Residents and local officials packed into a Robert Morris University Island Sports Center meeting room Wednesday to discuss and help develop a vision for the reuse of the former Shenango Coke Works site in Neville Township. Residents heard from various speakers during the more than two-hour meeting, where they had an opportunity to review artist renderings, ask questions and provide input. Redevelopment of the former Shenango site has the potential to economically and environmentally impact more than 18,000 residents combined in Neville Township, Avalon, Ben Avon, Bellevue and Emsworth—and as many as 70,000 Pennsylvania residents living within a three-mile radius of the site. Members of the Shenango Reimagined Advisory Council held the event in conjunction with the Delta Group, a firm specializing in the redevelopment of brownfield sites that received grant funding. Delta Institute spearheaded the effort and convened the regional group—one that met several times over the past year to create guiding principles for the revisioning of the site, as well as a list of 20 possible future uses. Those guiding principles call for a green, sustainable redevelopment of the site. The group stressed that they wanted to prioritize uses that had low or medium impacts on the environment. Two things were made clear: Fracking was not a welcome use of the site, and a company requiring a Title V air quality permit was not desired. Organizers noted that Neville Township is already home to four businesses that require a Title V. For those who are unfamiliar: Title V permits are required for major sources of emissions – companies that have the potential to emit at least 100 tons per year of any air pollutant, 10 tons per year of any single hazardous air pollutant, or 25 tons per year of any combination of hazardous air pollutants. One member of the advisory council, Dan Lenz, told attendees that while jobs and economic development is an important factor when considering the site’s reuse, “we cannot forget about the environmental impact.” He added that the current owner of the former Shenango property, DTE Energy, which asked for updates on the process as it proceeded. The company also requested a copy of the final report. Various public officials from nearby communities attended the meeting, as did several county and state representatives. Absent, though, were any officials from Neville Island, to the chagrin of township residents in attendance there. Event organizers asked attendees to get and stay involved, to call and write their representatives to tell them that an environmentally friendly reuse of the site was paramount. “Thank you for coming,” a Delta representative told those gathered. “Please use your voice.” A final revisioning report is expected to be issued Feb. 28. Those who would like to provide feedback, obtain more information on the process, or be placed on the group’s email list are asked to contact Margaret Renas at mrenas@delta-institute. Editor’s Note: Shenango Coke Works shut down operations in 2016 following emissions issues at the site and associated legal action—some of which GASP initiated. #NevilleIsland #ShenangoCokeWorks #ShenangoReimaginedAdvisoryCouncil #TitleV

UPDATE: Allegheny County Health Department’s Air Quality Program Monday evening issued this air quality update through the county’s Allegheny Alert system: Preliminary data recorded on Sunday at the Liberty monitor showed a 24-hour PM2.5 average of 36, which is above the EPA 24-hour standard of 35. This data is not verified and will go through EPA’s filter analysis to determine the final average. If there was a PM2.5 exceedance, it will be addressed via ACHD’s State Implementation Plan (SIP) for attainment. We are also aware that the Lawrenceville PM2.5 monitor has been generating inaccurate data since Sunday afternoon. We are troubleshooting those issues and will provide an update when this monitor is back to normal operations. As we have previously advised, the Health Department monitors temperature inversions and is in contact with industries during inversion periods to ensure compliance with existing permit limits. Improving air quality remains a high priority, and we will continue to implement forward-thinking policies and practices designed to reduce pollution and protect public health. – Jim Kelly, Deputy Director of Environmental Health For a second consecutive day Monday, Allegheny County residents endured some of the worst air quality in the nation according to data maintained at AirNow.gov, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website that tracks the Air Quality Index (AQI) throughout the United States. But as is entirely too often the case, the burden of that air pollution was felt most acutely by residents in and near the Mon Valley more than anywhere else in the county. In fact, only data from the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) monitor located in Liberty Borough caused AQI values to push into the red “unhealthy” range on both Sunday and Monday. AQI values in the red indicate that everyone in the area could begin to experience health effects—and that members of sensitive groups (i.e.: folks with respiratory or cardiovascular issues) could experience more serious health effects. In addition, another pollutant all too familiar to Mon Valley residents – hydrogen sulfide (H2S) – ended the day Sunday at twice the Pennsylvania state air quality standard of 0.005 ppm. H2S levels were so bad Monday morning that the 24-hour average is guaranteed to exceed the standard again today. For those who are unfamiliar, coke-making is the primary source of H2S in Allegheny County and U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works is not only the largest emitter in the county but the entire state. “The most recent bouts of bad air quality underscore the need for stricter coke oven regulations,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. “We again call on the Allegheny County Health Department to make revising them a top priority. The longer this process is drawn out, the longer people in the Liberty-Clairton area will suffer.” An additional concern is that the AQI forecast for Sunday published on AirNow.gov was for “good” air quality—somewhere near 12 ug/m3—but the 24-hr average pm2.5 at Liberty exceeded 35 ug/m3, a threshold Allegheny County must stay below 98 percent of the time to meet federal air quality standards. GASP believes this underscores the need for more air monitoring in the area so we can better pinpoint the source(s) of the pollution, better understand meteorological effects on pollution, and ultimately reduce pollution levels in the ambient air. While GASP applauds ACHD’s draft plan to use more than $300,000 from the Clean Air Fund to fund monitoring activities, we remain concerned that the Air Quality Program might have insufficient resources to effectively do its job. “We have said it before and we want to say it again: Air quality is a crucial public health issue that needs to be of paramount concern not only to the health department, but county council and our chief executive,” Filippini said. “GASP is again calling on Rich Fitzgerald to join residents and environmental groups in calling for better funding for the program. GASP last week called on the department to seek a grant for additional air quality monitoring through an EPA program—a call we are renewing today.” But more monitors alone won’t resolve the issues. “Part of ACHD’s role is to help keep local communities informed about these very kinds of public health issues. We encourage the Air Quality Program to arm residents with the information they need to make educated decisions during days where air quality is expected to be poor—even on the weekend and on holidays,” she said. GASP communicated with ACHD staff last week regarding missing wind data from the Liberty monitor station but ACHD has yet to provide a timeline for restoring that data. In addition, wind data ceased being published at the South Fayette monitor with no public notice and critical hourly pm2.5 data form the Lawrenceville monitor has been erratic over the past few days. “We wish the health department would be more proactive when it comes to these issues instead of waiting for someone to notice,” Filippini said. “At a time when residents are clamoring for more and better information on air quality issues, proactive communication seems like a no brainer.” For those who would like to take a deeper dive into the data, we created these graphs. Check them out: #PM25 #cokeovenregulations #H2S #airpollution #hydrogensulfide #USSteel #ACHD #ClairtonCokeWorks #airquality

Consider this: For every 10 minutes you idle your car or truck, you’re contributing about a pound of carbon dioxide – a primary contributor to global warming – into the air we all breathe. That’s why GASP has not only long advocated for anti-idling laws, but we’ve also helped local businesses and communities better communicate that people should turn off their engines by providing “No Idling” signage. Most recently, we were happy to partner with South Fayette Township in the name of better air quality. GASP provided signs the township installed in five public parks (Morgan Park, Fairview Park, Boys Home Park, Preservation Park, and Sturgeon Park). Signage was also posted around the Public Works garage on Millers Run Road. The township then went a step further, securing and posting additional signs that were posted in front of the police station, which includes parking spaces for police cars and visitors using the municipality’s Internet Purchase Exchange Location. “Clean air is essential for everyone, especially children with young lungs—an important point for South Fayette Township, whose largest population type is families with children,” said Andrea Iglar, South Fayette Township director of communications and community development. “Installing signs that remind drivers at our parks and township facilities to reduce car idling is a simple way we can help our citizens, including youth, breathe better.” She added that the signage isn’t the only effort the township has made to be environmentally conscious: Among other things, South Fayette also works to implement and encourage sustainable practices through the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification Program. GASP was also happy to contribute to a magazine article on idling recently published in the South Fayette Connect Magazine. “Turning off your engine is a very, very simple thing you can do to reduce air pollution,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini told the publication. South Fayette Township works to implement and encourage sustainable practices through the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification Program: https://southfayettepa.com/455/Sustainable-Communities. Editor’s Note: Think your organization, business or community could use no-idling signage? Then you’re in luck: GASP has a limited supply of them available. Please email amanda@gasp-pgh.org if you’re interested in one! #Noidling #airpollution #RachelFilippini #antiidlinglaws #airquality

A group composed of residents and local officials on Wednesday released its final visioning report for the sustainable redevelopment of the former Shenango Coke plant property located on Neville Island. The report, which includes a set of guiding principles is intended for use by future developers of the of the 50-acre site on the Ohio River, was created by the Shenango Reimagined Advisory Council. Members of that council include: Residents from Neville Island Allegheny Land Trust Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County Allegheny County Economic Development Elected officials from the boroughs of  Bellevue, Ben Avon and Emsworth Allegheny County Clean Air Now and The Breathe Project. These efforts were facilitated by non-profit Delta Institute. “The Guiding Principles provide a framework for redevelopment of the site that recognizes its positive economic development potential for a reuse that will not create negative economic or environmental consequences for Neville or surrounding communities,” said Roy Kraynyk, of the Allegheny Land Trust. The re-visioning process identified seven guiding principles important to the community for the redevelopment of the former Shenango site: While the reuse of the site should maximize net revenue to local and regional taxing bodies, is should not burden the public with expenses associated with mitigating negative impacts to air quality, water quality, roads or public health. Future users of the site should develop and maintain a positive relationship with local community stakeholders and mitigate any negative environmental impacts arising from the development of the property or the operations therein. The site should NOT be used for any industry that is considered a major source of air emissions requiring a Title V operating permit. Remediation of the site should be completed in accordance with the state Department of Environmental Protection Act 2 Cleanup standards to ensure public waterways, groundwater, and public health are protected. Additionally, remediation of the site should be attractive for desirable reuses. The site should NOT be used for activities related to hydraulic fracturing (also known as fracking) or the petrochemical industry. The site redevelopment should provide an opportunity to create sustaining jobs and workplace development opportunities for Allegheny County residents. Sustainable characteristics such as LEED Certification and Energy Star Certification are encouraged. “The Guiding Principles were created by the Council to keep us on track for site ideation, environmental considerations, and both financial input and economic development for Neville Township and surrounding communities,” said Daniel Lenz, Emsworth Council Member. The year-long site re-visioning process culminated in a two-hour community meeting on Feb. 19 to provide neighbors the opportunity to ask questions, provide feedback, and learn more. More than 60 residents and 18 organizations attended the meeting, along with state Reps. Anita Kulik and Adam Ravenstahl. Attendees expressed desire for the site’s reuse to benefit the surrounding communities, and for a collaborative relationship between community groups and the new site owner. “The site visioning report and Guiding Principles were well received by community members who attended the public meeting, which included residents, community officials, and environmental groups,” said Karen Grzywinski, of Allegheny County Clean Air Now. Grzywinski also serves as a board member for GASP. The revisioning process also identified 20 site reuse ideas that are in alignment with Guiding Principles and market forces ranging from light- to heavy- industrial use, as well as specialty manufacturing. Ideas for the reuse of the site included everything from a commercial bakery or brewery to equipment or electronics assembly—all recommendations based on market analysis, with an emphasis on generating tax revenue and adding jobs to the local economy while minimizing or eliminating any potential negative environmental impacts. Editor’s Note: Shenango Coke Works shut down operations in 2016 following emissions issues at the site and associated legal action—some of which GASP initiated. #airquality #ShenangoCokeWorks #TitleV

Folks in the Liberty-Clairton area on Monday again endured some of the worst air quality in the nation, according to AirNow.gov, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website that tracks the Air Quality Index (AQI) throughout the United States. According to initial data from the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD), the 24-hour average concentration of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) at the Liberty monitor ended Monday at 0.007 ppm, exceeding the state’s limit of 0.005 ppm. While concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Allegheny County Monday were less-than-ideal, they did not cross any regulatory lines. Editor’s Note: We prepped some graphs for those who would like to take a deeper dive into the data. #H2S #hydrogensulfide #exceedance #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #Clairton

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include information from an Allegheny County news release. Links to stories from local media on the announcement were also added. Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald on Wednesday announced that the incoming health department director will be Dr. Debra Bogen of Pittsburgh. “Please welcome Dr. Debra Bogen as the new director of (ACHD). A pediatrician with (Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh), she will be formally appointed later today by the Board of Health and is expected to assume the position in May,” he tweeted. He then thanked members of the board of health for its help in the selection process. “And a special thanks to Ron Sugar and the entire team at (ACHD) for the work they’ve done — and continue to do — to protect the health of Allegheny County residents.” The county has been seeking a new leader for the health department since the departure of Karen Hacker, who left in July to take a position with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to her bio on the UPMC Health Policy Institute, Bogen is a professor of pediatrics, psychiatry and clinical and translational science and director of the Fellowship in General Academic Pediatrics and HRSA NRSA T32 in Primary Care Research. She is also the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine vice chair for education in the Department of Pediatrics and co-medical director of quality, safety and outcomes, Children’s Community Pediatrics. She earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry from Barnard College of Columbia University, her medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and did both her pediatric residency and fellowship in general Academic Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins. “We have many challenges ahead of us, but her focus on health equity and addressing those health issues where rates are racially disparate will allow us to continue moving towards a county that works for all. Just as importantly, she is energized and excited to jump into this position and serve our community,” Fitzgerald said in a press release issued by the county around lunchtime Wednesday. “We are delighted to have her.” According to the release, the committee overseeing the search for the new director “sought a person that could work with and build consensus among various stakeholders, embrace innovation as a way to support public health, prioritize and focus on issues that underscore the department’s mission, and would serve as the public face of the department.” While the search was national, county officials said their pick is ended up being someone “right here in our own backyard.” The entire release can be viewed on the Allegheny County website. “We look forward to working with Dr. Bogen to champion air quality issues when she takes the helm of the health depart in May,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. Here’s a roundup of local news stories about the announcement: New Director of Allegheny County Health Depart. Being Announced, published by WTAE Allegheny County Set to Name New Health Department Director, published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Allegheny County Health Department Director To Be Announced, published by the Pittsburgh Business Times Allegheny County Health Department Names New Director, published by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review New County Health Director Comes in as Expert in Equity, Children and Mothers, published by Public Source Pediatrician to Become Head of Allegheny County Health Department, published by WESA New Allegheny County Health Department Director Announced, published by WPXI #AlleghenyCountyBoardofHealth #DrDebraBogen #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #airquality

The Feb. 21 enforcement order, which was posted to the Allegheny County Health Department website Friday, indicates that U.S. Steel failed its emissions tests conducted on Oct. 8-11 and on Oct. 14, 2019 for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at Clairton Coke Works C Battery. According to the order, U.S. Steel was pumping out 12.3 pounds of pm2.5 an hour on average during that period in October. Its installation permit limits the company from emitting more than 3.4 pounds per hour of the air pollutant. On one of those days—Oct. 14, 2019—the Liberty-Clairton area residents endured some of the worst air quality in the nation, with AQI spiking to 163 that day. You can read the entire enforcement order here. U.S. Steel was also fined for emissions issues at its Clairton Coke Works in January for which they were assessed a $743,000 fine. #airpollution #USSteel #AlleghenyCountyHealthDeparment #ACHD #ClairtonCokeWorks #airquality

In fact the air quality was poor enough that the 24-hour average Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) level at the Liberty monitor exceeded the state limit Sunday—finishing the day at 0.008 ppm according to initial data from the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD). The limit is 0.005 ppm. That means that the H2S standard has been exceeded 10 times so far in 2020. Unless conditions improve this afternoon, there will likely be another exceedance of the H2S standard today. For those keeping track: The 24-hour average concentration of H2S at the Liberty monitor was also exceeded on March 2. #H2S #airpollution #hydrogensulfide #LibertyMonitor #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #airquality

The following is a summary of some of the lesser-known enforcement actions ACHD has taken so far in 2020: Notice of Violation Letter Issued to BRP4 LLC, Level Line Building ACHD on Feb. 12 issued a Notice of Violation letter to Wexford-based limited liability company BRP4 LLC for asbestos abatement violations stemming from the April 15, 2019 demolition of a commercial building in Wilkins Township. According to the notice, BRB4 LLC failed to submit to ACHD an asbestos abatement survey conducted by a licensed inspector prior to the demolition as required. The notice also alleged that the company failed to submit to ACHD and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a required demolition notification form and report within 10 days of the work commencing. BRP4 LLC has until March 12 to appeal the order. You can read the entire Notice of Violation letter here. Notices of Violation Issued to Liberty Pultrusions ACHD issued a notice of violation to West Mifflin-based Liberty Pultrusions on Feb. 3 and an amendment thereto Feb. 14 related to emissions testing the company conducted Oct. 15 and 16, 2019. Article XXI regulations require that when facilities analyze their emissions for permitting and compliance — so-called “stack tests” — that these tests be conducted under maximum routine operating conditions. According to the company’s initial test report submitted to ACHD, the tests failed to meet this requirement. Liberty Pultrusions responded to the Feb. 3 notice by acknowledging a test covering one of its production lines failed to meet the Article XXI standard but that a correctable calculation error was to blame for the second test appearing to be noncompliant. The Feb 14 amendment states that “(w)ithin 90 days of the date of the Feb. 3, 2020 Enforcement Order, Liberty Pultrusions shall conduct a formal stack test of Pultrusion Line 1 … under maximum routine operating conditions.” For those who might not be familiar: Pultrusion is a process to manufacture fiber-reinforced composite products. You can read the Feb. 3 Notice of Violation here and the Feb. 14 Amendment letter here. Servsteel, Inc. Fined $7.1K for Emissions & Other Violations, $650 of That Penalized Company for Being “Reluctant” to Fix Problems The Allegheny County Health Department on March 4 issued an enforcement order against Servsteel, Inc. for emissions and other violations at its Morgan facility in South Fayette Township, assessing a $7,150 civil penalty. The order and associated fine stem from a 2017 equipment breakdown that prompted odor complaints from the community. ACHD on Jan. 8 determined that new air pollution mitigation equipment the company brought online – a thermal oxidizer – was “successfully controlling emissions.” The fine included: A $1,300 penalty for violating the terms of its installation permit A $3,500 penalty for odor emissions A $1,300 penalty for fugitive emissions A $400 penalty for failure to submit a report regarding the breakdown of emissions-control equipment ACHD also fined the ServSteel a $650 penalty because of the ServSteel’s lack of cooperation, which is permitted by Article XXI. The order noted that the company was “reluctant” to remedy the issue, and said Servsteel was “slow, took some corrective action but not all reasonable action.” “Servsteel initially denied that they were the source of the odors and smoke observed by members of the public and ACHD observers,” according to the order. The company has until April 3 to appeal the order. You can read the entire order on ACHD’s website. ACHD Issues Enforcement Order Against Urban Metro LLC Over Asbestos Violation The Allegheny County Health Department on Feb. 23 issued an enforcement order against Lawrenceville-based Urban Metro, LLC. ACHD said the company failed to have an asbestos survey completed by a licensed contractor as required when it renovated a building located at 4805 Penn Ave. on Jan. 20. The company has until March 14 to appeal the order. You can read the entire order on the ACHD website. #Servesteel #airpollution #Inc #BRB4LLC #Asbestos #asbestosabatement #emissions #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #LibertyPultrusions #ACHD

Editor’s Note: Members from several activist groups including the Pittsburgh Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Thomas Merton Center, Veterans for Peace and Bend the Arc have called on local nonprofits to reject funding from the Colcom Foundation because of its funding of the immigration restriction movement in the United States. GASP has also been contacted by these organizations, as well as local media, so we wanted to go on the record about our involvement with Colcom. “Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) has received grant funding through the Colcom Foundation. Their funding has enabled GASP, as well as a host of worthy, local nonprofits, to do much good work and we are appreciative of their support. In late 2018, however, we became aware that Colcom was also funding groups whose missions focus on immigration issues, and that are associated with controversial Trump Administration immigration policies. Although GASP does not work on immigration issues per se, we take the concerns expressed seriously. In fact, our board took a close look at the issue, examining it from various points of view. While every nonprofit that receives Colcom funding must do what’s right for them, we decided in 2019 the right course of action for us was ending the relationship. Should Colcom continue to fund groups such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform, GASP will not seek funding from them.” The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and CityPaper both covered the issue. #ColcomFoundation