"This is such tremendous news for the region and comes in the wake of a prolonged air pollution episode referred to Neville Island as a pollution "hot spot" in Allegheny County - second only to Clairton Coke

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.

Steel’s Clairton Coke Works is quickly approaching, and it’s so important that regulators hear from residents Steel Clairton Coke Works’ Draft Permit “During our review of the draft permit for the Clairton Coke Transfer Process, No. 1 and No. 2 Coke Screening Stations, Coal and Coke Recycle Screening Process, and Peters Creek Coke Screening Process. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works (#0052-OP22).

Allegheny County Health Department hearing officer to put the kibosh on long-sought updates to local coke Steel asked ACHD’s hearing officer to determine that the proposed rulemaking regarding coke oven battery and order the company and department entered into in 2019 following fallout from the 2018 Clairton Coke addresses the department’s 2018 enforcement order and all subsequent penalties issued against the Clairton Coke the concessions taken by the company: “ACHD agreed that it would not impose more stringent limits for coke

Two bills introduced in the state Senate recently would exempt cars registered to owners in seven Pennsylvania counties - Blair, Cambria, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer, and Westmoreland- from emissions inspection requirements and exempt cars statewide from the emissions inspection requirement for five years after they are manufactured. With respect to the first piece of proposed legislation, Senate Bill 561, the thinking of its sponsors seems to be that cars registered in those counties should be exempt because all areas in those counties attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), including the standard for ozone (quick background: reducing ozone pollution is the primary purpose of the vehicle inspection requirement). “Indeed, EPA authorized North Carolina to remove cars registered in 26 of its 100 counties from its emission inspection program on just this basis in 2018,” GASP senior attorney John Baillie explained. With respect to the second proposal, Bill 562, the idea seems to be that newer cars are less polluting, that they almost always pass emission inspection anyway (thus, the emission inspection very rarely catches a new car with illegal emissions), and that other states (including California, New Jersey, and Delaware) provide such exemptions for new model year cars – so why shouldn’t Pennsylvania also? Vehicle emission inspections, where they are required, are mandated by the Clean Air Act and its implementing regulations. If Senate Bills 561 and 562 are enacted, would they conflict with the Act and those regulations, and thus presumably be preempted? Or would they be consistent with the Act? Let’s look at this, taking the bills out of order. So, starting with Senate Bill 562: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations that establish the requirements for vehicle emission inspection programs require emission testing for “1968 and later model year vehicles.” However, the Clean Air Act itself does not specify which model years must be included by a state in its vehicle emission inspection program. Rather, the Act requires that a state’s emission inspection program meet a “performance standard” that EPA has interpreted to mean a maximum average rate of emissions of certain pollutants from all vehicles subject to the program. “As a result, EPA can exempt vehicles in a state from emission inspection requirements provided that the state demonstrates that the fleet of cars in the areas of the state subject to the inspection requirement meets the performance standard,” Baillie said. Because the performance standard was developed decades ago and cars have gotten considerably cleaner since, that demonstration (which is done by computer modeling) is relatively easy for a state to make, even when the program includes an exemption for cleaner, newer cars. “The Clean Air Act would not appear to preclude Senate Bill 562’s proposed exemption to Pennsylvania’s emission inspection program for newer cars,” he continued. Now on to SB 561: In contrast, the Clean Air Act does specify the areas that must be included in Pennsylvania’s vehicle emission inspection program. Section 184(b)(1)(A) of the Act provides that “each area [in a state in the Ozone Transport Region, which includes Pennsylvania] that is a metropolitan statistical area or part thereof with a population of 100,000 or more” must comply with the Act’s vehicle emission inspection requirement. The need to have a vehicle emission inspection program is not dependent on nonattainment of the NAAQS (unlike in North Carolina, which is not in the Ozone Transport Region). This helps states downwind of Pennsylvania attain the ozone NAAQS by limiting the amount of ozone-forming compounds that can cross the state lines even when those compounds may be emitted in areas that attain the NAAQS themselves. So, is each of Blair, Cambria, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer, and Westmoreland Counties included in a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and does each of them have a population of at least 100,000? All seven of the counties have populations of more than 100,000 and are in an MSA. “It thus appears that Senate Bill 561’s proposed removal of vehicles registered in Blair, Cambria, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer, and Westmoreland Counties from Pennsylvania’s emission inspection requirement would not be allowed under the Clean Air Act,” Baillie said. We will continue to track Senate Bills 561 and 562 and keep you posted.

Many of us use natural gas in our day-to-day lives, including cooking on gas stoves. PSE’s team of researchers will be collecting and analyzing samples from residential natural gas from April 18-20 in Pittsburgh. The non-profit research institute is seeking participants for the new study, which “aims to improve our understanding of the relationship between indoor air quality and human health and the potential health hazards of unburned natural gas.” It’s a pretty straightforward process: A pair of researchers will collect a sample of unburned gas from your stove and analyze it for air pollutants. This process takes about 15 minutes and does not affect the stove in any way. Bonus: Those selected to participate will be given a $25 stipend. “We hope local residents take advantage of this opportunity,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Cambell said. “A burgeoning body of scientific research shows the air pollutants that gas stoves emit can have negative health impacts, often exacerbating respiratory conditions like asthma. By participating, you’re not only helping an important research project but you will also get to find out what air pollutants are in your kitchen when you cook.” Just a couple of caveats: To participate in the study, you must live in or near Pittsburgh and have a natural gas stove (not propane). Not sure? No problem! You can ask PSE! Sound interesting? Sign up here. Still on the fence? Check out this video explainer: Editor’s Note: For more information about the study, visit the project website here, and to learn more about PSE Healthy Energy visit its website here. #methane #PSEhealthyenergy #airpollutants #emissions #TheKitchenProject

participants crafted this awesome, plain-language guide to the most common air pollutants and where they come

The Allegheny County Board of Health will meet in the coming weeks to vote on a nominee to serve as the

Steel - the 10th in the past two years - for emissions violations at its Clairton Coke Works facility ACHD Issues Civil Penalty Against Contractor Following Demo at Clairton Coke Works ICC Commonwealth on Steel’s Clairton Coke Works facility within the required 10-day window.

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) on Friday is now seeking public comment on its proposed coke In the release, ACHD wrote: Coke making is a process by which coal is baked at very high temperatures The only coke facility in Allegheny County is at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Works. The regulation changes will: Incorporate coke oven inspection procedures into the regulations; Address issues of stringency with federal and Pennsylvania regulations; Correct coke oven gas standards, and