Read press release here #CleanAirCouncil

Photo courtesy of the HECA website. Editor’s Note: The following is from a press release issued April 4 by our friends at Hold Erie Coke Accountable. Hold Erie Coke Accountable (HECA) is partnering with the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) to update the public on Erie Coke’s ongoing violations and the high stakes impact for Erie’s quality of life and prosperity. The “Erie Coke Plant Community Impact Update” event will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at the East Middle SchoolAuditorium, 1001 Atkins St. Erie, PA. A panel of environmental scientists will address Erie Coke’s operation and impact on air quality, water quality, and soil contamination. Also discussed will be the recent closing of Erie Coke’s sister plant in Tonawanda, New York, and insights into the on-going enforcement actions by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on the plant on Erie’s waterfront. Principal presenters will be: Mike Campbell Ph.D., a science and biology professor at Mercyhurst, who researches water quality issues and is a core member of HECA Michelle Homan, Ph.D., a Gannon professor/Environmental Science and Engineering researcher, who tackles air quality concerns, and who is also a core member of HECA GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini and staff attorney Ned Mulcahy, who will review regulatory affairs specific to coke facilities and their impacts relative to a healthy population, environment, and economy with insights on how GASP works to hold polluters and regulators accountable. Regulatory offenses by Erie Coke continue even as the plant has re-applied for its federal operating permit. Currently levied by the DEP are 53 infractions composing an administrative order to be addressed as part of the permit review process. At issue is Erie Coke’s impact on air quality, water, soil, fish, and the residents of Erie who are working to position Erie as a great place to live, work and play. HECA is a non-profit, non-partisan citizens and community initiative, inspired by the civic resolve that Erie’s rise as a leading 21st Century city of choice rides on high quality of life and a healthy environment, requiring that the Erie Coke Plant be held accountable to operate in a safe and violation free manner for the safety of all. #DepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection #HoldErieCokeAccountable #airpollution #NedMulcahy #MichelleHoman #MickeCampbell #RachelFilippini #ErieCokePlant #airquality

Editor’s Note: We wanted to make sure everyone saw this new campaign from our friends at PennFuture. The below blog was taken from a press release the group put out earlier this week. PennFuture this week launched its Toxic Neighbor campaign to engage citizens in telling U.S. Steel three ways to improve Clairton Coke Works: Retire Clairton Coke Works’ oldest, dirtiest and most problematic coke batteries, which are Batteries 1, 2 and 3 Modernize Clairton Coke Works by investing in technologically advanced upgrades to ensure better air quality and Mon Valley jobs, now and in the future Commit to public transparency about plant operations, especially in cases of emergency The Toxic Neighbor Campaign launched on Monday, March 25, 2019, with bus shelter, print, and digital advertising. The campaign’s call-to-action is for citizens to visit www.toxicneighbor.org to sign a petition and/or contact U.S. Steel directly to make the company accountable for the air pollution coming from the Clairton Coke Works. “We created the Toxic Neighbor Campaign as a way for those most affected by the pollution created by the Clairton Coke Works to add their voices to our demands of U.S. Steel,” said Jacquelyn Bonomo, president and chief executive officer of PennFuture. “These are not extreme measures. We are presenting reasonable and rational solutions to the decades-old problems of poor air quality and unhealthfulness. We are advocating for plant improvements that will address toxic pollution and allow industrial jobs to continue into the future.” State Rep. Austin Davis also weighed in. “As the state representative of the 35th legislative district, I am committed to the well-being of families. I believe we can have both clean air and good jobs, but one cannot take precedence over the other. It will take a collaborative effort to accomplish this goal, but I’m confident it can be done so that the Mon Valley and its residents can prosper,” Davis said. The launch of the Toxic Neighbor Campaign is timed to coincide with a March 24, 2019 benchmark in a March 2016 consent judgment between Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) and U.S. Steel. That agreement requires U.S. Steel to certify that it has complied with the judgment’s terms, including addressing problem batteries at the Clairton Coke Works. The consent judgment was associated with a January 2015 PennFuture legal action. Retire Batteries 1, 2 and 3. “Retiring Batteries 1, 2 and 3 at the Clairton Coke Works—which is the country’s oldest coke plant— would have a real and measurable impact on pollution. Batteries 1, 2 and 3—which have a shelf life of 50 to 60 years—date from the mid-1950s,” Bonomo said. “These oldest batteries are subject to many stringent regulations but have performed unreliably for years. By replacing Batteries 1, 2 and 3, U.S. Steel would both resolve its compliance issues associated with these batteries and improve air quality in the Pittsburgh region.” Rachel Filippini, executive director of the Group Against Smog and Pollution, said it’s time for U.S. Steel to invest in modernizing the facility. “U.S. Steel has struggled with compliance for decades and if it breaks air pollution laws it is the community that ultimately suffers by way of increased asthma and heart attacks, strokes, cancer and premature death,” she said. “A pledge by U.S. Steel to close the dirtiest batteries and invest in modernizing the facility would go a long way in showing their commitment to the community’s health and prosperity.” Modernize Clairton Coke Works In 2012, U.S. Steel replaced three 1950s-era Clairton batteries with a new “C-Battery,” resulting in a significant decrease in small particulate matter (PM2.5). At that time U.S. Steel also committed to replacing Batteries 1, 2, and 3 with another updated battery—sometimes referred to as D-Battery—but changed plans, saying the company couldn’t afford it. Instead, it installed two less-expensive low-emission quench towers as a trade-off. “The excuse of not being able to afford upgrades at Clairton Coke Works no longer flies,” said Bonomo. “U.S. Steel reported 2018 adjusted net earnings of $957 million, compared to $341 million in 2017. The company is investing $750 million in modernizing its Gary, Indiana operation and $215 million in restarting construction on a technologically-advanced steelmaking facility in Fairfield, Alabama. These same investments are needed in the Mon Valley to ensure a better future for our communities and our air, and would mean job security for industry workers.” The Clairton Coke Works has a legacy of pollution and operational problems. Most recent was the 2018 Christmas Eve fire that confined nearby residents to their homes due to the toxic air conditions it produced. Nine sulfur dioxide exceedances occurred at two air monitor locations. “The huge increase in pollution by U.S. Steel since the recent fire at the Clairton Coke Works is just the latest failure by this company to comply with clean air standards that most of the country now enjoys. The Mon Valley and Pittsburgh deserve better,” said Myron Arnowitt, Pennsylvania director for Clean Water Action. “If U.S. Steel commits to making much-needed investments in Clairton, then we can see both continued employment and healthy air that can protect our kids and our grandparents.” Although U.S. Steel hastened to expedite post-fire repairs, air quality in Clairton and Pittsburgh continued to deteriorate for weeks. The Allegheny County Health Department issued its second enforcement order in less than a year on February 28, 2019. “Based on the Health Department’s February enforcement order, U.S. Steel emitted 74,100 pounds per day of sulfur dioxide on January 29, 2019. That level is 35 times what it was before the fire. That is the weight of three school buses of emissions on one day,” said Matthew Mehalik, executive director of the Breathe Project. “If these figures are representative of what is being produced, that means that U.S. Steel is emitting the same amount of pollution every 10.5 days as what it would emit in a year prior to the accident.” Commit to Transparency U.S. Steel has taken steps to improve its relationship with Clairton Coke Works stakeholders and community members. It created a website—clairton.uss.com—which is updated regularly. The company provides the Health Department with weekly reports, and Clairton public officials have been attending weekly meetings with representatives from Clairton Coke Works. However, the community isn’t yet satisfied. “You don’t need to tell me to plant more trees to improve the air. You shouldn’t be telling me what to do to fix the problem that U.S. Steel has created. That’s U.S. Steel’s problem. My community needs a grocery store,” said Clairton Deputy Mayor Richard Ford. “I have lost a grandfather, a father, a sister, a daughter, and a son to cancer. I’m not saying it’s all U.S. Steel, but it needs to invest the money to fix those old batteries now to improve our community.” About The Toxic Neighbor Campaign The campaign is intended to raise awareness in the region of ongoing issues at Clairton and encourage citizen action—by signing the petition to U.S. Steel and/or contacting U.S. Steel directly—to improve air quality. U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works affects the 37,000 people living within a three-mile radius of the plant. However, its pollution does not remain stagnant—it travels, impacting other areas of the county and city, especially Pittsburgh’s East End. Campaign ads appear at area bus shelters and in print and digital media. Community members are encouraged to spread the word about the campaign using social media and the hashtag #toxicneighbor. The Toxic Neighbor Campaign, which runs for two months beginning March 25, is targeted to residents as well as civic and community leaders. PennFuture launched the campaign with the support of members of the Breathe Project. For more information, visit www.toxicneighbor.org. “U.S. Steel has been a Toxic Neighbor for decades, but unfortunately things have only gotten worse in recent years. By putting profits before public health, U.S. Steel exposed residents to dangerous pollution,” said Zachary Barber, field organizer with PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center. “If it wants to kick its reputation as a Toxic Neighbor, U.S. Steel must listen to leaders and community members and make these investments to clean up the conditions at the Clairton plant.” #PM25 #enforcementorder #airpollution #USSteel #RachelFilippini #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #PennFuture #ACHD #ClairtonCokeWorks #airquality

Photo courtesy of LCAN. About 50 people attended a meeting hosted by the local grassroots group Lawrenceville Clean Air Now (LCAN) on March 13 to hear an Air Quality 101 presentation by GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini. During the presentation, Filippini discussed what contaminants pollute Lawrenceville’s air,  the possible sources of that air pollution, as well as the health impacts associated with them. For those interested: LCAN is active on social media, and will be sharing air-quality information, as well as details of its next meeting. You can like them on Facebook to stay up to date. “It’s encouraging to see such a robust turnout for a community event,” Filippini said. “It was our pleasure to present, and we look forward to working with LCAN in the future.” #airpollution #RachelFilippini #LCAN #LawrencevilleCleanAirNow #airquality

Fact: People who are regularly exposed to poor air quality are at greater risk for developing a host of health problems, from cardiovascular disease to respiratory illness. But did you know that air pollution is also dangerous for your furry, four-legged friends? Sad but true: Recent studies confirmed that respiratory illness in dogs is associated with poor indoor air quality. Specifically, dogs that lived in homes where incense were regularly burned were more likely to suffer from respiratory illness. Another study—this one conducted in Mexico City, where air pollution is heavy—found that the brains of dogs exposed to the area’s poor air quality negatively impacted their brains. Specifically, their brains showed: Increased inflammation Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which are proteins that serve as a marker for Alzheimer’s Disease and human beings Cats are no better off than their canine counterparts. Several recent studies have exposed and explained the dangers of air pollution—indoor and outdoor—on feline health. According to recent studies, one in 10 cats suffers from asthma as a result of indoor and outdoor air pollution. Those studies also indicate that: Cats exposed to elevated levels of particulate matter were more likely to suffer from respiratory illness. Cats exposed to passive smoke in their home environment had reduced lung function when compared to those that lived in smoke-free homes. Cats who live with owners who smoke or burn wood fires are more likely to have a severe decrease in lung function. Knowing the risks associated with poor air quality is only half the battle: Here’s what you can do to protect your pet (and really, your whole family) from air pollution. When it comes to indoor air pollution, you can: Regularly change the air filter in your home Vacuum regularly to remove indoor air pollutants (as well as pet hair) Avoid smoking indoors Refrain from starting wood fires in your home Select pet- and environment-friendly cleaning products How do you protect your dogs and cats from outdoor air pollution? You can start by: Keep your pet indoors on days where air quality is poor Avoid walking your pets in high-traffic areas where they will be exposed to exhaust and other air pollution Do your part to be a clean air ambassador—decrease your carbon footprint by carpooling, riding your bike or the bus, or make a difference by joining GASP. #respiratoryillness #airpollution #pets #particulatematter #woodfires #airquality

Congratulations are in order for GASP board member Harold Rickenbacker, who will be honored in May with a Carnegie Science Award. “The Carnegie Science Awards provide an opportunity to celebrate the remarkably talented individuals and organizations in our region’s science community,” said Jason Brown, Henry Buhl, Jr., Interim Director of Carnegie Science Center. “These innovators have had an immeasurable impact on Pittsburgh’s healthcare, manufacturing, energy, environmental, and education industries. Their achievements, dedication, and perseverance are truly inspiring.” Carnegie Science Award winners are selected by a committee of peers—both past awardees and industry leaders—who rigorously reviewed more than 200 nominations and selected the most deserving scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs, communicators, educators, and students whose contributions have led to significant economic or societal benefit in western Pennsylvania. Rickenbacker, of the Swanson School Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation at the University of Pittsburgh, is being lauded for his work addressing indoor and ambient air quality in under-served Pittsburgh neighborhoods. While pursuing his PhD at Pitt, Rickenbacker “integrated engineering and environmental justice” through an initiative in Pittsburgh’s East End called the Environmental Justice Community Alert Matrix. He led training sessions to provide more than 200 residents with the technical knowledge to identify environmental concerns within their homes, while detailing the importance of addressing environmental sustainability at the nexus of water use, energy consumption, and air pollution. “Harold is committed to paying it forward, and his efforts are improving the health and quality of life of the communities he works with for years to come,” a press release announcing award recipients explained. Rickenbacker and other awardees will be celebrated at the 23rd Annual Carnegie Science Awards Celebration Friday, May 10. “Congratulations to Harold on this well-deserved recognition.” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. “We are so lucky to have someone with his expertise working in local communities, helping to make the connection between public health and environmental justice issues.” #airquality #CarnegieScienceAward #EnvironmentalJusticeCommunityAlertMatrix #HaroldRickenbacker

March is Women’s History Month and truly, we couldn’t celebrate GASP history without highlighting all the women who helped us fight the good air quality fight for the past 50 years. Today, we are putting the spotlight on our co-founder and first president, the fiery Michelle Madoff. They say that, “Well behaved women seldom make history.” The quote seems fitting when describing Michelle Madoff, the feisty co-founder of the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP). Madoff, a four-term Pittsburgh city councilwoman who died in 2013, was often described as “colorful”—and for good reason. She once famously waited at the corner of Fifth and Smithfield streets under what was then known as the Kaufmann’s clock at high noon for a fellow council member who said he’d kiss her behind if one of her proposals succeeded to make good on his promise. For inquiring minds that want to know: The city councilman never showed up that day in 1983. About a dozen reporters and more than 100 onlookers, however, did. Madoff grew up in Toronto and moved to Pittsburgh in 1961, when she quickly realized that air pollution from industry sources was causing her to have asthma attacks. Her testimony before the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy about air quality in 1969 ultimately led to her involvement in and co-founding of GASP later that year. GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini remembers Madoff as a woman who was unwavering in her advocacy for improved air quality, as well as her belief that citizens had an absolute right to fight for it. Michelle Madoff, GASP’s co-founder and first president She described Madoff as a no-nonsense woman who pulled no punches. “When polluters claimed there was no technology to clean up their plants, she’d show them reports from engineers on how it could be done. When they said they couldn’t afford it, she’d say, ‘Show me your profit and loss statements.’” Under her leadership, GASP did its first high-profile push for clean air by creating what was known as, “The Dirty Dozen.” This list included the lawmakers who were profiting from the city’s “dirty industry at the cost of clean air.” “The Dirty Dozen” for the first time put these lawmakers on blast, forcing them to be more transparent and inclusive when it came to political decisions that affected air quality. While the list was one of GASP’s first wins under Madoff’s leadership, it certainly was not its last. In 1970, GASP pushed the federal district court to require Allegheny County to adopt environmental standards based on the federal Clean Air Act. Then in the 1980s, GASP’s advocacy efforts pushed the county to cooperate with the EPA to enforce air quality standards at Clairton Coke Works. What started as a conversation among concerned citizens in Madoff’s living room back in 1969 evolved into a nonprofit that now has five decades of experience making a difference in local air quality. Here’s to Michelle Madoff, and to another 50 years of making strides in local air quality improvement. Editor’s Note: Be on the lookout because GASP will need your help bestowing the Michelle Madoff Awards of Environmental Excellence. Check back soon for more information about how to submit a nomination. Posted March 8th, 2019 by Amanda Gillooly in Blog. Tagged # #airpollution #MichelleMadoffAwardsofEnvironmentalExcellence #MichelleMadoff #USSteel #CleanAirAct #ClairtonCokeWorks #airquality

Read press release here

For Amanda Gillooly, becoming the communications manager for the Group Against Smog and Pollution felt like coming home again. In the last several years she served as a writer, public relations, and social media specialist for several law firms and non-profit organizations, but she missed the watchdog role she enjoyed as a longtime member of the media. Gillooly, of Neville Island, graduated with a degree in journalism and mass communication from Point Park University and worked as a beat reporter for the Valley Independent, Beaver County Times, and Observer-Reporter. She then made the jump to digital journalism, working as the local editor for the Canon-McMillan Patch, one of a group of local news websites. That’s when she became aware of and concerned about issues related to Marcellus Shale development in the beat she covered. During her tenure at Patch, she made it her mission to be a watchdog for the communities she was covering. “As a reporter it was shocking to me to attend these municipal meetings and realize how little balanced coverage there was about Marcellus Shale issues,” Gillooly said. “The complex topic required me to learn a great deal about not only environmental issues, but also topics related to permitting and violations.” After the Patch network shut down local operations, she decided to launch an independent investigative reporting website devoted to Marcellus Shale issues, Marcellus Monitor. “At that point there was a flurry of activity in Washington County related to waste water impoundments, and violations there—all at a time when Act 13 was being challenged,” she said. “I found there was a major leak at an impoundment that was not being reported on by the mainstream media.” That all changed after Gillooly said she begged a local activist and pilot to take an aerial shot of the Jon Day Impoundment so that people and members of the media could see for themselves how much of a wreck it was. “Soon after, all the local media was covering the story,” she said. “DEP inspectors were called in, and the public thankfully became aware of how much of a mess the cleanup was.” The experience, Gillooly said, made her aware of just how much of a difference a few committed individuals can make and how it’s more important than ever to educate the public on environmental issues that impact us all. “In my capacity as communications manager at GASP I look forward to being part watchdog, part educator,” she said. Gillooly added that she’s beyond excited to come on board as GASP celebrates its 50th year. “GASP has done so much to help improve air quality in the Pittsburgh region over the last five decades and we continue to fight the good fight, holding truth to power, and acting as a true environmental steward,” she said. “I look forward to highlighting and celebrating all that we’ve accomplished and getting the word out about the work we continue to do in the name of clean air.” #MarcellusMonitor #WashingtonCounty #AmandaGillooly #airquality #JonDay

Contact: Rachel Filippini Executive Director, Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) 412-924-0604 x201 rachel@gasp-pgh.org Katie Edwards Social Media Director, Clean Air Council 215-567-4004 x102 kedwards@cleanair.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Group Against Smog and Pollution and Clean Air Council Sue Allegheny County Over Illegal Use of Clean Air and Title V Funds Pittsburgh, PA—Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) and Clean Air Council filed a “Complaint in Action for Declaratory Judgment” yesterday in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas seeking a judicial order that would prevent the County’s Health Department from using air improvement funding on an office renovation project. “Our region consistently struggles to meet the federal health-based standards for harmful ozone and fine particulates, and Allegheny County ranks in the top 2% of U.S. counties for cancer risk from inhaled air toxics,” said Rachel Filippini, Executive Director of GASP. “At the same time, the County Clean Air Fund has more than $11 million to spend on activities that can improve air quality. Why is Allegheny County diverting money away from the vital task of cleaning our air to an over-the-top office renovation?” “Allegheny County’s air quality is among the worst in the nation,” said Joseph Otis Minott, Executive Director and Chief Counsel of Clean Air Council. “The Health Department wants to use millions of dollars to renovate a County owned building instead of using this money to protect and improve Allegheny County’s air quality as the law setting up these funds requires. This is unacceptable and an illegal use of these funds.” Clean Air Council and GASP argue against using the Clean Air and Title V Funds for the building renovation project. Both organizations insist that the millions of dollars should be put towards protecting residents’ health by implementing more projects like university studies of local air pollution and upgrades of dirty diesel school bus and construction equipment engines, as well as permitting, inspecting, testing, and enforcing Title V regulations for major sources of air pollution. The environmental benefits that will be realized through the proposed renovation project are negligible and far too costly to be considered a sensible or effective use of Clean Air Funds. “GASP and Clean Air Council have documented the County’s lackluster performance when it comes to getting out health-protective Title V permits in a timely fashion,” said Filippini. “How can they justify using Title V funds for a building renovation project when there is a backlog of Title V permits and there are Title V facilities out of compliance with regulations in their permits?” Like Allegheny County’s roads, bridges, and parks, this building is owned by the County and the County alone is responsible for its upkeep. Allegheny County’s rainy day fund holds approximately $46 million and Allegheny County Council recently approved $114 million for infrastructure bonds. Allegheny County is able to complete the office upgrade project with funding from other, appropriate sources—but is unwilling. In its legal filing, GASP and Clean Air Council are asking the Court to declare, among other things, that the County is unlawfully interpreting its regulations and spending this money improperly. “For over a decade, the Allegheny Health Department has been squirreling away millions of dollars while neglecting residents’ health,” said Minott. “Using these funds to upgrade an office building, instead of improving air quality, only adds insult to injury.” ### See the background of this action in these articles: “Environmental groups fear county Health Department beginning to deplete Clean Air Fund,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 2, 2018. “More money from Allegheny County’s ‘Clean Air Fund’ goes to office renovation,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, May 2, 2018. #fineparticulates #airpollution #TitleV #CleanAirCouncil #RachelFilippini #airtoxics #diesel #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #airquality