Another weekend, another pair of air quality exceedances for the Mon Valley – concentrations of hydrogen sulfide at Allegheny County Health Department’s Liberty and North Braddock air quality monitors exceeded the state’s 24-hour hydrogen-sulfide standard of 0.005 ppm again Saturday. The 24-hour H2S average at the North Braddock air quality monitor Saturday was 0.008 ppm. Liberty’s was 0.010 ppm – twice the state standard. “Air quality in the Mon Valley has been particularly bad this month. We’ve had seven days of hydrogen sulfide exceedances so far,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. “Despite all these exceedances – and the community outcry that the foul air elicited – the health department has stayed mum, providing zero communications to the public about the exceedances or what it is doing to get to the bottom of them.” She added that it’s not just the frequency of the exceedances, but the insanely high one-hour values experienced at the North Braddock air quality monitor in particular. Example: There was a 0.081 ppm peak March 23 and a 0.077 ppm peak on March 3, which are the second- and fourth-highest one-hour h2s readings over the past five years. That means that two of the worst four hours over the past five years have occurred in the past three weeks in North Braddock. GASP put out a call last week for ACHD to better communicate these exceedances to the public, and to make finding the source of these concerning H2S peaks a priority. We are renewing that call today.

It’s official: The Mon Valley will experience yet another air quality exceedance today according to preliminary data from the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD). The air was so rotten Thursday that by 6 a.m. it was numerically impossible for the North Braddock and Liberty monitors *not* to exceed the state’s 24-hour hydrogen sulfide standard of 0.005 ppm – the seventh such exceedance so far this year. There was also another insane one-hour value (0.081 ppm) at North Braddock – which is the second-worst one-hour value since Jan. 2016 for all ACHD h2s monitors. Consider this: “The 0.081 ppm peak today and the 0.077 ppm peak on March 3 are the second- and fourth-highest one-hour h2s readings over the past 5 years,” GASP staff attorney Ned Mulcahy noted. “That means two of the worst four hours over the past five years have occurred in the past three weeks in North Braddock.” GASP again is calling on ACHD to better communicate these exceedances to the public, and to make finding the source of these concerning H2S peaks a priority. “It’s a warm spring day, but many in the Mon Valley were forced to shutter their windows Thursday morning because of what was largely described as an industrial stench,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. “We continue to be extremely concerned about the source of these recent H2S spikes in North Braddock. It’s a question we hear from the public often when these exceedances happen, ‘Is there something going on at Edgar Thomson?’”

Every day, more than 25 million children (and thousands of bus drivers) breathe polluted air during their commute to school, which has a negative impact on student health and attendance – particularly for students with asthma and other respiratory conditions. How can we lessen the exposure to dangerous diesel pollution? Enter The Clean School Bus Act. This legislation would provide $1 billion to help school districts across the nation replace traditional diesel school buses with electric ones. By reducing students’ exposure to diesel exhaust, bill sponsors say it would significantly: cut down on asthma-related health incidents increase attendance and provide long-term savings to school districts Here’s how it would work: The proposal would provide grants of up to $2 million for school districts to swap out diesel buses with electric ones, invest in charging infrastructure, and support workforce development. This legislation would provide $1 billion to help school districts across the country replace traditional school buses with electric ones. By reducing students’ exposure to diesel exhaust, the bill would significantly cut down on asthma-related health incidents, increase attendance, and provide long-term savings to school districts. GASP stands alongside our friends at Moms Clean Air Force, American Lung Association, League of Conservation Voters, National Education Association, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Green For All, and others in support of the Clean School Bus Act. “Having a fleet of electric busses is no longer just a future aspiration. They’re available today and wherever possible we should take advantage of opportunities to shift to electric – especially when it comes to those most vulnerable to the health impacts associated with diesel pollution: Our kids,” GAP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. “At a time when environmental justice disparities have never been more clear, we’re thankful that the grant program will prioritize support for lower-income students.” We know about those disparities all too well here locally. A peer-reviewed study conducted by a local doctor shows children in Allegheny County living near major pollution sources had nearly triple the prevalence of asthma as compared to the national average. Children in the study lived in Clairton, Woodland Hills, Allegheny Valley, Northgate, and Gateway school districts, with many living in environmental justice communities populated with a high percentage of low-income and African American families. The study spotlights the health inequalities that exist between African Americans and other children: Overall prevalence of asthma in the study was highest among African Americans (26.8 percent) and those 10-12 years of age (26.7 percent) on public health insurance. “We need to push our Congressional representatives here in Pennsylvania to support the Clean School Bus Act,” Filippini said. “If we can’t rally around protecting our most precious natural resource – our kids – and help ensure they breathe clean air, what can we rally around?” YOU can help. Reach out to your Congressional representatives today and ask them to support the Clean School Bus Act. Not sure who your reps are? No worries – you can enter your address here to find out who you need to contact and how.

The petition is now closed. Thank you to everyone who signed! Imagine if you will, a world where local air quality program staffers must complete complex reviews and craft lengthy reports FOR the major industrial polluters they are charged with regulating. For free. Surprise: That’s what’s happening NOW right here in Allegheny County, where air quality staff members – inspectors, engineers, and attorneys – complete things like ambient air quality modeling, risk assessments, and requests for determinations for major polluters like U.S. Steel, a company that recorded $9.7 billions in revenue last year. No fees for any of it. Think that’s insane? We do, too. That’s why GASP has strongly supported the fee schedule changes proposed by both the state and the Allegheny County Health Department’s Air Quality Program. Not gonna mince words: Approving the proposed fee schedule changes should be a no-brainer. You can read all the nitty gritty details about the proposed changes on our blog. But here are five quick reasons why the fee schedule changes should be approved without delay: The revised fee schedule largely mirrors those approved by the state that went into effect this past January. ACHD Deputy of Environmental Health Jim Kelly made this point clear to board members, reminding them that all counties in Pennsylvania except Allegheny have already adopted the fees. The Clean Air Act requires that the fees imposed on major sources of air pollution – also known as Title V sources – in Allegheny County be ‘sufficient to cover all reasonable (direct and indirect) costs required to develop and administer’ the health department’s Title V permit program. Because ACHD’s Air Quality Program receives little or no funding from Allegheny County itself, the fees paid by non-Title V sources in the County must also generate sufficient revenue to fund the non-Title V side of the program. The proposed fee schedule would increase application fees for plan approvals, operation permits, and the annual administration fees charged to operating permit holders that were based on a schedule set all the way back in the 1990s and last increased 14 years ago. The fee schedule sets the price tag for 14 new fees related to the permitting process – fees that will pay for services the Allegheny County Health Department currently provides, absorbing the costs at a time when the Air Quality Program needed to hire seven new staffers in the past two years because of a high volume of work. The changes are expected to help buoy Air Quality Program enforcement and compliance efforts that directly impact public health. You with us? Then sign our petition to urge Allegheny County Council members to vote YES on the fee schedule changes: The petition is now closed.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday the largest solar commitment by any government in the U.S. announced to date. In a release issued Monday, Wolf said that the major clean energy initiative will produce nearly 50 percent of state government’s electricity through seven new solar energy arrays totaling 191-megawatts to be built around the state. As part of the governor’s GreenGov initiative, Pennsylvania PULSE (Project to Utilize Light and Solar Energy) will go into operation on Jan. 1, 2023. “In issuing the GreenGov challenge, I charged state government with leading by example in demonstrating sustainable governance and lowering greenhouse gas emissions to reduce the risks of climate change in Pennsylvania,” Wolf said. “This included significantly reducing energy use and pursuing an ambitious goal of obtaining at least 40 percent of electricity from clean energy generated in state. I commend General Services for their GreenGov leadership in not only meeting this goal but exceeding it." Solar arrays will be built in seven locations in six counties: Columbia, Juniata, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and York. When completed, the total 191-megawatt project is expected to deliver 361,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, supplying 100 percent of electricity for 434 accounts across 16 state agencies, or about half the electricity used by state government. The solar project will create 400-plus jobs and begin lowering carbon dioxide emissions statewide by 157,800 metric tons each year – the equivalent of the emissions from nearly 27,000 homes or taking 34,000 cars off the roads. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial to slowing climate change and protecting our health and safety, environment, and economy,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “With over 85 percent of Pennsylvania’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from energy production and use, pursuing clean energy and energy efficiency at the enterprise scale, as the state government solar procurement demonstrates, will make a big impact. At the same time, research shows the clean energy sector is a leading creator of quality jobs in Pennsylvania, bringing positive economic impacts as well.” Governor Wolf’s Climate Change Executive Order in 2019 set a goal of lowering Pennsylvania’s greenhouse gas emissions 26 percent by 2025 and 80 percent by 2050 compared with 2005 levels. It re-established the Green Government Council, co-chaired by the Departments of General Services, Environmental Protection, and Conservation and Natural Resources. The GreenGov Council is charged with developing strategies to ensure that state government plays a lead role in greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Goals include obtaining at least 40 percent of electricity from in-state clean energy sources; reducing energy use at least 3 percent annually; replacing 25 percent of the state vehicle fleet with electric vehicles; and attaining energy high-performance standards in building construction, lease, or renovation. The Council recently released its second annual report, outlining progress towards these goals in 2020. The 2020 Pennsylvania Climate Impacts Assessment documents that Pennsylvania’s average state temperature has climbed nearly 2° F since 1901, and the state average annual rainfall has increased about 10 percent, while extreme weather events have increased. It’s projected that by mid-century, every county will be 4.9° F hotter than in 2000, while average rainfall continues to increase 8-12 percent unless greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.

The group is now scheduling a series of workdays throughout April. All workdays will be held outside at the site with social distancing and mask-wearing in place. Four to six volunteers are needed for each of the sessions, which are slated for 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Did we mention bagels will be provided in the morning, and sandwiches will arrive at quitting time? Here’s the work schedule: Sat, March 27: Install the remaining fence posts for the rain garden Sat, April 3: Install the rain garden fence planks Sat, April 10: Staining of the property line fence and rain garden fence Sat, April 17: TBD (finishing touches) Can’t make it for those sessions but still want to lend a hand? The Etna Community Organization is also looking for folks to distribute information door-to-door to help advertise its Earth Day Challenge to those who do not use social media or email. “If you are an avid neighborhood walk-taker, please reach out to get a stack of door knockers to hang on your neighbors’ doors to spread the word!” event organizers said. “The more hands we have, the cleaner our community becomes.” Interested in helping out? Please reach out to megan@etnacommunity.org if you can volunteer for any of these tasks.

The message was delivered again and again by residents during the more than 90-minute hearing: U.S. Steel needs to clean up its act, and the health department needs to make sure they do it through permits that are as protective of public health as possible. More than two dozen residents made remarks Monday morning at Allegheny County Health Department’s virtual public hearing regarding myriad air quality permits – among them draft installation permits for U.S. Steel’s cogeneration plan, PEC Baghouse replacement, and Endless Casting and Rolling facility. While GASP submitted formal technical comments to ACHD, our Executive Director Rachel Filippini also spoke out at the hearing – here’s what she had to say: Good morning. My name is Rachel Filippini and I am the Executive Director of Group Against Smog and Pollution. Later today we will submit written comments addressing the draft installation permits for U.S. Steels’ Cogeneration Plant, PEC Baghouse replacement, and Endless Casting and Rolling facility. I am here speaking to you now to highlight a few issues we raised in those comments. Our overarching concern is that ACHD must ensure these projects improve or – at the very least – not harm air quality in the Mon Valley. According to emissions calculations in the Cogen and ECR project permits, it appears there will be a reduction in US Steel’s emissions of SO2 and NOx across the Mon Valley. That is promising, but these projects are also predicted to increase emissions of ammonia and volatile organic compounds. In addition, both PM10 and PM2.5 might increase or decrease slightly depending on changes at Irvin Works. For these projects, the emissions increases might not be significant enough to trigger stricter emissions controls, but they are increases all the same, and they are occurring in an area of the County plagued by poor air quality. Our written comments request revisions to or additional details for certain figures where emissions calculations might not have been conducted properly or fully explained. While permits do not contain public health warnings, ACHD has an obligation to explain to the public how – or if –emissions increases will impact air quality and public health. Related to emissions increases, we are especially concerned that the ECR permit does not require a compliance plan.  We read Article 21 as requiring any facility seeking an installation permit for a project that will increase emissions be fully in compliance with both its permit and all applicable air quality regulations. The ECR project will result in a net increase of SO2, PM10, and PM2.5 emissions at Edgar Thomson.  Currently, the Air Quality Program’s Compliance Status Report on its website lists Edgar Thomson as “Non-Complaint.” Given the issues that have been occurring at ET intermittently and the lack of finality on issues dating back to 2017, ACHD must demand compliance with existing requirements before allowing new construction.Of course, ACHD has enforcement discretion and we understand that a project with some emissions benefits shouldn’t be rejected outright. But ACHD should not use that discretion to give US Steel the benefit of the doubt or trust that issues will be worked through diligently over time.Many years ago, the demise of the “promised” battery D at Clairton provided a troubling precedent for US Steel’s commitment to major facility upgrades. It appears that could happen again. During US Steel’s quarterly earnings call this past January, the company suggested at least the Cogen and ECR projects will be on hold for a time.  ACHD cannot plan for every contingency but we believe you must now demand full and strict compliance from US Steel and an enforceable plan to get there. In May 2019 US Steel announced the Cogen and ECR projects “exemplify” the company’s “continued commitment to conserve resources and improve air quality in the Mon Valley.” It seems to us meeting its existing commitments is something U.S. Steel cannot avoid any longer. While the public hearing may be over, there’s still time to submit written comments on the proposed air quality permits and make your voice heard – specifically regarding issues with the proposed PEC Baghouse project. We are making that as easy as possible for you: Our attorneys broke it all down in layman’s terms on our blog, where we also have sample language and a form that auto-routes your comments straight to ACHD. What are you waiting for? Deadline to speak out is 4 p.m. “We want to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their comments with ACHD about these proposed air quality permits,” Filippini said. “That’s the only way things change: Through strong, sustained concerned citizenry.”

