as 2pCi/L. The presence or absence of radon in one home of a neighborhood does not indicate the levels in other homes nearby, even right next door. To learn more about radon, residents are encouraged to visit the program’s new radon webpage .  In addition, the Pennsylvania DEP has an educational webpage on radon that includes a list of certified radon mitigation companies and a feature to search for the average radon test data within Pennsylvania by zip code.