Want to make a difference? Want to make your voice heard? One way to do both of these things is to share your viewpoint via a letter to the editor. What is a letter to the editor? At times referred to as an LTE, these short op-ed pieces are typically written in response to a news article, current event, or community concern. Because of space limitations, please note that every character counts. Fact: Punchy, succinct letters to the editor are much more likely to be published than pieces that opine on a particular issue for hundreds and hundreds of words. Why write a letter to the editor? If sharing your standpoint on an issue you care deeply about isn’t enough, consider this: Letters to the editor could help determine news coverage. Why? Because the job of news editors is to help determine what issues are most important to readers. At a time when local newsrooms are understaffed, clear indicators of what stories most impact and interest readers are the stories assigning editors will dole out to their reporters. LTEs also send a clear message to policyholders (think your municipal and county representatives, as well as those who serve in the House and Senate) about the issues to which they need to devote more time and attention. Now that you know WHY letters to the editor are so important, here are some pro tips on HOW to write an LTE that will actually get published: Check with the publication to which you intend to submit your LTE so you know their requirements. Letters to the editor often have strict word limits. They often also require the letter writer to disclose their name, address, and phone number. Don’t worry: Personal information like your address and phone number won’t be published. The editorial editor will just need this information to verify your identity should she decide to publish your piece. Expect an email or phone call from the publication to confirm any details of your letter. Remember that background matters. Write your letter assuming that most people don’t know the intimate details of the issue you’re writing about - consider opening your letter with a reference to the story or event in question. Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to mention your occupation, educational background, or professional designations/affiliations if they help add credibility to your point/argument. Facts are king. You have limited space to make your argument: Make sure it’s fueled by evidence that supports your position - think studies, statistics, recent relevant administrative actions or votes, as well as personal anecdotes. Consider the “inverted pyramid.” In the journalism field, “inverted pyramid” refers to a style of news writing where the most important information is included in the first paragraph few paragraphs so that readers will get the most pertinent information first. Articles written in inverted pyramid style are also typically easier to edit because they are structured with the least pertinent information near the end. End it with a call to action. What do you want people to do right after they read your letter to the editor? Do you want them to vote a certain way? Support a specific piece of legislation or administrative action? Let readers know! Give it one last look before you hit, “Send.” Here are some things to ask yourself: Did I use jargon? (If so, get rid of it) Did I use abbreviations people might not get? (If so, spell the words out and put the acronym in parentheses following the term) Can you make anything shorter and more concise? In one of the premier books on writing, “Elements of Style,” William Strunk Jr. advised: “Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.” Consider this when you’re proofing your final LTE submission.

Editor's Note: This blog was updated to include additional information from a county press release issued Monday afternoon. The Allegheny County Board of Health on Monday unanimously approved the nomination of Dr. Iulia Vann to serve as the next director of the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD). Dr. Vann currently serves as the Public Health Director of the Guilford County Department of Health and Human Services in North Carolina. They hold both a medical degree and master’s degree in public health. In their role in North Carolina, Dr. Vann is responsible for managing more than 450 full-time employees and a budget of $55 million. Under their leadership, the department was recognized as the 2021 North Carolina Public Health Association Health Department of the Year specifically for its creative response to the COVID pandemic and its determination to keep residents safe. Dr. Vann also currently serves as the President of the North Carolina Public Health Association. "Dr. Vann's passion for protecting public health and track record of taking on big challenges is exactly why we want her to be the next Director of the Allegheny County Health Department," Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said in a statement. "I want to thank the Search Committee and the Board of Health for committing itself to a very thorough and broad search that resulted in selecting Dr. Vann, and dozens of community leaders who contributed input and thoughts to the search process to help shape our shared vision for this critically important position." Dr. Vann said it was an honor to be selected to lead ACHD. "I'm no stranger to complex and multi-faceted public health challenges, and I'm so proud of what we accomplished in Guilford County during my tenure," they added. "I look forward to bringing the creativity and energy that defined my time in North Carolina to Allegheny County to help protect public health for the residents of Western Pennsylvania and ensure we are building communities where everyone is safe and thriving." Patrick Dowd will continue to serve in the role of interim director until his departure July 9. The county announced last week that Dowd was hired as the CEO of the Pittsburgh Environmental Charter School. At that time, Dr. Barbara Nightingale, ACHD's deputy director of clinical services, will serve as the Interim until Dr. Vann begins later this summer. “Air quality is one of our most pressing public health issues, and we look forward to meeting and working with Dr. Vann to create positive change for our region,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy today announced that applications are open for $850 million in federal funding for projects that will help monitor, measure, quantify and reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sectors. Oil and natural gas facilities are the nation's largest industrial source of methane, a climate super pollutant that is many times more potent than carbon dioxide and is responsible for approximately one-third of the warming from greenhouse gasses occurring today. This funding from the Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history—will help mitigate legacy air pollution, create good jobs in the energy sector and disadvantaged communities, reduce waste and inefficiencies in U.S. oil and gas operations, and realize near-term emissions reductions, helping the United States reach its climate and clean air goals. The funding will specifically help small oil and natural gas operators reduce methane emissions and transition to available and innovative methane emissions reduction technologies, while also supporting partnerships that improve emissions measurement and provide accurate, transparent data to impacted communities. The primary objectives of this funding opportunity announcement are to: Help small operators significantly reduce methane emissions from oil and natural gas operations, using commercially available technology solutions for methane emissions monitoring, measurement, quantification and mitigation. Accelerate the repair of methane leaks from low-producing wells and the deployment of early-commercial technology solutions to reduce methane emissions from new and existing equipment such as natural gas compressors, gas-fueled engines, associated gas flares, liquids unloading operations, handling of produced water and other equipment leakage. Improve communities' access to empirical data and participation in monitoring through multiple installations of monitoring and measurement technologies while establishing collaborative relationships between equipment providers and communities. Enhance the detection and measurement of methane emissions from oil and gas operations at regional scale, while ensuring nationwide data consistency through the creation of collaborative partnerships. These partnerships will span the country's oil and gas-producing regions and draw in oil and natural gas owners and operators, universities, environmental justice organizations, community leaders, unions, technology developers, Tribes, state regulatory agencies, non-governmental research organizations, federally funded research and development centers and DOE's National Laboratories. Funding applicants are required to submit Community Benefits Plans to demonstrate meaningful engagement with and tangible benefits to the communities in which the proposed projects will be located. These plans must provide details on the applicant's commitments to community and labor engagement, quality job creation, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, and benefits to disadvantaged communities as part of the Justice40 Initiative. Established in Executive Order 14008, the President's Justice40 Initiative set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Here's everything you need to know about the funding opportunity.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week released its 2024-2027 Climate Adaptation Plan, which describes agency actions to address the impacts of climate change and help build a more climate-resilient nation. The plan builds on work initiated in the 2014 and 2021 EPA Climate Adaptation Plans to incorporate climate adaptation into the agency's programs, policies, rules, enforcement activities and operations. Highlights from EPA's 2024-2027 Climate Adaptation Plan include: Fostering a Climate-Ready Workforce – EPA is building a climate-literate workforce through ongoing education and training and to ensure staff are equipped with an understanding of projected climate impacts, the vulnerability of EPA programs to these impacts, and adaptation approaches. One example is the agency-wide Climate Conversations webinar series helping to build a community of practice and encourage peer-to-peer sharing of experiences. Building Facility Resilience – EPA is continuing to conduct facility resiliency assessments to identify vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change and make recommendations to increase facility resilience. Developing Climate-Resilient Supply Chains – EPA has included an assessment of climate hazard risk as part of its overall Agency Supply Chain Risk Management plan. The agency plans to conduct supply chain risk assessments under the Program Management Improvement Accountability Act and Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act in fiscal year 2024. Integrating Climate Resilience into External Funding Opportunities – EPA is modernizing its financial assistance programs to encourage investments by communities and Tribes that are more resilient in an era of climate change.  To support this effort, EPA launched an internal Climate-Resilient Investments Clearinghouse website to help managers of financial assistance programs incorporate climate adaptation and resilience considerations in the investment decisions EPA makes each day. Applying Climate Data and Tools to Decision Making – EPA is equipping communities and the recipients of financial resources with the tools, data, information and technical support they need to assess their climate risks and develop the climate-resilience solutions most appropriate for them. Integrating Climate Adaptation into Rulemaking Processes – EPA is integrating climate adaptation into its rulemaking processes where appropriate and in keeping with our statutory authorities to ensure they are effective even as the climate changes. For example, on March 14, 2024, EPA finalized a rule requiring a broad array of facilities that manage hazardous materials to develop response plans to prepare for the largest foreseeable discharges in adverse weather conditions, including more extreme weather conditions expected as the climate changes. EPA is also committed to applying climate change and environmental justice policy principles through National Environmental Policy Act reviews. Check out the EPA's plan here.