The values in red denote exceedances of PA’s 24-hour H2S standard of 0.005 ppm. Thursday marked the fourth straight day of air quality exceedances in the Mon Valley, with hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentrations again exceeding the Pennsylvania standard at Allegheny County Health Department’s Liberty monitor – the 24-hour average H2S concentration was 0.009 ppm at the Liberty monitor. The PA standard is 0.005 ppm. That means there were H2S exceedances at the Liberty air quality monitor in five of the last nine days. An H2S exceedance was also noted at the North Braddock air quality monitor (24-hour average concentration of 0.006 ppm), the third such infraction in nine days. “This week, in addition to all of those H2S exceedances, Allegheny County also experienced its first exceedance of the health-based standard for particle pollution,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. “Despite all that, the health department issued zero communications to the public to give them a heads up about this latest bout of bad air so they could take measures to mitigate exposure.” GASP again is calling on ACHD to better utilize the county Alert system and its social media channels to better inform the public on air quality issues that could impact their health.

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) assessed a civil penalty of more than $19,000 against two Pittsburgh-area contractors recently for violating local asbestos-related air pollution regulations. In a Jan. 8 enforcement order against CPR Holdings of Gibsonia and Flynn Construction Management General Contracting Inc. of Pittsburgh posted to the health department website this week, ACHD officials outlined the companies’ nine air pollution control act violations. The violations and associated fine stem from the demolition of a commercial structure on Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh in 2018. The enforcement order indicates that the companies failed to complete required asbestos surveys and notification forms, and worse – failed to protect workers who were removing asbestos-containing materials during the demolition. In the enforcement order, ACHD said CPR Holdings and Flynn Construction Management General Contracting also violated local asbestos-related air quality violations by: Failing to post asbestos warning signs at all entrances to the structure Failing to prepare a worksite prior to asbestos-containing material being removed from the site Failing to install a decontamination enclosure system where workers could properly decontaminate themselves before exiting the work site Failing to use ACHD-approved work practices for removal of the asbestos-containing material The order against CPR Holdings and Flynn Construction was one of a spate of asbestos-related enforcement actions taken by ACHD so far this year. Other actions included: A Jan. 22 enforcement order against Sixth Ward Flats of Pittsburgh, Costa Contracting of Cheswick, and Nelcon, Inc. of Glenshaw for demolishing a commercial structure without submitting a required asbestos-abatement form or notifying the county within 10 days of demolition as mandated. ACHD assessed a $1,350 penalty for the county air pollution control infractions – $350 of which was levied because prior enforcement action had been taken against them in the past two years. A Jan. 22 enforcement order against Mark German of Canonsburg and South Park-based Schaaf Excavating Contractors included a $715 fine. The fine stemmed from the demolition of a commercial structure on West Carson Street. ACHD said German and the company failed to submit required asbestos-related paperwork. The county air pollution control act requires companies to notify ACHD 10 days prior to demolition commencing – something German and Schaaf Excavating also failed to do, according to the enforcement order. By way of background, asbestos is the name of a collection of silicate minerals used in many products throughout the 20th century. Everything from cement to shingles was made with asbestos because of its strength and resistance to heat. ACMs were used in residential and commercial settings for decades, even after the carcinogenic effects of this fiber became apparent in humans. It wasn’t until the 1980s that asbestos was partially banned from being used in the United States in new building materials. However, some products are still permitted to use small amounts of asbestos and, as we’ve recently seen with products containing talcum powder, asbestos still contaminates consumer products. When asbestos is left undisturbed it does not pose a health risk. If asbestos pipe insulation, for example, is intact and has not deteriorated, it’s likely not affecting indoor air quality. If that pipe insulation were falling apart and the fibers became friable and airborne, this creates a potentially dangerous situation.

The values in red are indicative of exceedances of the state H2S standard of 0.005 ppm. Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 1:46 p.m. Thursday, March 11 to include information from a press release issued by residents of the Mon Valley and Clean Water Action. It probably won’t come as a surprise to our friends in the Mon Valley who suffered through what was at one point the worst air quality in the nation yesterday: Allegheny County experienced more air quality exceedances Wednesday – this time because of high levels of hydrogen sulfide and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). For the third straight day Wednesday, preliminary data show concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) at Allegheny County Health Department’s Liberty air quality monitor exceeded the state’s 24-hour standard with an average concentration of 0.008 ppm. The Pennsylvania limit is 0.005 ppm. That makes seven H2S exceedances so far in Allegheny County – four at the Liberty monitor and three more at North Braddock. But that’s not all: For the first time this year concentrations of PM2.5 exceeded the federal health-based standard for ambient air. Preliminary data show the 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration at the Liberty monitor Wednesday was 44.6 ug/m3. The standard is 35 ug/m3. Despite the exceedance of this health-based standard – and a health department air dispersion report Tuesday that predicted a moderate to strong surface inversion Wednesday – the public received no heads up from Allegheny County, which regularly communicates to residents various hazards through its Alerts system. “This exceedance underscores the need for strong episodic weather regulations and better communications by the ACHD to let residents know when air is unhealthy,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. For those who might not be following the issue: ACHD has for the last year been crafting regulations that would help curtail industry emissions when short-term weather events are expected to exacerbate poor air quality. It’s something GASP has advocated for not only in the past year, but over the past several decades. “We’ll say it as many times as we need to in order to get these regs passed: ACHD badly needs an emission-reduction plan in place that could be implemented within 24 hours of notice that a public health hazard exists,” she said. Then last month, the Air Advisory Committee voted to table the regulations, sending the draft back to the regulation subcommittee for more specifics. Filippini, who serves on the committee, stressed that while there was merit in having one more discussion to hash out details, what isn’t acceptable is letting the regulations languish in meeting after meeting. For inquiring minds who want to know: The next regulation subcommittee is scheduled to meet on March 23 – we’ll share the agenda and details on how to join the meeting as soon as that information is available. “In the meantime, there’s nothing preventing ACHD from warning folks when air quality will be in the orange and red through their social media channels and the Alert system,” Filippini said. Meanwhile, residents in the Mon Valley in a press release Thursday afternoon expressed their frustration with ongoing poor air quality and demanded action from U.S. Steel (the largest pollution source in the Mon Valley) and Allegheny County officials. “When we have bad air days, we’re limited like prisoners in our homes,” Cindy Meckel, a Glassport resident with Valley Clean Air Now, said. “This has to stop.” Clairton resident Jacqueline Mills sent an email yesterday to County Executive Rich Fitzgerald which read in part: “As a resident and grandmother in Clairton I am always concerned about the air and its effects on my 6 grandchildren. There have been so many days over the previous summers that they couldn’t play outside because of air quality! As adults we know the importance of outdoor play for growing children. Please help our city improve the air quality for future generations.” PA Director of Clean Water Action Myron Arnowitt said Mon Valley residents are looking for leadership in Allegheny – whether in industry or government – to ensure the public’s health is protected. “We need to stop pretending this problem has been solved, and take action that will have an impact on the kind of dangerous levels of pollution we’re seeing this week,” he said. GASP joins Clean Water Action in reminding residents that when air quality is at unhealthy levels that they should avoid time outdoors. EPA has identified especially vulnerable groups as children, seniors, and people with a respiratory or heart condition. In the Mon Valley this is roughly half the population. To sign up for Allegheny Alerts visit: https://member.everbridge.net/453003085611110/login Bookmark this page to access ACHD’s the online portal to make an air quality complaint. We graphed the data for those who’d like to take a deeper dive: