CreateLab’s SmellPGH app received a smattering of odor reports Saturday from local residents, one of whom said the outside air smelled like “someone mixed rotten eggs with manure and set it on fire.” If you were among those who asked yourself and others, “What. Is. That. STENCH?” or made complaints about an industrial, sulfur-like odor this past weekend, you might be interested to know that Saturday marked the 36th day in 2021 that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels exceeded the state air quality standard at the Allegheny County Health Department’s air quality monitor in Liberty Borough. The 24-hour average was 0.008 ppm, exceeding Pennsylvania’s limit of 0.005 ppm. For those keeping track: There have also been 12 such H2S exceedances at ACHD’s air quality monitor in North Braddock. If you haven’t had the pleasure of smelling it: Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas that’s recognizable by its rotten-egg odor. It’s a stench our friends in the Mon Valley (and those downwind of it) endure all too often. While U.S. Steel has suggested area sewage treatment plants are the culprit for the Mon Valley’s H2S issues, it’s worth noting that its Clairton Coke Works was the largest emitter of hydrogen sulfide in the state on an annual basis every year 2010-2019. Of course, past results are not a guarantee of future performance, but we are not aware of any reason to doubt this trend has continued up through the present. “These exceedances happen too often and impact residents’ quality of life too much,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “The Allegheny County Health Department cannot continue to stay silent. We are calling on ACHD to better communicate these exceedances – what is causing them and what is being done to fix them – to the public.” Here’s a snapshot of Allegheny County’s H2S exceedances so far this year: #H2S #NorthBraddockmonitor #airpollution #MonValleyAirPollution #hydrogensulfide #USSteel #LibertyMonitor #SmellPGH #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #airquality

GASP earlier this month reported on the most high-profile item to appear on the enforcement docket this quarter – an enforcement order against U.S. Steel regarding the release of more than 4 tons of anhydrous ammonia from its Clairton Coke Works facility June 1. But U.S. Steel wasn’t the only company accused of violating local air quality rules. ACHD also initiated enforcement action against: Bristol Metals ACHD on July 30 issued a $25,310 civil penalty against Munhall-based Bristol Metals for failing to submit required breakdown and other reports. Of that fine, $2,310 was assessed because Bristol Metals did not fully cooperate with ACHD. According to the notice of violations, it took the company eight months to bring the piece of broken-down equipment – a flow meter – back online. The NOV indicated that the company had 30 days to pay the fine as well as appeal the order. No further information is available. You can read the entire NOV here. Harsco ACHD on Aug. 5 issued a demand for stipulated penalties to Natrona-based slag processor Harsco, Inc. in the amount of $3,000 for two air quality-related violations of a Jan. 7, 2020 settlement agreement between the department and the company. Dust from Harsco’s slag-handling activities regularly drifts out into the surrounding residential neighborhood, landing on neighbors’ cars and other property – which is what happened on June 18 and June 25, according to the demand. Inspectors discovered dust deposits on cars on those two dates following residential complaints. A $1,500 fine was assessed for each violation. You can read the entire demand for stipulated penalties here. You can read more about Harsco’s settlement agreement with ACHD here. INEOS Composites U.S. ACHD on July 21 issued a notice of violation to Neville Island-based plastics manufacturer INEOS for violations of its operating permit as well as local air pollution control rules. According to the NOV, INEOS failed to report in a timely manner an equipment breakdown. All such breakdowns must be reported to the department within 60 minutes. The company waited 83 minutes to file such a report, ACHD said in the notice. ACHD said the company also failed to report an exceedance of the limit for hydrogen chloride (HCI) on Sept. 1, 2020. The NOV noted that INEOS failed to report this exceedance to the county and the federal Environmental Protection Agency until almost four months later. Operators are required to make such reports within 30 days of the occurrence. ACHD requested the company contact the department to discuss the alleged violations. No further information was immediately available on the ACHD website regarding the NOV, which can be read in its entirety here. Ahan Hospitality, Inc. ACHD on June 28 issued a warning letter to Naren Patel of Ahan Hospitality to inform them that they might be in violation of the state’s Diesel-Powered Motor Vehicle Act. The letter indicated that the department had received several complaints of vehicles idling