The Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) along with Cancer and Environment Network of SWPA (CENSWPA) and Cancer Bridges today announced, "The Air We Breathe: Health, Cancer, and Our Community," a panel event designed to inform and engage Allegheny County residents on the critical intersection of public health and air quality. The event will be held 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4 at Cancer Bridges, located at 2816 Smallman St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. The event aims to shed light on local air quality challenges and empower attendees with knowledge on how to protect themselves and their families, especially those in sensitive populations. A light dinner with vegetarian options will be provided. "Understanding the direct impact of air quality on our health is crucial for every resident of Allegheny County," GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. "This panel brings together leading experts to discuss not only the scientific data and local challenges but also practical ways individuals can safeguard their well-being. We believe that informed communities are empowered communities when it comes to advocating for cleaner air." The event will feature a distinguished panel of experts: ●  Patricia DeMarco, Ph.D.  (Moderator): a Pittsburgh author with a doctorate in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh. She has spent a fifty-year career in energy and environmental policy in both private and public sector positions. She now writes and lectures in the fields of sustainability, energy and environmental policy, and natural history. ●  Dr. Gabriel Cisneros : A pediatrician at UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics and co-chair of the Advocacy Committee and the Climate and Environmental Health Committee of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Cisneros will discuss the health impacts of air pollution, focusing on vulnerable populations and public health initiatives. ● Nesta Bortey-Sam, PhD : An Assistant Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. Dr. Bortey-Sam will delve into local air pollution types, research, and scientific data. ● Meghan Tipre, DrPh, MSPH : An instructor in Malignant Hematology and Medical Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Hillman Cancer Center. Dr. Tipre will address the intersection of air quality with cancer and sensitive populations. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a moderated discussion and an audience Q&A session. This event is ideal for anyone who understands that poor air quality is detrimental to health and wants to delve deeper into why, while also learning practical ways to safeguard their well-being. Due to space limitations, registration is capped at 40 registrants.   You can register here . Parking validation will be available for the garage directly across from the Cancer Bridges building.

Trump’s EPA on Tuesday announced yet another proposal to undermine environmental regulations designed to protect our environment and public health - this time taking aim at a 2009 Endangerment Finding that resulted in greenhouse gas emissions regs for motor vehicles and engines. Quick and necessary background: The Endangerment Finding is the legal prerequisite used to regulate emissions from new motor vehicles and new motor vehicle engines.  Absent this finding, EPA would lack statutory authority under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to prescribe standards for greenhouse gas emissions.  If finalized, this proposal would remove all greenhouse gas standards for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and heavy-duty engines, starting with EPA's first greenhouse gas set in 2010 for light-duty vehicles and those set in 2011 for medium-duty vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles and engines. While the regime announced the decision in a press release, more details are expected when formal notice of the proposal is published in the Federal Register and the public comment period is announced. GASP remains deeply concerned with the systematic rollback and repeals of regulations rooted in science and intended to help protect the environment and human health.  “This is a dark age for the EPA,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “The press release the regime released was heavy on details about how industry will benefit from the repeal but very light on details related to the impact on the environment and human health. It’s absolutely mind blowing.” GASP continues to follow this issue closely - stay tuned, we will share more information when the proposal is published in the Federal Register. In the meantime, here’s some coverage of the announcement: EPA moves to repeal finding that underpins current limits on greenhouse gas pollution from cars, factories, power plants E.P.A. Moves to Revoke the Legal Basis for Tackling Climate Change - The New York Times EPA to repeal landmark 2009 finding on greenhouse gas threat Trump administration moves to repeal climate ‘holy grail’ - POLITICO Trump's EPA to repeal core of greenhouse gas rules in major deregulatory move | Reuters

Here’s something completely different…Some positive news from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding air quality in our corner of the Keystone State. Our local EPA office announced in a press release Monday that the agency has approved Pennsylvania's request to designate the Liberty-Clairton area as a maintenance area, signifying that the area meets 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour PM2.5 air quality standards .  Here’s what the EPA said in that release: This significant milestone marks a collaborative effort between EPA, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD), and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to improve air quality for the communities within Liberty, Lincoln, Port Vue, Glassport boroughs, and the City of Clairton to redesignate a nonattainment area to attainment, the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires EPA to determine the state has met all applicable requirements for that National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Fine particulate pollution, known as PM2.5, can originate directly from sources or form secondarily through atmospheric chemical reactions involving precursor pollutants. EPA's decision reflects the successful implementation of strategies to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NOx), ammonia (NH3), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to PM2.5 formation. EPA’s final rule details how the Liberty-Clairton Area meets the CAA requirements for redesignation, including a maintenance plan outlining sustained practices for continued compliance. What You Need to Know About Allegheny County’s Maintenance Plan Approval In addition, EPA has approved the Commonwealth’s plan to maintain air quality standards in the Allegheny County Area for the 2012 annual PM2.5 standard through 2035.  This plan encompasses all municipalities within Allegheny County and includes provisions for local controls should the 2012 annual PM2.5 standard be violated. This action does not redesignate the Allegheny County Area to attainment for the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS. We know: This is all VERY technical. The bottom line? This is truly positive news for the residents of the Liberty-Clairton airshed and indeed, all of Allegheny County. The EPA's designation of attainment for the Liberty-Clairton area for PM2.5 standards is a testament to the decades of hard work, advocacy, and a commitment to cleaner air from countless individuals and organizations like GASP and so many others. “We've collectively pushed for stronger regulations, held polluters accountable, and championed solutions to clear our skies,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “But this isn't the finish line; it's just a crucial milestone. The approval of the maintenance plan for Allegheny County is precisely what we need to ensure this progress isn't fleeting.” Think of it like this: After a long fitness journey, you wouldn’t just go back to your old habits, right? You implement a maintenance plan - a new lifestyle with healthier habits to ensure your progress. “This maintenance plan is a vital tool, outlining the ongoing strategies and contingency measures that will prevent backsliding and ensure the hard-won air quality improvements we've achieved are sustained for generations to come,” Campbell continued. “We must remain vigilant and committed to its implementation." GASP wants to stress that future progress depends on more than just a maintenance plan, we need to ensure that our local regulator - the Allegheny County Health Department - has the staffing and resources it needs to fulfill its duties. “Right now, ACHD leadership has made it clear that they do not have those resources,” Campbell explained. “This attainment news should be a wakeup call to Allegheny County Council members who have been stalling on a vote to approve fee schedule changes that would ensure this air quality progress continues.” We also want folks to understand that this type of local progress could be derailed by proposed rollbacks of crucial regulations announced recently by Trump’s EPA. Help us fight these rollbacks and protect the air we have all fought so hard to clean up. Here’s one way to resist.

Last year, many of us signed with relief when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled critical revisions to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS) for Integrated Iron and Steel Manufacturing Facilities.  These updates, which required fence line monitoring of dangerous pollutants like benzene, were a hard-won victory for cleaner air and public health, directly impacting facilities like U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works right here in our region. These regulations were designed to provide concrete, enforceable limits on harmful emissions, with clear compliance deadlines set. They were meant to protect us. But now, the EPA has chosen to put corporate profits over our well-being. Earlier this month, the EPA published an interim final rule that unacceptably delays these vital compliance deadlines until April 3, 2027.  This decision is a direct undermining of the progress we fought for. The EPA's justifications – vague claims of "infeasibility" provided by industry and a flimsy plea for "consistency" regarding fence line monitoring – simply do not hold up against the stark reality of the inevitable environmental and public health consequences. While saving industrial polluting facilities an estimated $3.3 to $3.5 million, frontline communities will be dealt an additional 120 tons of hazardous air pollutants  (also known as HAPs) being emitted that would have been avoided under the original deadlines.  Please let that sink in: An additional 120 tons of cancer-causing agents, respiratory irritants, and other toxins will continue to pollute our air, prolonging exposure for communities already disproportionately burdened by industrial pollution. It's clear that Trump’s EPA, an agency supposedly committed to environmental protection, is prioritizing budget considerations of polluting industries over the lives and health of frontline communities (like Clairton, Braddock and so many others here locally). While we recognize that this public comment period might ultimately be performative – a box the administration feels compelled to check – it is absolutely crucial that our vehement opposition to this, and all other rollbacks of regulations meant to protect our health and environment, is put on the record. Our collective outcry creates a formidable record of dissent, which is essential for future advocacy, legal challenges, and continued resistance. But please know the clock is ticking. EPA is accepting comments on this interim final rule through Aug. 1 . We want to make it as simple as possible for residents to join us in our dissent. All you have to do is click here to submit your concerns .  When you submit your comment, keep these points in mind: Be clear, concise, and articulate your strong disagreement. Refer specifically to the interim final rule and the Docket ID number. Explain why  these delays are unacceptable and how they will negatively impact your health, your family, or your community. Personalize your comment with your own experiences. Urge the EPA to reverse this decision and enforce the original, more protective deadlines. Editor’s Note: You can read GASP’s formal comments here - please feel free to use some or all of our comments if you need a little help getting started!

Another day, another environmental regulatory rollback announced by Trump’s EPA: The agency last week announced it will extend the compliance deadlines related to coal ash. Here’s what the regime said in a press release: "Today's actions provide much needed regulatory relief for the power sector and help deliver on the commitments outlined on the greatest day in deregulatory history to unleash American energy, lower costs for Americans, and work hand-in-hand with our state partners to advance our shared mission."   But wait there’s more (spoiler - it’s all bad news): EPA is also extending the groundwater monitoring requirements for operators of coal combustion residual management units until at least Aug. 8, 2029. Why is this happening? It’s part of the systematic dismantling of a bevy of regulations promulgated to protect our environment and public health. This past spring, EPA committed to taking swift action on coal ash , including state permit program reviews and updates to the coal ash regulations. “This is an infuriating continuation of a pattern where vital regulations, crafted to shield our communities and environment from toxic pollution, are being systematically gutted,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “We've seen this abandonment of duty far too many times, and it forces us to ask: Is EPA leadership even committed to protecting the public, or have they truly abandoned us to the whims of polluting industries?” EPA will accept comments on the companion proposal for 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. This final rule will be effective six months after publication in the Federal Register unless EPA receives adverse comments. For a copy of the pre-publication notice and more information on how to comment, visit the CCR Management Units webpage  for more details.

GASP and our friends at the Climate Action Campaign hosted a press conference at Sol Patch Garden in Braddock to sound the alarm over recent EPA regulatory rollbacks and demand accountability in their wake. GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell was flanked by Braddock resident and activist Edith Abeyta, Pittsburgh City Council Member Erika Strassburger, and registered nurse Kathryn Westman - all gave powerful comments demanding EPA uphold its mission and stop the roll backs. Little bit of background: In the past month, EPA has announced its intent to roll back a host of environmental regulations (some of which effect U.S. Steel's Mon Valley Works facilities among others), which will have an inevitable impact on the Pittsburgh region. "Braddock has lived in the shadows of major pollution sources for more than a century, and the health and well-being of our community has suffered. There is a better way. It's time for stronger air pollution standards that protect our friends and family, the people we love," Abeyta said at the press conference. We agree, Edith! And here are the comments GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell shared: Good morning. My name is Patrick Campbell, and I'm here today representing the Group Against Smog and Pollution. For decades, GASP has been on the front lines, fighting for the right to breathe clean air in our communities. Today, I stand before you with a sense of urgency, because that fundamental right is under threat. We are witnessing a dangerous trend: The systematic rollback of crucial environmental protections by the Environmental Protection Agency. These regulations, regulations like the Coke Oven Emissions Standards, limiting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, and the mercury and air toxics standards all of which were crafted over years, based on sound science and public health imperatives and input, are being dismantled. These aren't just bureaucratic adjustments; these are decisions that will have real, tangible, and potentially devastating consequences for our health and our future. Right here in Braddock, the delayed implementation of the revised National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Integrated Iron and Steel alone will allow U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works to emit greater amounts of hazardous air pollutants between now and July 3, 2027, than it otherwise would have. Let's be clear: the air quality regulations being weakened were designed for a reason. They were put in place to limit the very pollutants that cause asthma attacks in our children, trigger heart disease in our seniors, and contribute to a host of other respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. When the EPA loosens standards on emissions from power plants or industrial facilities, it means more particulate matter in our lungs, more ozone damaging our airways, and more toxic chemicals contaminating our neighborhoods. The human cost of this deregulation is immense. We're talking about increased emergency room visits, more missed school days, and a greater burden on our healthcare system. For those already struggling with chronic conditions, these rollbacks are not just concerning; they are a direct threat to their quality of life - and in some cases - their very survival. We cannot, and must not, sacrifice public health for short-sighted economic gains. Full stop. Because who bears the brunt of these rollbacks? It is our frontline neighbors. These neighbors live closest to industrial facilities, major roadways, and other sources of pollution, and have borne the greatest share of environmental burden. These rollbacks will only exacerbate that injustice. So, what can we do? We certainly cannot afford to be silent. We must raise our voices and demand accountability from our elected officials and from the EPA. Contact your representatives, share your stories, and let them know that clean air is not a luxury; it is a necessity, a right, and a non-negotiable foundation for healthy communities. Thank you.

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its plan to delay full implementation of the revised National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) for Integrated Iron and Steel making facilities.   As a result, U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works will be authorized to emit greater amounts of hazardous air pollutants between now and July 3, 2027 , than it otherwise would have.  We blogged about that   here . Yesterday, EPA announced that it also plans to delay full implementation of the revised NESHAPs for Coke Ovens and Coke Oven Batteries, which will impact both U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works and Cleveland Cliffs’ Monessen Coke Works.   We blogged about those revised NESHAPs   here , when they were proposed.   Specifically, EPA plans the following delays to these rules that will apply at Clairton and Monessen: The requirement that coke works install and operate fenceline monitors to detect benzene levels will be delayed from July 7, 2025, to July 5, 2027; New limits for emissions of hazardous air pollutants from coke oven pushing, quenching, and battery stacks will be delayed from January 6, 2026 to July 5, 2027; and New limits on leaking coke oven doors, lids, and offtake piping will be delayed from July 7, 2025, to July 5, 2027. Speaking broadly, EPA is justifying the delays based on assertions that compliance with the regulations will in many instances require modifying the facilities, which in turn requires engineering, permitting, and construction of new equipment or controls, all of which can take significant time.   Those assertions were made by industry groups and bolstered by materials that they submitted in connection with petitions for reconsideration of the rules. “As with the NESHAPs for Integrated Iron and Steel making facilities, EPA has estimated an industry-wide cost savings associated with the delays, of between $4.2 and $4.4 million,” said GASP Senior Attorney John Baillie.  “In contrast, EPA did not provide an estimate of how much additional pollution will result from the delays.” You can submit comments on EPA’s plan to delay implementation of these standards and limits for emissions of hazardous air pollutants from coke ovens through August 7, 2025, at   https://www.regulations.gov .  Identify your comments by two Docket ID Numbers (EPA-HQ-OAR-2002-0085, for Coke Ovens: Pushing, Quenching, and Battery Stacks, and EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0051, for Coke Oven Batteries) and reference those docket numbers in your comments.

Last week, we   blogged  about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed revocation of limits on coal-fired electric generating units’ (EGUs) emissions of hazardous air pollutants.   That isn’t all EPA has been up to.   On the same day EPA proposed to revoke limits on coal-fired EGUs’ emissions of hazardous air pollutants, it also published a   proposal  to eliminate all limits on fossil fuel-fired EGUs’ greenhouse gas emissions. That proposal would bring EPA’s regulation of EGUs’ greenhouse gas emissions back full circle to where it was 10 years ago, specifically, to no regulation of such emissions.   The Presidential administrations over the last 10 years have gone back and forth (and back and forth again) in their attempts to regulate, or not regulate, GHG emissions from EGUs.  Here is a timeline of the highlights of what EPA and the courts have done with respect to the regulation of EGUs’ GHG emissions.  See if you can follow: In 2015 , the EPA under President Obama promulgated New Source Performance Standards for yet-to-be-built fossil fuel-fired EGUs (the NSPS) and the Clean Power Plan for existing fossil fuel-fired EGUs.  The NSPS would have required new fossil fuel-fired EGUs to use carbon capture and sequestration to limit their GHG emissions.   The Clean Power Plan would have required the states to regulate greenhouse gas emissions by shifting generating capacity from fossil fuel-fired EGUs to renewable generation of electricity.   Notably, the EPA asserted that it had the authority to promulgate the NSPS and the Clean Power Plan under section 111 of the Clean Air Act based on its determination that fossil fuel-fired EGUs were a significant source of GHG emissions and its 2009 determination that GHG pollution endangered the public health and welfare.  Section 111 requires EPA to regulate emissions from a category of sources if such emissions “cause[], or contribute[] significantly to, [dangerous] air pollution.” In 2018 , the EPA under President Trump proposed to revise the NSPS for fossil fuel-fired EGUs by eliminating the Clean Power Plan’s carbon capture and sequestration requirement. In 2019 , the EPA under President Trump repealed the Clean Power Plan and replaced it with the Affordable Clean Energy Rule.   The Affordable Clean Energy Rule would have required new coal-fired EGUs to reduce GHG emissions by improving combustion efficiency and would also have eliminated the requirements that would have required the states to shift generation capacity from fossil fuel-fired EGUs to renewable generation of electricity. In 2021 , the U.S. Court of Appeal for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated both the Affordable Clean Energy Rule and the Trump Administration’s repeal of the Clean Power Plan.  In 2022 , in the case West Virginia v. EPA, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the D.C. Circuit’s decision to vacate the repeal of the Clean Power Plan, determining that section 111 of the Clean Air Act could not be read so expansively as to give EPA the power to restructure the United States’ market for electricity.   Following that reversal, the D.C. Circuit entered an order which would have reinstated the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, which never went into effect because… In 2024 , the EPA under President Biden responded to the Supreme Court’s decision by promulgating the “Carbon Pollution Standards,” which repealed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule.   The Carbon Pollution Standards also would have required coal-fired EGUs to use carbon capture and sequestration after January 1, 2032, and would have imposed strict limits on GHG emissions from natural gas- and oil-fired EGUs. And finally, on June 17 , the EPA (once again under President Trump) proposed not just to repeal the “Carbon Pollution Standards,” but also all GHG emission standards for fossil fuel-fired EGUs.   In this proposal, EPA departs from the interpretation of section 111 of the Clean Air Act that it used in 2015 to assert its authority to regulate EGUs’ GHG emissions.  Rather than focusing on the volume of those emissions alone to determine whether or not they contribute “significantly” to dangerous air pollution, EPA proposes to focus on the impact that regulating the emissions would have on the public health and welfare.   Specifically, EPA asserts that because GHG pollution is a global problem that EGUs in the United States contribute to in only a small (and shrinking) part, and because its regulation of American EGUs’ GHG emissions would have no significant effect on GHG levels in the atmosphere, those emissions do not cause or significantly contribute to dangerous levels of GHG pollution, and it is not obligated to regulate them under Clean Air Act Section 111.    Which returns the status quo to where it was in 2015.   “If you are thinking that EPA’s assertion regarding the scope of its regulatory authority, if taken as true, would mean no regulation of any GHG emissions under the Clean Air Act as it is currently written, you may very well be right,” said GASP’s Senior Attorney John Baillie. “Moreover, if you’re wondering why no one in Congress or the White House thought to amend the Clean Air Act at any time between 2015 and now to clarify how GHG emissions from EGUs and other sources should be regulated – there have been several years where one party or the other controlled both Congress and the White House – so are we.  It is a remarkable failure.” It is just about certain that EPA will promulgate a final rule regarding EGUs’ GHG emissions based on the latest proposal in the upcoming months or years, and similarly certain that the basis of the final rule will be challenged in court.  We will follow along and keep you posted on that.  In the meantime, EPA is accepting comments on its proposed rule through Aug. 7.   You can submit comments at   https://www.regulations.gov .   Submit your comments under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0124, and reference that docket number in your comments themselves.

Last year, we   blogged  about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) revisions to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Integrated Iron and Steel making facilities. Those revisions imposed new emission standards and limits, mostly on the facilities’ previously unregulated fugitive emissions of hazardous air pollutants.  One facility in our region - U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works - is subject to these regulations. On July 3, EPA published an interim final rule that delays compliance deadlines for those revised emission standards and limits.  Specifically, EPA is pushing compliance deadlines which would have fallen on either April 3, 2025, or April 3, 2026, back to April 3, 2027, for these new standards and limits: Work practice standards designed to reduce emissions of particulate matter (PM) from unplanned bleeder valve openings The opacity limit on emissions from unplanned bleeder valve openings Work practice standards designed to reduce emission from blast furnace bell leaks The opacity limit on emissions from slag processing and handling; and A requirement to install and operate fenceline monitors to track chromium levels in the ambient air. Generally speaking, EPA is pushing back the compliance deadlines for the first four standards above based on new information ( provided by industry ) that purports to show that compliance by the original deadlines in 2025 and 2026 was not feasible.   In contrast, EPA is delaying the compliance deadline for the fenceline monitoring requirement “[f]or consistency,” not because of infeasibility. “According to EPA, the delay will save the nine facilities between $3.3 and $3.5 million,” said GASP’s Senior Attorney John Baillie, “However, the delay will also result in emissions of 120 tons of hazardous air pollutants that would have been avoided had the original deadlines been enforced. This seems like the wrong trade-off for EPA to make.” EPA is accepting comments on the revised compliance dates only through Aug. 1. You can submit comments at   https://www.regulations.gov . Submit your comments under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2002-0083, and reference that docket number in your comments themselves.

While our core work involves advocacy, watchdog efforts, and public education, did you know a vital component of our success lies in our robust partnerships with academia? It’s true - we regularly collaborate with bright minds from local universities like the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Chatham University, and more, integrating their research and analytical skills into our ongoing fight for cleaner air. These collaborations are deeply embedded in our strategic work, offering students invaluable real-world experience while providing GASP staff with fresh perspectives and enhanced capacity to tackle complex air quality challenges.  From in-depth air quality research to policy analysis and developing innovative watchdog tools, academia plays a critical role in advancing our goals. Visualizing Air Quality Violations at Title V Facilities in Allegheny County  This past spring, we had the privilege of working with a talented group of students from the University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and Information on a data analytics project that looked at air quality violations from the polluting facilities over the past five years. The students took on the challenge of visualizing this complex data. They compiled information from various public records, regulatory filings, and news reports, then transformed it into a visual representation.  This kind of data visualization can be incredibly powerful, allowing community members, policymakers, and even fellow advocates to quickly understand the scope and history of air pollution issues.  In order from left to right (all seniors): Jiri Palayekar (Majors: Information Science and Psychology), Abby Swan (Major: Data Science), Areej Mohsin (Major: Data Science), Dhwani Kanani (Major: Data Science), Ankita Raj (Major: Data Science), Luke Daniel (Majors: Data Science and Computer Science). We thank them so much for their work, which you can check out here . Collaboration is at Our Core This project is just one example of how academic partnerships are woven into the fabric of GASP's work.  We believe that fostering these connections enriches both the students' educational journeys and our capacity to make a tangible difference in our region's air quality. Students from various disciplines – environmental science, public policy, data analytics, public health, and more – find opportunities to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world problems with direct community impact. “These collaborations are not just about research; they're about building the next generation of environmental leaders and providing them with the practical experience needed to drive change,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “We benefit from their enthusiasm, their access to cutting-edge research methodologies, and their fresh analytical approaches. In return, we offer them a chance to contribute meaningfully to a cause that potentially affects every breath we take.” Looking Ahead: Partner with Us This Fall! As we look towards the Fall 2025 semester and beyond, GASP is eager to expand these partnerships. If you are a professor or a student at Pitt, CMU, Chatham, or any other academic institution in the region with an interest in environmental health, public policy, data science, or related fields, we invite you to reach out to us.  Let's explore how we can collaborate to make Southwestern Pennsylvania a healthier place for everyone to breathe. Feel free to email our communications manager Amanda Gillooly at amanda@gasp-pgh.org .