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) on Thursday issued a demand for more than $75,000 in stipulated penalties against U.S. Steel for air quality violations that occurred at its Clairton Coke Works facility. The demand letter, dated Thursday, is for charging, soaking, visible emissions and other violations that occurred during the first quarter of 2023. “Same as it ever was,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “U.S. Steel pretends to be a good neighbor, yet its Clairton plant racks up tens of thousands of dollars in violations. Not surprised over here.” GASP staff is reviewing the demand letter now. You can check it out here.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently published a proposed rule that will finally (we hope!) implement the 2010 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide (SO2) in our region. Specifically, the proposed rule would approve a revision to Pennsylvania’s State Implementation Plan - the set of federally approved regulations that govern air quality in the state. That revision will reduce hourly emission limits for sulfur dioxide from the region’s three remaining coal-fired electric generating units: The Conemaugh Generating Station in Indiana County, Keystone Generating Station in Armstrong County, and Seward Generating Station in Westmoreland County. The proposed rule also addresses operating limits at the Homer City Generating Station, even though that facility ceased operations in 2023. That’s because the facility has not yet surrendered its Title V Operating Permit. All four EGUs are located in the Indiana Nonattainment Area, which was designated as nonattainment for the 2010 SO2 NAAQS back in 2013. “The history of the proposed rule shows just how long it can take for requirements imposed by the Clean Air Act to have real world impacts,” GASP senior attorney John Baillie said. “The rule’s background is nearly as convoluted as it is long.” However, he said the key development was a 2021 decision by the Biden Administration’s EPA to reconsider, and revise, a 2020 decision by the Trump Administration’s EPA to approve hourly SO2 emission limits at the EGUs. As now proposed, the hourly emission limits for SO2 at the EGUs will be as follows: at Conemaugh, SO2 emissions from its Units 1 and 2 will be limited to 3,080 lbs/hour, “combined in a three-hour block average,” down from 3,312 lbs/hour at Keystone, SO2 emissions from its Boilers 1 and 2 will be reduced from 9,600 lbs/hour to 8,328 lbs/hour, measured on a “24-hour block average;” and at Seward, SO2 emission from its two units will be reduced from 3,083.4 lbs/hour 2,895 lbs/hour, “based on a 30-day operating hours’ average rolling by one day.” How much impact the proposed new limits will have - assuming they are finally approved and go into effect - remains to be seen,” Baillie added. “The SO2 monitors closest to the EGUs have been measuring attainment of the 2010 SO2 NAAQS for several years even with higher limits in place.” EPA’s explanation of the proposed rule is available here. You can submit comments on the proposed rule at www.regulations.gov, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-R03-OAR-2024-0024, or by emailing goold.megan@epa.gov. Editor’s Note: Looking ahead, both the Conemaugh Generating Station and the Keystone Generating Station have announced plans to shut down on or before Dec. 31, 2028, when new wastewater discharge rules for coal-fired EGUs go into effect.

Allegheny County Health Department Acting Director Patrick Dowd will soon depart his role to take on the CEO position at the Environmental Charter School. His last day at ACHD is July 9, according to a news release issued Monday night. “I want to thank Patrick Dowd for his service at the Allegheny County Department of Health. He stepped up to serve the public during the COVID pandemic and continued to serve as Acting Director as my administration began, allowing for a smooth transition.” County Executive Sara Innamorato said. Dowd said it was his honor to work with ACHD but that he looks forward to returning to his roots in education in my next chapter, adding he was "confident the department is poised for success under its next leader.” Dowd started at ACHD in February 2021, initially serving as the department’s inaugural chief operating officer under then-director Dr. Debra Bogen. After Bogen departed to serve at the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Dowd was named acting director. The Allegheny County Board of Health will meet in the coming weeks to vote on a nominee to serve as the next Director of Health Department. “ACHD has a vast set of responsibilities under its purview, from restaurant inspections to regulating asbestos remediation, and much more. Protecting public health is a top priority for my administration and I look forward to having a confirmed director in place to lead the department in the very near future,” Innamorato said. GASP continues to follow this issue closely and will keep you posted.

Editor’s Note: The Allegheny County Health Department periodically updates its website to include documents related to air quality enforcement actions. As part of our watchdog work, GASP monitors this webpage and reports on the air quality violations posted there. The Allegheny County Health Department has issued yet an enforcement order against U.S. Steel - the 10th in the past two years - for emissions violations at its Clairton Coke Works facility. In an enforcement action dated May 3 but posted to the ACHD enforcement docket Thursday, ACHD said that sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions at the Clairton plant exceeded its permitted hourly limit following a biennial compliance test in September 2023. The department assessed a $7,700 civil penalty for the violation - $3,500 of which was levied because of U.S. Steel’s shoddy compliance record. U.S. Steel has 30 days to appeal the order and fine. You can read the enforcement order here. ALCOSAN Fined $2,500 for Exceeding Lead Emissions Limits The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (known as ALCOSAN for short) on May 3 was fined $2,500 for violating the terms of its Title V air quality operating permit. According to a May 3 ACHD enforcement order, ALCOSAN exceeded its emissions limits for lead from Oct. 9, 2023, to June 2, 2024. You can read the enforcement order here. ALCOSAN on June 11 appealed the order. You can read the appeal here. West Elizabeth-Based Synthomer Fined More Than $10K for VOC Emissions ACHD on Feb. 28 issued an enforcement order against West Elizabeth-based Synthomer (formerly Eastman Chemical) for exceeding its annual emissions limits for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for 2020, 2021, and 2022. The enforcement order also noted that Synthomer violated the terms of its installation permit after an equipment breakdown on Sept. 3, 2023 resulted in the release of about 7,400 pounds of what’s known as RHS vapor, which consists entirely of VOCs. For these violations, Synthomer was ordered to pay a $10,500 civil penalty. You can read the enforcement order here. Coraopolis Terminals Fined for Failure to Submit Required Reports by Deadline ACHD on Feb. 29 issued an enforcement order against Coraopolis Terminals for submitting its required annual certification of compliance by the deadline. The company submitted the report on Jan. 30, 2024 - 61 days after the Nov. 30 deadline. A civil penalty of $480 was assessed. You can read the enforcement order here. ACHD Issues Civil Penalty Against Contractor Following Demo at Clairton Coke Works ICC Commonwealth on Feb. 29 received a $1,170 civil penalty for failing to notify ACHD that demolition work it conducted at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works facility within the required 10-day window. According to the enforcement order, an ACHD representative observed demolition work occurring at the Battery C stack and contacted ICC Commonwealth and asked for - and received - the proper paperwork. You can read the enforcement order here. In addition… ACHD issued a notice of violation against Brunot Island Generating Station for failing to submit a timely breakdown report. Miracle Demolition and Stash Contracting, as well as Allen Demolition received asbestos-related enforcement actions.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, today announced the "National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics" as part of a whole-of-government approach to tackle climate change, feed people, address environmental justice, and promote a circular economy. GASP lauded the strategy released Wednesday, which provides tangible goals that the U.S. government partners along with retailers and consumers can work toward to help further prevent the loss and waste of food, increase recycling of food and other organic materials to support a more circular economy for all, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save households and businesses money, and build cleaner, healthier communities. Along with the FDA, USDA and EPA efforts, U.S. consumers and retailers play an important role in meeting the National Strategy's goal of reducing food loss and waste by 2030. As part of the release of this Strategy, the FDA has made important resources available to guide, support, and accelerate their food loss and waste activities including the 2022 Food Code, Tips to Reduce Food Waste and the Food Loss and Waste Social Media Toolkit. They encourage all stakeholders to take advantage of these resources as we work together to reduce food loss and waste. Recent EPA research shows that 58% of methane emissions released to the atmosphere from landfills are from food waste. Each year in the U.S., food loss and waste create potent greenhouse gas pollutants equal to the emissions of 60 coal-fired power plants. The strategy aims to prevent and divert organic waste from landfills to reduce GHG emissions and highlights opportunities, especially where there are environmental justice concerns, to build community-scale organics recycling infrastructure, reduce pollution and create jobs. You can read the full plan here.

For a time this morning, AirNow.gov showed the Liberty-Clairton area as having the worst NowCast Air Quality Index (AQI) in the nation when it soared to 156. According to the EPA, air quality in the affected area was “unhealthy,” meaning that people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, and teens should have avoided strenuous outdoor activities, kept outdoor activities short, and considered moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them to reduce exposure to air pollutants. The EPA recommends that everyone else should choose less-strenuous activities (like walking instead of running) so you don’t breathe as hard, shorten the amount of time you are active outside, and be active outdoors when air quality is better. ACHD is predicting conditions should improve this afternoon, but that air quality could again be poor overnight and early tomorrow. For those who might not be aware: ACHD publishes an air quality and air dispersion report daily. It can be viewed here. But wait, there’s more: Levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) at the Allegheny County Health Department’s air quality monitor in Liberty Borough were so high this morning that an exceedance of Pennsylvania’s 24-hour air quality standard is already guaranteed. For those keeping track: That makes 40 H2S exceedances at the Liberty monitor so far this year. There have been 15 other such exceedances at ACHD’s air quality monitor in North Braddock in 2021. We encourage those impacted by today’s unhealthy air quality and any associated odors to make a report to the Allegheny County Health Department. GASP has repeatedly asked ACHD to address these continued exceedances publicly. “Our members use words like ‘horrific’ and ‘awful’ to describe the air on days when H2S concentrations are high,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “Transparency builds trust. The health department needs to step up and let residents know what it is doing to correct the issue because right now the silence is being taken for apathy.” Here’s a chart with details related to the H2S violations so far this year: