It’s gonna be a nasty one, today: The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has declared a statewide Code Red Air Quality Action Day for particulate matter (PM2.5). GASP wants to strongly urge residents to be air aware - bookmark www.airnow.gov or download the app for current conditions in our area. As a reminder: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all. An Air Quality Alert is declared when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher. During Code Red Air Quality Alerts all residents should consider limiting their outdoor activities, and sensitive groups such as children, elderly residents, and those with respiratory illnesses should avoid long or intense outdoor activities and consider moving activities indoors. Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Alert areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by: Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment; Reducing or eliminating fireplace and wood stove use; and Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials The expected poor air quality also prompted the Allegheny County Health Department on Wednesday to issue a Mon Valley Air Pollution Watch for today and Friday. A Mon Valley Air Pollution Watch is issued when weather conditions are forecast to cause a high concentration of particulate pollution in the Mon Valley. During the Watch phase, facilities like U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works must conduct basic checks to ensure equipment is in good working order and that they have adequate staff to take actions required under the Warning phase. These alerts are sent as part of The Mon Valley Episode Rule, an addition to our local Air Pollution Control Regulations that was signed into law in September 2021. You can get the skinny on the rule right here. GASP continues to monitor our local air quality conditions, and will be posting updates on our social media. Please be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.

Friends, we’re thrilled to introduce you to the newest member of the GASP team: Dr. Jeff Galak, associate professor of marketing at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. Here’s a little bit about Jeff: He received his undergraduate degree in marketing and economic theory, a Master of Philosophy in marketing, and a Ph.D. in marketing from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He is an expert in consumer behavior, consumer psychology, and how people make judgments and decisions. Jeff spends his days analyzing why people care about what they care about, how expectations shift, and how to communicate complex ideas in ways that truly resonate. For an organization like GASP, which is constantly translating technical air quality permits and scientific data into actionable community advocacy, having Jeff’s professional pedigree on our side is tremendous benefit. Our team couldn't be more excited about what this means for the future of our advocacy: "We are so excited to welcome Jeff to GASP’s Board of Directors," GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. "Our air quality work relies heavily on educating the public and mobilizing communities. Jeff’s deep understanding of communications and consumer psychology will elevate our outreach efforts and provide a fresh perspective on how we connect with folks across southwestern Pennsylvania.” GASP Board President Jonathan Nadle echoed the sentiment: “Having Jeff on board will allow us to more effectively cut through the noise, tell our story, and drive real behavioral and policy change in Allegheny County and beyond,” he said. When he isn’t educating the next generation of marketing leaders at CMU or publishing groundbreaking research in top marketing and psychology journals, Jeff is a proud member of the Pittsburgh community. He is eager to channel his expertise into grassroots, regional environmental impact. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved the outdoors and feel that we should protect the fragile environments that we live in. I’m thrilled to help support GASP in its efforts to improve air quality in the region so that all of us can enjoy the beautiful spaces that we live in,” Galak said. Please join us in giving him a warm GASP welcome!

If you’ve been following Mon Valley news lately, you’ve probably seen a LOT of headlines around U.S. Steel’s proposed multi-billion-dollar capital investment plan for its local facilities - and at the heart of this plan is a proposal to build a hot strip mill at the Edgar Thomson Works in Braddock. U.S. Steel has bragged in press releases about efficiency, securing thousands of union jobs, and bringing a historic 150-year-old mill into the modern era. But around here at GASP, we know that when it comes to industrial air pollution, you always have to look past the headlines and dig into the actual data. Let's break down what a hot strip mill is, what U.S. Steel is promising, why the environmental math isn't quite adding up for the health of the Mon Valley, and how YOU can get involved in the process. A Little Info on the Current Mon Valley Works Setup Before we get too deep in the weeds about permits and pollution, let's look at how the Mon Valley Works operates as a team. Right now, the process is split up across a few locations: The Clairton Plant bakes coal into coke. The Edgar Thomson Plant uses that coke in its blast furnaces to melt down iron ore into liquid iron, which is cast into heavy steel slabs. The Irvin Plant in West Mifflin takes those cold steel slabs and heats them back up to extreme temperatures so a machine—a hot strip mill—can roll them flat into massive coils for cars and appliances. The new plan shifts that last piece of the puzzle - U.S. Steel wants to build a brand-new hot strip mill right at Edgar Thomson, which means they can process the steel slabs right where they are made, possibly decommissioning the 87-year-old mill currently running over at the Irvin Plant. What is a Hot Strip Mill, Anyway? The short answer is it’s a massive industrial facility designed to transform thick, semi-finished steel slabs into thin, long strips or coils at extremely high temperatures. Here’s the process: Reheating: Slabs are heated in a furnace to approximately 1,250°C to ensure they are soft enough to deform without cracking. Descaling: High-pressure water sprays remove mill oxidized layers from the surface to prevent surface defects in the final product. Roughing Mill: Massive rollers reduce the initial slab thickness by about 80 percent through several passes. Finishing Mill: A series tandem stands further compress the steel to its final precise thickness and width. Cooling and Coiling: The strip is rapidly cooled using water before being wound into giant coils weighing up to 35 tons. The Corporate Argument: More Efficient, Lower Emissions Per Ton U.S. Steel argues the shift in operations from the Irving Works to Edgar Thomson is a win for the environment, and that moving the new hot strip mill will utilize what’s known in the air quality permitting world as Best Available Control Technologies (or BACT) to keep emissions down. The company projects that emissions directly associated with the strip mill's operations will drop from 25.4 tons per year (at the old Irvin plant) to about 22 tons per year at the planned Edgar Thomson setup. U.S. Steel argues that because the mill would be brand new and more efficient, the pollution per ton of steel produced goes down. The Reality Check: Why Air Quality Advocates are Concerned While a minor drop in emissions from hot strip mill operations sound good enough on paper, environmental watchdogs and data tell a much more complicated story. A couple things to keep in mind as this process unfolds: 1. The New Hot Strip Mill Locks in Dirty Coal Technology for Decades The biggest red flag isn't necessarily what the new mill does as much as what it's going to keep alive: As part of this merger and investment package, Nippon Steel pledged to keep Edgar Thomson's traditional, coal-fired blast furnaces running at full capacity for at least the next 10 years. While other modern steelmakers are transitioning to Electric Arc Furnaces (EAFs) that melt recycled scrap metal using electricity and emit a fraction of the pollution, U.S. Steel’s hot strip mill project doubles down on traditional blast furnaces. This means the Mon Valley will continue relying heavily on coal and coke, locking in legacy pollution for years to come. 2. The Facility Will Have a Massive Carbon Footprint According to EPA estimates, adding a hot strip mill operation directly to the Edgar Thomson facility could increase the plant's greenhouse gas emissions by up to 750,000 tons of carbon per year. To put that into perspective: Adding 750,000 tons of carbon dioxide to our local ambient air annually is the environmental equivalent of putting 150,000 more cars on the road. It’s also enough carbon dioxide to power 30 homes for an entire year. But that’s not all: According to a recent analysis from our friends at Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab, the closure of the Irvin Works facility coupled with emissions impacts from the new hot strip mill at Edgar Thomson would actually expand the Mon Valley Works’ pollution zone substantially. 3. Ongoing Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Concerns The Mon Valley has a long, well-documented history of air quality struggles. Monitor data consistently show the highest levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5)—the microscopic soot that penetrates deep into human lungs—are recorded near the Clairton Coke Works and Edgar Thomson facilities. Mon Valley airshed has historically failed to meet federal clean air standards. Meanwhile, U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works operations have been subject to consent decrees with local and federal officials triggered by ongoing air quality violations at both the Clairton Coke Works and Edgar Thomson. While U.S. Steel continues to brag about what amounts to minor efficiency gains with the hot strip mill, residents and advocates like GASP are concerned that adding even more heavy industrial pollution to a site already struggling to meet basic health-based air standards is a massive gamble for the communities of Braddock, North Braddock, and surrounding municipalities. The facility itself will be nestled in a cluster of Environmental Justice Communities: In fact, a recent analysis from CREATE Lab shows the installation of the new hot strip mill wouldn’t lessen pollution as much as shift it: The primary pollution impacts would move to a more densely populated and already burdened population. What Happens Next? U.S. Steel wants to move quickly, targeting a production startup in the second half of 2029. However, the company cannot proceed without an approved Title V operating permit (more on this later) from ACHD, which is expected to be published sometime this summer. Right now, the company is also seeking approvals from local municipal officials and other stakeholders related to issues like zoning and wastewater. And this is where we collectively come in. As the permitting process moves forward, there will be windows for public comment when it comes to air quality controls and compliance testing at the facility. That’s because Edgar Thomson is a Title V facility, which comes with a host of regulations and responsibilities. What You Need to Know About Title V Facilities Title V of the Clean Air Act requires Major Sources of air pollution to obtain operating permits from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or a state or local agency that EPA has authorized to issue these permits. Major Sources in Allegheny County, like the Edgar Thomson facility, are permitted by the ACHD. A Major Source is defined as one that has the potential to emit at least 100 tons per year of any air pollutant 10 tons per year of any single hazardous air pollutant or 25 tons per year of any combination of hazardous air pollutants A Title V Operating Permit is a long, technical document that includes all emissions limits and standards to which a source is subject, as well as all operating, monitoring and reporting requirements that apply at the time of a permit’s issuance. For folks who want to take a deeper dive into all things Title V permits are invited to check out our online clearinghouse here. By including all requirements in one document, these permits - in theory - help source operators like U.S. Steel comply with those regulations. But they also help regulators and members of the public enforce them – all with the ultimate goal of reducing air pollution. A major source of air pollution must apply for a Title V Operating Permit in order to begin normal operations. That Title V Operating Permit is valid for five years, and sources must apply to renew their Title V Operating Permits before their old permits expire. Once the permit is published, it will go through a mandatory 30-day (or longer) period of time for members of the public to weigh in on the proposal. ACHD has already approved the company’s installation permit for the facility, which was one of the first air quality-related hurdles. You can read more on that in this story by Jack Troy of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. How - and Why - You Should Get Involved With critical regulatory milestones on the horizon, local residents have a powerful opportunity to demand stronger environmental and public health protections. Here is how you can get involved and make your voice heard: Show Up at Local Municipal Meetings Decisions that impact local zoning, municipal oversight, and community development happen right in your neighborhood council chambers. Local leaders need to know that air quality and industrial oversight are top priorities for constituents like you. Attending city and borough council meetings is one of the best ways to stay informed about what decisions community leaders are making regarding local facilities. If you live in North Braddock or Braddock, you can reach out directly to your municipal officials to voice your concerns or ask about upcoming agenda items related to Edgar Thomson: North Braddock Borough Officials ● Borough Manager: Cory Ruff – northbraddock.mgr@gmail.com ● Council President: Lisa Franklin-Robinson - admin@northbraddockborough.com Braddock Borough Officials ● Borough Manager: Lou Ransom Jr. - manager@braddockborough.com ● Council President: LuJuan Reeves - councilwomanreeves@gmail.com Plan to Participate in the Title V Air Permit Public Comment Period Because navigating these dense, highly technical documents can be daunting, GASP is teaming up with our friends at North Braddock Residents for Our Future, CREATE Lab, and other partners to ensure the community isn't left in the dark. Together, we will be providing: Timely Notifications: We will let you know when ACHD publishes the draft Title V permit and the public comment period is open. Educational Workshops: We'll host sessions to teach you how to read the document and spot key areas of concern. Actionable Talking Points: We will share specific language residents can use to demand things like more stringent monitoring, quicker reporting protocols, and tighter emission limits to make the permit more protective of public health. Understand Your Power to Comment When a draft Title V permit is released, it triggers a mandatory public comment period. Generally, residents can submit comments in two ways: Attend a Public Hearing and Testify: You can speak directly to regulators, sharing your personal experiences and demands face-to-face. Provide Written Comments: You can submit formal letters or emails detailing technical or community concerns before the public comment window closes. Why Regulators Need to Hear From You It is easy to feel like a single comment won't make a difference, but public participation is a vital piece of the regulatory process. Here is why your voice matters: It Forces Accountability: When regulators receive a high volume of community comments, they are legally required to review them and publish a formal Comment/Response Document alongside the final permit. Public scrutiny ensures regulators do not simply rubber-stamp weak permits. You Provide Crucial Personal Perspective: No one knows the impact of local pollution better than the people living next to it. Telling regulators how industrial air pollution from the Edgar Thomson facility impacts your daily life, limits your time outdoors, or how it exacerbates health issues like asthma provides invaluable context that numbers on a spreadsheet cannot replicate. It Amplifies Legal and Advocacy Work: When organizations like GASP push for stronger enforcement or legally challenge a deficient permit, having a record of strong, active community opposition significantly strengthens the case. Our region has historically faced some of the toughest air quality challenges in the nation, carrying increased risks of respiratory illnesses and cancer. The good news is that by combining citizen advocacy, community-led education, and public opposition, we can push back against the corporate talking points to ensure our communities get the environmental justice they so richly deserve.

Listen, you can't protect your health if you don't know what's in the air you're breathing. Full stop. That is why we are issuing an urgent call to action for all our members and supporters: Allegheny County is completely changing its Allegheny Alerts system and action must be taken by July 18. What is Changing? Allegheny County recently announced that it is transitioning Allegheny Alerts to a brand-new platform. Because of this system migration, current subscriptions will not automatically carry over. If you are currently signed up, your alerts will expire on July 18 unless you manually create a new account. The county has launched a new registration portal to make the switch as seamless as possible. Just click here to get signed up today. Why This Matters for Clean Air Advocates While the system handles everything from county road closures to election updates, its public health and air quality updates are what matter most to our mission. By signing up for a new account, you can completely customize your notifications. You get to choose: How you get notified: Choose between text messages, emails, or direct phone calls. What you hear about: You can toggle specific notifications on or off. Make sure these boxes are checked: “GASP and fellow advocates have for years implored the county to institute a more robust alert system that allows health officials to communicate critical public health issues to residents more quickly, and it’s finally here,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “We hope all of our members will take a few moments to switch over to the new system.”

As part of our ongoing watchdog work, GASP this week took formal action to protect public health in Washington County: Our Senior Attorney John Baillie submitted written comments to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regarding the draft Plan Approval for ETC Northeast Pipeline’s Revolution Cryogenic Plant in Smith Township. Here’s what’s going on: Currently, the Revolution Cryogenic Plant is classified as a natural minor source of air pollution. However, with the addition of the new Cryo II Unit, its potential to emit air pollutants would exceed major source thresholds. To avoid being regulated as a major pollution source, the facility is aiming for synthetic minor status. To qualify for this, a facility must follow strict operating conditions that keep its emissions below certain thresholds. According to the DEP’s Review Memo, the facility can only stay below major pollution thresholds if it relies heavily on two specific pollution controls: A Vapor Recovery Unit (VRU) operating at a 99.9% control efficiency. A Thermal Oxidizer operating at a 99% control efficiency. Here is the catch: While DEP based its math on these high efficiencies, the draft Plan Approval does not actually legally mandate them. In the comments submitted this week, GASP argued that if these exact control efficiencies are required to keep the plant from becoming a major polluter, they must be explicitly written into the permit. GASP urged the DEP to revise the draft plan to: Mandate the numbers: Explicitly require the facility to maintain a 99.9% control efficiency for the VRU and a 99% efficiency for the thermal oxidizer. Prove compliance: Incorporate testing, monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. Without them, there is no way for regulators—or the public—to know if the controls are actually working. Stay tuned, we’ll keep you posted as the permitting process continues.

