Those of us who reside in the Mon Valley, Neville Island, and other parts of Allegheny County (and beyond) know all too well how offsite odors from industrial facilities can impact your day-to-day life. But while the quality of our outdoor, ambient air is of paramount importance, it’s equally important not to neglect the stuff you’re breathing in your own home. The pandemic and the social distancing recommendations that came along with it are about a year old, which means a LOT of us have spent a good deal more time in our homes this past 12 months. Since February is Care for Your Indoor Air Month, we thought we’d remind you of some of the most common air pollution pitfalls in your home, as well as some steps you can take to make sure you and yours can breathe healthier air there. Because here’s the thing: Recent research has shown that indoor air quality can sometimes be more polluted than one might believe – in some cases more polluted than outdoor air. According to the EPA, Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often two to five times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. Many pollutants affecting indoor air quality come from sources inside the building themselves. This could include combustion sources like fireplaces, tobacco smoke, and cooking appliances. It could also originate from cleaning supplies, paints, and insecticides or from the degradation of old building materials or new materials that are off gassing. We also know indoor air quality can become unhealthy due to outdoor sources of pollution finding their way inside our homes, schools, and office buildings. Outdoor air pollutants can enter buildings through open doors and windows, ventilation systems, and cracks in structures. Some pollutants come indoors through building foundations. Harmful smoke from chimneys and industrial sources can enter homes to pollute the air in the home and neighborhood. In areas with contaminated groundwater or soils, volatile chemicals can enter buildings through the same process. Fortunately, indoor air pollution concentrations from individual sources might not pose a serious health risk by themselves. Unfortunately, the majority of homes have more than one source contributing to indoor air pollution. “There can be a serious risk from the cumulative effects of these sources. Fortunately, there are steps that most people can take both to reduce the risk from existing sources and to prevent new problems from occurring,” the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns on its website. We’re talking more than radon and asbestos - we’re talking about other culprits such as dust, smoke, and the like. Here are some ways to help protect yourself by improving your indoor air: Embrace Spring Cleaning When it comes to seasonal allergies, you know the two big culprits: Dust and pet dander. Combat them and their associated health impacts by increasing the frequency of things like dusting, sweeping, and vacuuming. Health experts recommend you do those chores once or twice a week. Also prudent? A good wipe down of your window blinds and ceiling fan, which get gunked up with dust and more. Also suggested is keeping your bedroom spic and span by laundering bedding and drapes – which tend to trap allergens that will have your eyes watering, your throat itching and your hands ever reaching for those antihistamines. And do yourself a favor: When you clean your hard surfaces, use natural cleansers that have less-harsh fumes. Disclaimer: When disinfecting your home during the Covid-19 outbreak, please know that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has published a list of approved products that will kill the virus. Don’t Forget About Those Filters So, when’s the last time you changed your filters? You know, the ones that help keep your furnace and air conditioning systems clean? Do you know the state of your ductwork? Because know this: Having it cleaned can make a big difference, too. If you need some advice on best practices regarding filters and ductwork, the fine folks at the  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created this handy guide. What About Adding an Air Purifier? Perhaps the simplest way to rid your home of air pollutants is running an air purifier in the most-used areas of your living space. Air purifiers range in price and functionality, and there are even ways to create a DIY air purifier – one that requires only a box fan and a standard HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter. Pro Tip: HEPA filters run about $25-$35 and can be purchased at local hardware stores and on Amazon. Forget the Fireplace We know there are diehard fireplace aficionados out there, but we have to tell you: Homes with wood-burning fireplaces have elevated levels of indoor air pollution and you may be unwittingly impacting your neighborhood’s air quality too. In these waning days of winter, consider using your furnace instead of starting a fire and keep the air your family and your neighbors breathe a little cleaner. For more information on how to keep your indoor air clean, check out these helpful infographics on the best ways to clean and disinfect your home created by our friends at Women for a Healthy Environment (WHE). Also check out Pittsburgh-based ROCIS (Reducing Outdoor Contaminants in Indoor Spaces), one of our partner organizations that has a number of helpful resources.