for longer than 5 minutes an hour, in violation of the act. “ACHD representatives will continue to respond to complaints of excessive idling at the subject location to document compliance with PA ACT 124. Additionally, state and local law enforcement may issue or file a citation for violations of PA ACT 124,” ACHD wrote. “This letter constitutes a formal warning that you and your company may have violated the DieselPowered Motor Vehicle Idling Act by allowing excessive idling of diesel-powered vehicles on your property.” You can read the entire warning letter here. ServeSteel ACHD this past summer issued two notices of violation against Morgan-based ServSteel – one on June 28 regarding the company’s failure to submit required semi-annual reports and the other on July 9 for violations of its installation permit and Allegheny County air pollution rules. According to the July 9 NOV, ServSteel exceeded the limits outlined in its installation permit for: Particulate matter Fine particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) Nitrogen oxides Sulfur oxides The company was ordered to set up a meeting with ACHD to discuss the issues. No further information on the status of the NOV was immediately available. You can read the entire NOV here. Recent Asbestos-Related Air Quality Violation in Allegheny County For those who might not be aware: Allegheny County Health Department’s air quality rules require a thorough inspection to determine the presence of asbestos (called a survey) for all renovation and demolition projects and depending on the quantity of asbestos identified, proper notification, specific work practices, and proper disposal of asbestos-containing material are required. The notification requirements for facility demolition and renovation activities are dependent upon the amount of asbestos-containing material (ACM) at the site. A licensed asbestos contractor must remove all ACM identified as described in the permit. Demolition or renovation activities may proceed once ACHD has performed a final clearance inspection. The following businesses were subject to enforcement action for asbestos-related air quality violations: DoubleTree Hotel in Mars Heartland Construction/UHaul in North Versailles Rick Cricsella of Brodhead Road Development for a project off Boggs Avenue in Moon Heddy M. Richard of CSI Construction for a project in Lawrenceville Mona DeHonney and Gray Waste Management Corp. for a project in West Mifflin Daniel Spanovich of Oakdale Development LLC for a project on Penn Avenue Trisda Group for a project on Mt. Washington #noticeofviolation #slag #enforcementorder #airpollution #USSteel #BristolMetals #Harsco #INEOSCompositesUS #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #airquality

In a move that should not surprise anybody who’s been paying any attention to U.S. Steel’s history of dragging regulators through the courts, the company earlier this month asked an Allegheny County Health Department hearing officer to put the kibosh on long-sought updates to local coke oven regulations expected to help better protect public health. In a brief filed Sept. 9 and posted to ACHD’s appeals docket Sept. 13, attorneys for U.S. Steel asked ACHD’s hearing officer to determine that the proposed rulemaking regarding coke oven battery emissions does not comply with a high-profile, controversial settlement agreement and order the company and department entered into in 2019 following fallout from the 2018 Clairton Coke Works fire that knocked out air pollution control devices and helped tank local air quality for weeks. In the brief, attorneys for U.S. Steel also asked the hearing officer to order ACHD to stop pursuing the proposed rulemaking further. About That Settlement Agreement The agreement between U.S. Steel and ACHD addresses the department’s 2018 enforcement order and all subsequent penalties issued against the Clairton Coke Works from 2018-19. It requires the company meet the improvement criteria of the 2018 enforcement order, which includes $200 million in plant improvements. Under the terms of the agreement, U.S. Steel agreed to be subject to quarterly stipulated penalties if those improvement criteria are not met. But the agreement calls for more than just improvements: It also requires U.S. Steel to: File annual reports detailing the company’s CITE (Continuous Improvement to the Environment) efforts and achievements. Undertake five annual environmental audits. Establish a Community Benefit Trust where the majority of future fine money will be deposited. Those communities – Clairton, Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln and Port Vue – are able to utilize those funds for projects that improve, protect, or reduce the risk to public health or the environment. You can read more about the settlement agreement here. You can read more about the Community Benefit Trust and how it was spent on our blog. At the end of the day, in exchange for those concessions, U.S. Steel avoided compounded daily fines for air quality violations stemming from