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. Since the docket has not been updated since December 2025, GASP is now filing monthly public records requests to glean more timely information related to ACHD’s enforcement efforts. This is one of the most recent actions received through the Right to Know process. The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) has issued a more than $15,000 civil penalty to U.S. Steel and contractor Evergreen Trucking for air quality violations at the Edgar Thomson Works from earlier this year. According to the May 1 ACHD enforcement order, inspectors on Jan. 15 witnessed the Evergreen’s vacuum truck discharging heavy emissions at Edgar Thomson with an opacity exceeding 60 percent, which violates the facility’s Title V operating permit. The Evergreen crew was actively removing collected material from the hoppers of the plant’s Basic Oxygen Process (BOP) Mixer and Desulfurization Baghouse. Upon noticing the excessive emissions, ACHD and U.S. Steel representatives intervened. The vacuum crew halted operations, shut down the vehicle, and subsequently drove the truck offsite. A report submitted the following day revealed that Evergreen had deployed a truck that was undergoing maintenance and was not supposed to be in service - the truck’s bag filters had recently been washed in preparation for replacement, causing the residual water to freeze and tear the filters. Inspectors further noted that none of the four crew members were monitoring the vehicle’s exhaust during the removal activity. The truck operator remained in the cab while three technicians worked inside the mixer house. The enforcement order notes that a similar emission event occurred about two years ago involving the same contractor, which resulted in a verbal warning but no formal enforcement action at the time. ACHD determined that inspections conducted by U.S. Steel and Evergreen were insufficient to ensure the proper functioning of the equipment. According to the order, Evergreen has since outlined corrective actions, including the implementation of strict equipment checklists, additional operational documentation, and mandated operator observation requirements to prevent future emissions excursions. No further information was immediately available. You can read the entire enforcement order here.

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. Because the docket has not been updated since December 2025, GASP is now filing monthly public records requests to glean more timely information related to ACHD’s enforcement efforts. The below are the most recent actions received through the Right to Know process. ACHD Fines P&W BMW $22,780 for Operating Without a Permit & Failure to Pay Fees The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) issued a $22,780 civil penalty against Max Auto Real Estate LLC and P&W BMW of Pittsburgh for operating regulated air pollution sources without a permit. The April 26 enforcement order details two years of unpermitted operations and unanswered correspondence regarding regulated air pollution sources at 720 Gross Street—the site of the former West Penn Hospital Foundation Research Building. According to the order, Max Auto Real Estate purchased the Gross Street property in January 2024. Upon acquiring the facility, the company assumed ownership of its regulated equipment, which includes two industrial boilers and an emergency generator. The equipment was previously regulated under a minor source operating permit that expired in 2014. ACHD inspectors first contacted the facility in December 2024, informing management that they were legally required to either transfer and renew the air quality permit or render the boilers and generator permanently inoperable. Despite project managers explicitly confirming to the county in April 2025 that the pollution sources remained fully operational, the companies failed to meet multiple deadlines to resolve their permitting status. In August 2025, ACHD issued an initial enforcement order, slapping the companies with an $1,800 fine and demanding a permit application within 21 days. Despite notices in September 2025, ACHD alleged the companies ignored the mandates, failed to file paperwork, or pay the fine. ACHD ordered Max Auto Real Estate LLC and P&W BMW of Pittsburgh to submit all delinquent permit applications, past-due maintenance fees, and associated late penalties within 21 days. The companies had 30 days to pay the $22,780.00 fine into the Allegheny County Clean Air Fund or submit an administrative appeal. No further information about the case was immediately available. You can read the entire enforcement order here. West Penn Hospital & Others Fined for Failure to Pay Civil Penalty for Late Submission of Air Quality Permit Fees Allegheny County Health Department issued civil penalties to several permitted sources of air pollution for failing to pay civil penalties related to the late submittal of their 2026 air quality permit fees. You can read the enforcement order against: Centre City Tower and its associated $500 penalty here. Knepper Press in Clinton and its associated $9,375 penalty here. Kutch Crematorium in East McKeesport and its associated $1,500 penalty here. Western Pennsylvania Hospital and its associated $2,150 penalty here. ACHD Fines Databank $2,800 for Failure to Submit Timely Reports The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) issued a $2,800 civil penalty against data center operator DataBank for failing to submit required air quality monitoring reports on time. The May 1 enforcement order details multiple reporting delays at DataBank’s facility located at 100 South Commons on Pittsburgh's North Side. Little bit of background: DataBank operates under a Minor Source Operating Permit issued in June 2022 that requires the submission of semiannual air quality monitoring reports. These reports are due every April 30 and Oct. 31 to track facility compliance and clearly identify any deviations from permit requirements. An ACHD review conducted in December 2025 revealed DataBank had missed both of its 2025 deadlines. The enforcement order shows ACHD initially contacted the company regarding the missing documentation in November 2025. DataBank subsequently submitted both overdue reports on Dec. 19. ACHD noted that the first semiannual report was delayed by seven and a half months, while the second report was submitted seven weeks past its deadline. This is not the first time the data center operator has faced regulatory scrutiny over missing paperwork: ACHD previously issued a Notice of Violation to DataBank on Nov. 1, 2023, citing a separate failure to meet semiannual reporting and compliance certification deadlines. ACHD ordered DataBank to ensure all future monitoring reports are compiled and submitted prior to established county deadlines. The company had 30 days from the receipt of the enforcement order to pay the $2,800.00 penalty directly into the Allegheny County Clean Air Fund or file an appeal. No further information on the case was immediately available. You can read the entire enforcement order here. ACHD Issues Administrative Order Against Contractor with Checkered Compliance Past Related to Asbestos Abatement The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) has issued an administrative order with strict operational conditions onto local contractor Green Development and Construction as a prerequisite for its 2026 asbestos abatement license. The administrative order, finalized on April 24, explicitly states that the company's license will be subject to heavy regulatory oversight due to a history of "prior compliance issues.” Under the terms of the newly entered order, Green Development and Construction—headquartered at 1151 Freeport Road in Pittsburgh—must comply with a list of 13 compliance conditions to continue operating in Allegheny County. Among the primary mandates, the company is now legally required to: Secure a formal ACHD inspection for all pre-abatement set-ups or containments before any actual asbestos removal work begins. Establish a clearly defined, regulated work area secured by plastic construction fencing at a minimum. Refuse to sort any materials out of the debris on "demolition with asbestos-containing material (ACM) left in place" projects. The county mandates that all demolition debris on these sites must be handled exclusively as hazardous ACM construction waste. Explicitly identify the water source to be used for keeping demolition debris adequately wet prior to breaking ground. But that’s not all: The contractor is also required to notify ACHD of the start date for "demolition with ACM left in place" projects at least three business days in advance to trigger a pre-abatement inspection. Additionally, Green Development and Construction must provide the county with its Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry credentials for all on-site supervisors and workers during the initial setup phase. \ A representative from an independent, third-party air monitoring firm must also be physically present at the time of the setup inspection. Additionally, Green Development must file comprehensive daily work summaries to the ACHD within 24 hours of every shift. These daily packets must include a signed affirmation that all mandatory health practices were followed, a log of any operational deviations or violations, and the daily testing results from the air monitoring company. Within 24 hours of wrapping up a demolition project, the company must request a final clearance inspection from county health officials. ACHD warned the company's leadership that failing to meet any of the 13 outlined criteria will result in the immediate suspension or total revocation of its abatement license. You can read the entire order here.

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) wants to know: What health issues matter most in your community? Access to care? Mental health? Clean air and water? Safe neighborhoods? The department is inviting residents to share their perspectives through its Community Health Assessment, a countywide effort to better understand the health concerns, challenges, and opportunities facing communities across Allegheny County. The anonymous survey is open to all Allegheny County residents age 18 and older and takes about 15 minutes to complete. “The feedback gathered will help guide future health initiatives, investments, and community partnerships designed to improve health and well-being across the county. The survey will also help shape the next Plan for a Healthier Allegheny, the county's roadmap for addressing community health priorities,” ACHD said in a press release. "Public health works best when it is informed by the people we serve," ACHD Director Dr. Iulia Vann said. "Every resident has a unique perspective on what helps their community thrive and what challenges stand in the way of good health. This survey is an opportunity for people to share their experiences, elevate the issues that matter most to them, and help shape a healthier future for Allegheny County." The Community Health Assessment is part of a broader effort to hear directly from residents and ensure community voices are reflected in decisions that affect health, quality of life, and well-being throughout Allegheny County. The results will be used alongside other community data to identify priorities and guide future action. How to Participate: Residents can take the survey online at: QR.AlleghenyCounty.US/CHA Paper copies are available by emailing HealthCommunityEngagement@AlleghenyCounty.US. GASP joins ACHD in encouraging residents from every neighborhood, borough, township, and municipality to participate. The more voices represented, the better the county can understand community needs and work together to build healthier communities for everyone.

In the fight for clean air in Allegheny County, history is one of our most potent resources. The stories of those who lived through the industrial eras of our past, and the activists who stood up to fight for our right to breathe, provide the context and urgency that continue to inspire our work today. Through our Fresh Voices for Clean Air project, we’ve seen firsthand that there is no better way to protect our future than by handing the microphone to the generation that will inherit it. Bridging the Generational Divide We’re so proud of our Fresh Voices program because it’s an essential intergenerational bridge. By pairing local high school students with a diverse array of community members—from long-time residents who remember our worst skies to seasoned environmental advocates—we are creating a living, breathing archive of our region’s environmental journey. For the students, this is a hands-on masterclass in for the essential skills of modern advocacy: Media Literacy & Production: From interviewing and filming to editing and photography, they are learning how to translate complex environmental issues into compelling stories. Historical Context: By listening to firsthand accounts of our region's industrial history, they gain a deeper understanding of why current regulatory oversight—like that at the Clairton and Edgar Thomson Works—remains so vital. Community Connection: They are learning that effective advocacy is absolutely about data and permits - but it’s also about empathy, listening, and connecting with the lived experiences of friends and neighbors. Training the Next Generation of Environmental Leaders Why is this partnership between GASP and local students so critical? Because the environmental challenges facing our region are complex, long-term, and ever-evolving. To meet them, we need a pipeline of engaged, informed, and passionate citizens ready to take up the mantle. When we invest in student education, yes, we are teaching them about PM2.5 and Title V permits. But we are also empowering them to turn their passion into action. “We are showing them that their voices have weight and that they have the power to influence the health and future of their communities,” GASP Project and Education Manager Laura Kuster said. “The students involved in this program for the last two years did incredible work, uncovering narratives that might otherwise be lost to time.” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell agreed. “They are the next generation of environmental air quality heroes, and it is a privilege for us at GASP to support them as they hone their skills, find their voices, and help us all see our mission through a fresh, necessary lens,” he said. We were so proud this week to host an event celebrating their work - and we thank everyone who came out to join us in lauding their projects. We invite you to check out their incredible work here.

Today, we’re proud to share an air quality watchdog win out of West Deer Township – one that will mean less emissions emanating from the controversial EQT Leto Well Pad. Back in April, we blogged about the comments we gave regarding that draft Installation Permit, pointing out that proposed emission limits on the vapor destruction units and the dehydrator flare at the Leto Well Pad did not satisfy the “Best Available Control Technology” requirement in the Allegheny County Health Department’s rules and regulations for air pollution. Our senior attorney John Baillie explained the facility’s permit application demonstrated that it would be capable of operating flares used to control pollution at a 98% destructive efficiency rather than the 95% that would have been allowed by the draft Installation Permit. We are pleased that ACHD agreed with us and revised the Installation Permit so that the facility will be required to operate its flares at a 98% destructive efficiency. “This prevents about a ton of volatile organic compounds per year and about 200 pounds of hazardous air pollutants per year from entering the atmosphere,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “In the big picture, these are relatively small reductions, but every bit of pollution prevention helps.”