Editor’s Note: February may be the shortest month, but it is full of national public health awareness initiatives – it’s Heart Health Month, Care for Your Indoor Air Month, and National Cancer Prevention Awareness Month. This is the first in our three-part Air Quality Matters series, where we will explore the ways in which air pollution could be impacting your life and health through the filter of those awareness campaigns. When you think about what it takes to keep your heart healthy, many things might come to mind: Staying active, eating clean, and making sure you get regular checkups to ensure your blood pressure, A1C, and cholesterol numbers are looking good. But did you ever consider that the air you breathe could be negatively impacting your heart health? If you haven’t, we thought that now was the perfect time to put it on your radar – February *is* national Heart Health Month, after all. While many may associate air pollution primarily with respiratory ailments, a burgeoning body of medical evidence and scientific studies show a direct link between cardiovascular disease and long term exposure to air pollution. And considering our ongoing struggle with subpar air quality locally and the prevalence of cardiovascular disease regionally and nationally, we thought it’s an issue worth understanding. How prevalent is it? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 800,000 people die each year from cardiovascular disease. Here in Pennsylvania, about 667,000 people are diagnosed each year. Do an internet search for “cardiovascular health and air pollution” and numerous headlines will emerge – none of them good news. One reads, “Air pollution linked to dementia and cardiovascular disease.” Another warns, “High blood pressure? It could be in the air!” Yet another screams, “Air Pollution Tied to Stroke, Cognitive Slide.” Here’s how the EPA explains it: People with longtime exposure to elevated concentrations of particulate matter and nitrogen nitrates in the air are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease because those pollutants prematurely age blood vessels and contribute to a more rapid buildup of plaque in the coronary artery. That buildup then restricts blood flow to the heart and other major blood vessels, increasing the chance of stroke and heart attack. “This emerging research is of particular concern to us because we know that particle pollution kills Americans by the thousands each year, even in places that are meeting the current standards,” Group Against Smog and Pollution Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. And it’s a particular concern here in Allegheny County, she said. “Pittsburgh ranks as one of the top-most polluted cities in the nation in regard to year-round particle pollution. From 2016-2018, three regional air monitors in Pittsburgh registered PM 2.5 concentrations higher than 90 percent of the U.S.,” Filippini explained. It’s worth noting that Southwestern Pennsylvania is home to the largest coke-making facility in the nation, numerous coal-fired power plants, and thousands of diesel vehicles and equipment – all contributing fine particle pollution into the air we breathe. “Recent studies have also shown us that the folks who deal with the highest levels of particle and other types of air pollution are the same folks who live in socio-economically disadvantaged and/or mostly minority neighborhoods,” she said. “The link between air pollution and heart health isn’t just a public health issue, it’s also a social justice issue.” But it isn’t just particle pollution that people need to be concerned about. A study led by the University of Buffalo found that long-term exposure to ground-level ozone may speed up the development of arterial disease such as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a clogging of the arteries with fatty ‘plaque’ which restricts blood flow and often preludes heart attacks and strokes. Ground-level ozone is created by chemical reactions occurring between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This happens when sunlight chemically reacts with pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, refineries, and chemical plants. Ozone is most prevalent – and most likely to reach unhealthy levels – during the warm-weather months. So, what can you do to protect yourself and your neighbors? We have a couple of suggestions: Educate yourself on the sources of air pollution in your neighborhood and region, bookmark the Allegheny County Health Department webpage dedicated to air quality data as well as AirNow.gov, a federal website that tracks and shares air quality from EPA monitors located across the county. Reduce your exposure to particle pollution and ozone. Check the Air Quality Index each day and if you’re able, limit your time outdoors when concentrations of PM2.5 and/or ozone are expected to peak. Advocate for stronger coke oven regulations. Right now, the Allegheny County Health Department is mulling new coke oven regulations. While the public comment period just ended, the fight for stronger coke oven regs is far from over. Contact your elected officials. It’s a cliche, but it’s true: The squeaky wheel gets the oil. Let your elected officials know that air pollution is an important public health issue that needs to be prioritized. We’re talking municipal and county council officials, your representatives and senators at both the state and federal levels, and if you’re an Allegheny County resident, Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald. Talk to your doctor about your concerns about air pollution and what you can do to protect your heart health. Check out the Environmental Protection Agency’s Healthy Heart Program for additional research and educational materials — https://www.epa.gov/air-research/healthy-heart-toolkit-and-research Join GASP to fight for clean air right alongside us. Check back tomorrow for the second installment of our Air Quality Matters series.

Several months ago, we told you about the proposed rulemaking by Pennsylvania’s Environmental Quality Board (the EQB) that would limit carbon dioxide emissions from large fossil-fuel-fired electric generating units (EGUs) by implementing a cap-and-trade program. The proposed rulemaking would also enable Pennsylvania to join RGGI, otherwise known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. RGGI is a consortium of 11 states in the northeastern United States that have implemented similar cap-and-trade programs to limit EGUs’ carbon dioxide emissions, with interstate trading of carbon dioxide emissions allowances being permitted within the RGGI. Since we last blogged, the proposed rulemaking has advanced through the regulatory process that included a public comment period for residents to weigh in. In them, we suggested the EQB should expand its description of the benefits from the proposed rule and that the proposed rulemaking better describe the energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that might be eligible to receive funds derived from the sale of certain unused CO2 credits. We also noted that fees imposed on fossil fuel-fired EGUs in Allegheny and Philadelphia counties for carbon dioxide allowances under the proposed rulemaking must be deposited in restricted accounts administered by ACHD and AMS, to use on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in those counties. Since then – on Feb. 16 – Pennsylvania’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission (the IRRC) published its comments on the proposed rulemaking. The IRRC noted that it had received comments both strongly in favor of, and strongly opposed to, the proposed rulemaking. The IRRC further asked the EQB to elaborate on several issues raised by those comments before promulgating a final rule, including: Whether the proposed rulemaking would make such a significant change to the existing regulatory structure for fossil-fuel-fired EGUs that it must be implemented through legislation passed by the General Assembly rather than through an administrative rulemaking; Whether the EQB has the authority to promulgate the proposed rulemaking at all under the authority granted to it by Pennsylvania’s Air Pollution Control Act; Whether the anticipated costs of the proposed rulemaking exceed its anticipated benefits, especially given that carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel-fired. EGUs in Pennsylvania have been trending downward for many years without such a rulemaking; Whether the assumptions underlying the proposed rulemaking (which have not been fully disclosed by the EQB) are supported by acceptable data; Whether the EQB underestimated the adverse economic impacts from the proposed rulemaking; and Whether there exist less costly means of achieving the proposed rulemaking’s goals. Additionally, the IRRC requested that the EQB delay the implementation of the rulemaking for a year to allow the business community affected by the rulemaking to better plan for its implementation. The proposed rulemaking now heads back to the EQB, which will review the comments submitted on the rulemaking and may revise the rulemaking based on those comments.  Once the EQB drafts (and presumably adopts) a final-form rulemaking, it will be resubmitted to the IRRC and the House and Senate Energy and Environmental Resources Committees for further review and possible approval. “We look forward to seeing how the Wolf Administration responds to the IRRC’s comments,” GASP senior staff attorney John Baillie said. “The opportunity to better regulate GHG emissions from these large polluters should not be wasted.”

Even those of us who don’t live near or downwind of an industrial source of air pollution have at some point likely looked at emissions being belched from a facility and asked, “Is that even permitted?” You can learn the answer to that question and more at an upcoming smoke reading course. Not familiar with smoke reading? Then let’s take a step back to explain: “Smoke readers” is a general term for volunteers who are trained and certified to recognize and understand visible emissions from sources such as smokestacks, as well as what violations look like, and how to make reports. “Many are surprised to learn that this is the same training received by Allegheny County Visible Emissions Inspectors,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini noted. Our project manager Sue Seppi, a longtime smoke reader, said attending the training is very informative and an excellent way for citizens to take action in their own communities by reading visible emissions at the facilities that are of concern to them. “The reality is local inspectors can’t be at every facility at all times,” she said. “Readings from volunteers who are trained and certified as smoke readers  may help increase regulatory scrutiny on air polluters.” Sound like something you or someone you know would be interested in? Then we have good news for you: Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) is covering the cost of the training put on by Eastern Technical Associates – but please know spots for this opportunity are extremely limited. Once your training is complete, the GASP team can pick up from there to get you started with actual observations in your community. The next two-day training is scheduled for late September. The first session for new trainees is a live webinar held at 9 a.m. every Monday and Tuesday. Participants will spend the second session in the field on either Sept. 29 or Sept. 30. The field instruction registration begins at 8 a.m. and consists of multiple hourly field observation periods called runs. Complete one hourly observation successfully and you are done and will receive certification. Certification lasts six months. You can get more details on the Eastern Technical Associates website or email sue@gasp-pgh.org for details.

Draft episodic weather regulations long-sought by residents and air quality advocates could be sent out for public comment as soon as March 3, despite a committee vote Monday night. After about an hour of discussion, Allegheny County Health Department’s Air Advisory Committee voted unanimously to table the regulations, sending the draft back to the regulation subcommittee for more specifics. For inquiring minds who want to know: The next regulation subcommittee is scheduled to meet on March 23. GASP will post and share the agenda and details on how to join the meeting as soon as that information is available. GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini, who serves on the committee, agreed to table but stressed her concern that progress on the regulation cannot languish as it has for years. “We have been pushing ACHD to update these woefully outdated and inadequate regulations for years – decades even – and we’re thankful that the department worked quickly this year to get a draft ready for public comment,” she said after the meeting. “As with all regulation changes, the devil is going to be in details. While GASP shares some of the concerns related to specificity, we want to reiterate how crucial it is that this process continues because it could potentially help to positively impact the public health of and quality of life for our Mon Valley neighbors.” Although the committee ultimately did not provide a recommendation as it generally does, ACHD Air Quality Program Chief Jayme Graham said the department may still present the draft regulation in its current form to the Board of Health for a vote on whether or not to send it to public comment. “Regulations take time,” she told the committee earlier in the meeting, adding that the Air Quality Program, regulation subcommittee and industry can work to amend and supplement the regulations “parallel” to the public comment stage. So what happens next? We may have to wait until the next board of health meeting – 12:30 p.m. March 3 – to find out. If they are presented for approval and greenlighted for public comment, ACHD would then post both the regulation and details on how to weigh in on its website. Generally, the public comment period lasts for 30 to 60 days.

The $2.7 million trust benefits five Mon Valley communities – Clairton, Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln, and Port Vue, and is governed by a Community Advisory Panel composed of one representative from each of those municipalities. The Panel must meet regularly – at least once every six months – and is empowered to consider and approve funding for community improvement projects proposed by the municipalities. While the trust was a result of repeated air quality violations at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works, the projects submitted to the Community Advisory Panel for funding are not required to be related to air quality. Panel members include: Lincoln Borough Secretary Tammy Firda (president) Glassport Councilwoman Elaina Skiba (vice president) Clairton Mayor Richard Lattanzi (treasurer) Liberty Borough Councilwoman Janice Matyasovsky and Port Vue Councilwoman Deborah Thomas The settlement indicates that the money can go toward physical infrastructure improvements (think the construction of a playground or the renovation of a green space) or projects that foster “the creation or expansion of programs that are aimed at directly improving the well-being of residents.” GASP didn’t want the one-year anniversary of the settlement agreement that established the trust to pass without taking a look at how that money has been spent. While neither the Allegheny County Health Department nor U.S. Steel are required by the agreement to prepare and distribute a report for public consumption detailing the various proposed projects – which were approved, which were rejected – it does require publication of semi-annual account summaries. Account summaries are to be posted to the website of each of the five communities benefiting from the trust. Only limited information on the disbursements is provided. “GASP expressed concern over the lack of transparency when it came to the trust,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. “That remains a concern.” According to that report, just more than a million dollars was distributed in 2020 – money that was distributed in four disbursements in three of the communities: $534,500 was distributed to Port Vue Borough on Sept. 2 $229,830 was distributed to Glassport Borough on Oct. 14 $315,500 was distributed to Lincoln Borough on Sept. 2 and $20,023 on Oct. 14 That means the communities of Clairton and Liberty either did not seek funding or did not receive approval for funding of any projects in 2020. As of the end of 2020, the trust had $2.37 million in cash on hand, according to the report. What else do we know about the projects that have been funded through the U.S. Steel Benefit Trust? Just what we could glean by scouring municipal websites and media reports. According to Glassport Borough Council meeting minutes, there were four projects funded through the trust in 2020: $93,618 for a line item that read “emergency operations center and apparatus”; $90,228 for a sewer line camera system; $24,720 for blighted property removal; and $21,263 for Glassport Honor Roll Park beautification. According to Port Vue Borough Council meeting minutes from 2020, several projects were funded through the trust: $55,000 for “a generator and construction” of a new recreation facility – one that broke ground in 2019 $20,960 for paving of Veterans Way, Seeds Way, Pitt Alley, Smith Street Ext. and Dunn Alley $20,000 for a rescue boat $19,543 for camera monitoring of the interior and exterior of the municipal area $15,000 for 10 Motorola radios for the McKeesport Ambulance Rescue $14,002 for seven radios for the Port Vue Police Department $13,590 for Romine Park landscaping $13,250 for the replacement of fending and a gate at Romine Park $10,640 for a new back stop at Romine Park $9,690 for new railing at Romine Park $9,950 for concrete bleacher removal at Romine Park $9,905 for the removal of trees at Romine Park, as well as tree trimming and crowning $8,000 to pave the American Legion parking lot $7,950 to pave Port Vue Athletic Association’s walkway $2,991 for police body cameras and $2,226 for two Tasers That accounts for $219,831 in project funding for Port Vue from the U.S. Steel Benefit Trust that GASP staff could identify using available public records. It was not immediately clear what the remaining $314,669 funded or will fund. Community Advisory Panel meeting minutes posted on the Lincoln Borough website provide the only additional information we could find about Port Vue’s projects. The meeting minutes read: Application submitted for environmental, public health and overall community benefit. (Mobile speed safety sign, police body cameras, breathing pressure equipment, replace sidewalk/crosswalks, railings, demolition and asbestos studies and a rescue boat – totaling $130,000). Application submitted for recreational, rehabilitation and capital improvement. (Landscaping, replace backstop at the recreational area, replace backstop at the ballfield, redo concrete on bleachers, the outdoor shed at the recreational building, kitchen for the recreational center, cameras for the recreational and storage areas, paint recreational center and garage, pressure wash and sandblast the basketball hoop polls, seal, coat and paint lines on all three courts, roller and sweeper for bathroom areas, replace sidewalks and repair the building at PVAA, pave roads leading up to the accessibility of the new recreational building – totaling $404,500) As for Lincoln? Borough Council meeting minutes indicate the community submitted an application for the modernization and upgrade of Lincoln Park and recreational facilities located at Breznay Field, Dorothy Vay Park, and Bellbridge playground. Work there was expected to include paving, new signage, fencing, picnic tables, bleachers, and playground equipment total $377,868. The second application submitted was for the purchase of two hybrid police vehicles – a 2021 Ford Interceptor “utility model K8A All Wheel Drive, with all the equipment police packaged details, evidence gun volt mounted in the rear vehicle, Martel digital body camera system, Martel digital DC6 camera system with night vision rear camera, exterior mirrors LEDs, double weapons rack.” The purchase price was listed as $115,404. It was not immediately clear what specific projects have been approved or what the $335,000 distributed to the municipality this past fall funded. “GASP staff cobbled together this information by scanning months of meeting minutes and municipal websites,” Filippini said. “Bottom line: It shouldn’t be this difficult for members of the public to glean basic information on what this controversial, high-profile trust has paid for – specifically – in each of the communities. We again are calling on ACHD to do a better job helping Mon Valley residents understand how the funds allotted to their communities are being utilized so they can weigh in.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced final national pollution standards for passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles for model years 2027 through 2032 and beyond expected to avoid more than 7 billion tons of carbon emissions. In a release, the EPA said the new rules will also provide nearly $100 billion in annual net benefits to society, including $13 billion of annual public health benefits due to improved air quality, and $62 billion in reduced annual fuel costs, and maintenance and repair costs for drivers. The final standards deliver on the significant pollution reductions outlined in the proposed rule, while accelerating the adoption of cleaner vehicle technologies. EPA is finalizing this rule as sales of clean vehicles, including plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles, hit record highs last year. Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) lauded the move to cut pollution from the transportation sector, which accounts for 29% of climate pollution produced in the United States. “These new clean cars standards are paramount to our progress in slashing air pollution and cleaning up our air,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “This monumental rule will help save lives and provide the momentum we need to get us to a zero-pollution vehicle future.” EPA projects an increase in U.S. auto manufacturing employment in response to these final standards. Strong standards have historically contributed to the U.S. leading the world in the supply of clean technologies, with corresponding benefits for American global competitiveness and domestic employment. Here’s What You Need to Know About the Light- and Medium-Duty Vehicle Final Standards The final standards announced today build on EPA's existing emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks for model years 2023 through 2026. The standards continue the technology-neutral and performance-based design of previous EPA standards for cars, pickups, and vans, and leverage advances in clean car technologies to further reduce both climate pollution and smog- and soot-forming emissions. EPA is finalizing the same standard proposed for MY 2032 while allowing additional time for the auto sector to scale up clean vehicle manufacturing supply chains in the first three years covered by the rule. Annually, the net benefits to society for the light- and medium-duty final rule are estimated to be $99 billion. The final rule is expected to avoid 7.2 billion tons of CO2 emissions through 2055, roughly equal to four times the emissions of the entire transportation sector in 2021. It will also reduce fine particulate matter and ozone, preventing up to 2,500 premature deaths in 2055 as well as reducing heart attacks, respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, aggravated asthma, and decreased lung function. Compared to the existing MY 2026 standards, the final MY 2032 standards: represent a nearly 50% reduction in projected fleet average greenhouse gas emissions levels for light-duty vehicles and 44% reductions for medium-duty vehicles In addition, the standards are expected to reduce emissions of health-harming fine particulate matter from gasoline-powered vehicles by over 95%. This will improve air quality nationwide and especially for people who live near major roadways and have environmental justice concerns. Editor’s Note: GASP staff is currently reviewing the final rule, which you can read for yourself here.

We have blogged about the much-delayed and long-awaited Title V Operating Permit for the Jefferson Hills chemical-manufacturing facility operated by Synthomer, Inc., and formerly operated by Eastman Chemical Company many times before. Why all the fuss? It’s because Synthomer is one of two major sources in Allegheny County that still has never been issued a Title V Operating Permit, despite ACHD regulations that provide that such a permit should have been issued by the end of 2003 (the other is ATI Brackenridge Works). To catch up briefly: Once upon a time, a LONG time ago, the facility was caught violating numerous air pollution regulations, and subjected to a December 2011 consent order in federal court that required it to do: comprehensive emissions testing on all of its sources of air pollution submit the results of that testing to the Allegheny County Health Department and the EPA for review apply to ACHD for an installation permit for each source after receiving EPA approval of the test results and – once all sources were under installation permits - apply for a Title V operating permit. “We are pleased to report that the long, long delay is coming to an end – the light at the end of the tunnel has finally come into view,” GASP Senior Attorney John Baillie said. “On March 14, 2024, ACHD published a draft Title V Operating Permit for Synthomer’s Facility and made it available for public comment.” ACHD also scheduled a public hearing on the draft Title V Operating Permit for 6 p.m. April 18 at the Elizabeth Event Center. Editor’s Note: Our review of the 149-page-long draft Title V Operating Permit has just begun. - but no worries: We will provide updates on anything interesting we find in the permit as we review it.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week announced a final rule to prohibit ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos, the only known form of asbestos currently used in or imported to the United States. The ban on ongoing uses of asbestos is the first rule to be finalized under the 2016 amendments to the nation's chemical safety law, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which received near-unanimous support in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. The action marks a major milestone for chemical safety after more than three decades of inadequate protections and serious delays during the previous administration to implement the 2016 amendments. Exposure to asbestos is known to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, and laryngeal cancer, and it is linked to more than 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. “This is a really big deal,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “This public health protection is long overdue. GASP applauds the EPA for its work in the asbestos arena.” Chrysotile asbestos is found in products including asbestos diaphragms, sheet gaskets, brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes/linings, other vehicle friction products, and other gaskets. The use of asbestos in the United States has been declining for decades, and its use is already banned in over 50 countries. Although there are several known types of asbestos, the only form known to be imported, processed, or distributed for use in the United States is chrysotile. Raw chrysotile asbestos was imported into the United States as recently as 2022 for use by the chlor-alkali industry. Most consumer products that historically contained chrysotile asbestos have been discontinued. A 1991 court decision that largely struck down EPA's 1989 ban on asbestos and significantly weakened EPA's authority under TSCA to address risks to human health from asbestos or from any other existing chemical. The 2016 amendments to TSCA transformed the law with clear requirements and a mandate to comprehensively prioritize and evaluate the risks of chemicals and put in place strong and timely health protections against any unreasonable risks. EPA has set compliance deadlines to transition away from each use of chrysotile asbestos, which are as soon as is practicable for each use while also providing a reasonable transition period, which the law requires. Separately, EPA is also evaluating other types of asbestos fibers (in addition to legacy uses and associated disposal of chrysotile, and asbestos-containing talc) in part two of the asbestos risk evaluation. EPA will release part two of the draft risk evaluation soon and will publish the final risk evaluation by Dec. 1. Editor’s Note: GASP is following this issue closely and will keep you posted as the process proceeds. In the meantime, check out our Asbestos Awareness page to learn more about local asbestos rules and resources.

Gov. Josh Shapiro on Wednesday unveiled what he called “a new era of energy leadership in Pennsylvania. In a release, he said his plan would: protect and create nearly 15,000 energy jobs lower utility bills for Pennsylvania households, and take real action to address carbon pollution If passed by the legislature, the Governor’s initiatives would save Pennsylvania ratepayers $252 million in the first five years, while generating $5.1 billion in investment in clean, reliable energy sources. Here’s an excerpt from the release, which you can read in full here: As part of his bold vision for Pennsylvania’s energy future, Governor Shapiro is proposing two critical initiatives that together will lower prices for consumers, create and protect Pennsylvania jobs, and lower climate emissions. Following the recommendations of the Governor’s RGGI Working Group, which brought together labor leaders, environmental advocates, and industry to evaluate the merits of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the Governor is proposing the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER) to establish a Pennsylvania-specific cap-and-invest program that allows Pennsylvania to determine its own cap on carbon and invest directly in lowering consumers’ electricity bills. If passed, PACER would take Pennsylvania out of RGGI and give the Commonwealth control over its own energy future. The benefits of PACER will be passed on directly to Pennsylvania consumers. Under PACER, 70% of the revenue will be directed back to Pennsylvania residents as a rebate on their electric bill – more than any other cap-and-invest program in the nation – resulting in long-term, price relief on energy costs. In addition to reducing emissions and saving Pennsylvanians money on their bills, PACER will support projects that reduce air pollution in Pennsylvania; further lower costs on energy bills for low-income Pennsylvanians; and invest in new job-creating clean energy projects – such as carbon capture and storage, geothermal deployment, and clean hydrogen – in energy communities that have hosted coal, oil, or gas infrastructure. Shapiro’s plan introduces the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS), which will attract federal investments in the Commonwealth and keep utility costs low in the long-term by building out the reliable, affordable fleet of power sources we will need for the decades to come. PRESS continues all of the successful elements of AEPS but is also more inclusive to ensure reliability – adding nuclear power, next generation technologies like fusion, and clean forms of natural gas for the first time. This revitalized energy standard will attract hundreds of millions of dollars in new economic investments in our state and create 14,500 jobs, all while improving the reliability of our electricity grid and positioning Pennsylvania as a leader in the energy arena for the next 20 years. PRESS is designed to incentivize a more reliable power generation fleet to combat the threats of extreme weather, cyberattacks, and other challenges that could impact individual sources of electricity. PRESS requires Pennsylvania to get: 50% of its electricity from a diverse range of energy resources by 2035, including 35% from the clean energy sources of today and the future like solar, wind, small modular reactors, and fusion 10% from sustainable sources like large hydropower and battery storage, and 5% from ultra-low emission forms of natural gas and other traditional fuels. By raising these targets for a diverse range of energy sources Editor’s Note: GASP has been following the RGGI issue closely. You can read more about RGGI and the legal challenges that it’s faced here.