the fire and beyond – penalties that could have been astronomical. At the time, both parties said the agreement would prevent arduous, drawn-out court battles over those potential fines. But now, U.S. Steel apparently sees things differently. What You Need to Know About U.S. Steel’s Argument This Time In its brief, U.S. Steel attorneys argue that in exchange for the concessions taken by the company: “ACHD agreed that it would not impose more stringent limits for coke ovens unless it first determines that the limits were technically feasible and based on specific criteria in the (settlement agreement) and the rulemaking is shown to correlate with a measurable reduction in benzene and hydrogen sulfide at the nearby Liberty Monitor.” For its part, ACHD has maintained that it can indeed impose more stringent limits – that, in fact, it is required by law to do just that. What Happens Now? An Aug. 23 case management order shows that ACHD has until Oct. 8 to file a response. U.S. Steel may then file a reply brief by Oct. 22. Hearing Officer Max Slater’s order indicated that further dates related to the matter would be addressed in a future scheduling order. GASP has been following this matter closely and will continue to monitor the situation and report back to you what we find out. “We think it’s worth noting that U.S. Steel mentioned hydrogen sulfide reductions at a time when it is the subject of active enforcement orders related to the pollutant,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. “It’s further worth mentioning that so far this year, there have already been 35 H2S exceedances at the Liberty monitor and 12 at the North Braddock monitor – so let’s not pretend that it isn’t a high priority issue that needs to be rectified as soon as possible.” #cokeovenregulations #airpollution #USSteel #LibertyMonitor #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #cokeovenemissions #ACHD #ClairtonCokeWorks #airquality

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) has slapped U.S. Steel with more civil penalties – this time over the inadvertent release June 1 of about 8,449 pounds of the toxic chemical anhydrous ammonia from its Clairton Coke Works facility. According to an Aug. 27 enforcement order posted recently to the ACHD website, the ammonia release occurred from about 11:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. when a scaffolding contractor “inadvertently opened a bleeder valve.” County air pollution regulations require companies like U.S. Steel to report immediately (“but in no event later than 60 minutes after” the event) all equipment failures “with a substantial likelihood of causing . . . the emission into the open air of potentially toxic or hazardous materials.” Written notice of the event is also required within seven days of the event. The Aug. 27 order addressed neither compliance issues with these requirements nor the delay between the incident and issuance of the order. The result of the incident was a penalty of $5,500 to be paid within 30 days of the order. The company has a 30-day window to appeal, as well. Of the fine, $2,500 was assessed as a “gravity component” and another $2,500 resulted from a “compliance history” adjustment. “The gravity-based component reflects the severity of the violation and the potential harm to the public or environment,” the order noted. For those who might not be familiar with ammonia: The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies anhydrous ammonia as a toxic chemical. The Centers for Disease Control list the toxin as a lung-damaging agent. “Accidental ammonia releases cause injuries and death to employees, emergency response personnel, and people in surrounding communities,” the EPA wrote in a safety manual about the air toxic. “Anhydrous ammonia is very corrosive, and exposure to it may result in chemical-type burns to skin, eyes, and lungs.” This isn’t the first time ACHD has issued an enforcement order for the release of ammonia: On Feb. 19 the health department issued an enforcement order against U.S. Steel for the company’s failure to submit a report regarding a May 26, 2020 equipment breakdown that led to a release of about 100 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. “We wish we could say we’re surprised, but this is what the community has come to expect from U.S. Steel,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. “The company has a long track record of not only egregious air pollution episodes but also for its lack of transparency when these potentially dangerous releases occur.” She added: “It takes a lot of nerve for a company that increasingly – and at times aggressively – touts its commitment to both the environment and its neighbors to continue to rack up air pollution violations.” Editor’s Note: ACHD also issued an enforcement order against U.S. Steel for data availability violations at its Edgar Thomson plant in Braddock, assessing a civil penalty of $3,200. You can read more about that here. #enforcementorder #airpollution #MonValleyAirPollution #ammoniarelease #USSteel #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #ClairtonCokeWorks #anhydrousammonia

Time is running out to submit public comments on Allegheny County Health Department’s 2022 air monitoring network plan, an annual report that provides a detailed description of how and where air pollution is monitored in the county. A little background: To ensure that all areas of the country meet federally established ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires submission of Air Monitoring Network Plans from each state and local agency that monitors air quality. These reports provide: the specific location of each monitoring station siting criteria monitoring methods and objectives frequency of sampling pollutants measured at each station and aerial photographs showing their physical location ACHD’s network includes 10 locations within the county: Avalon, Clairton, Flag Plaza (located downtown), Glassport, Harrison, Lawrenceville, Liberty, North Braddock, Parkway East (located in Wilkinsburg) and South Fayette. One or more of the following pollutants is measured at each site: Sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, PM10, PM2.5, and other air toxics. New for 2022? Continuous PM2.5 monitors to be located in Clairton and North Braddock (home to U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works and Edgar Thomson plant, respectively) as well as Harrison Township (near ATI and Harsco). “The monitoring network is the source of all official data used to determine if Allegheny County is or is not complying with the NAAQS,” GASP Staff Attorney Ned Mulcahy explained. “But beyond that, the plan lays out other ‘special purpose’ monitoring projects meant to address specific concerns or threats to public health.” One such special project proposed in the 2022 plan is an additional hydrogen sulfide monitoring station to be located in Clairton. For those who may not know: U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works is the largest emitter of H2S in not only Allegheny County but the entire state of Pennsylvania. “We are glad to see additional H2S monitoring in the Mon Valley, which has seen more than its fair share of exceedances over the last few years,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. “H2S impacts people’s health and quality of life, and it’s well past time for the health department to get a handle on what’s causing the exceedances and how to stop them. Robust monitoring can only help with that endeavor.” GASP will be submitting formal public comments indicating that, while we are supportive of the additional monitoring and other plan details, we do have transparency concerns. “Federal regulations state that one objective of every monitoring network is to ‘[p]rovide air pollution data to the general public in a timely manner,’” Mulcahy explained. “After issues with ACHD’s air quality dashboard earlier this year and no clear explanation in the 2022 Plan regarding how some of the new monitoring data will be published, we’d like to see ACHD provide details on how and when that data will be conveyed to the public.” Want to weigh in? Here’s what you need to know: All correspondence must include first and last name and a complete mailing address. Comments may be submitted via e-mail to david.good@alleghenycounty.us or by mail to: Allegheny County Health Department Attention: David D. Good Air Quality Program 301 39th Street Pittsburgh, PA 15201 Comments will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 9 Editor’s Note: Check back, this blog will be updated with a link to our public comments once they are submitted. #H2S #airpollution #hydrogensulfide #USSteel #LibertyMonitor #ATI #Harsco #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #AlleghenyCountyairmonitoring #ACHD #ClairtonCokeWorks #Clairton #airquality

Air quality stayed mostly in the unhealthy range Monday, with concentrations of fine particle pollution exceeding the federal health-based standard at all three of Allegheny County Health Department’s operating PM2.5 monitors. The 24-hour average PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard is 35 micrograms per cubic meter. Yesterday the 24-hour average at the Lawrenceville Monitor was 36.6 ug/m3, 44.5 ug/m3 at Liberty, and 59.1 ug/m3 at Parkway East. ACHD’s Avalon monitor, which also monitors PM2.5, was offline. That brings the unofficial PM2.5 exceedance tally for 2021 to three at Liberty. The first two exceedances occurred on March 10 (44.6 ug/m3) and April 7 (38.2 ug/m3), according to preliminary data. ACHD’s final, official data reported to EPA could differ. “This latest bout of bad air again reinforces the need for strong episodic weather regulations,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. “Businesses need to do their part and reduce emissions-causing activities on days when air quality is expected to be poor in part because of weather conditions. Residents need information on how to mitigate their exposure to harmful air pollutants. The proposed regulation would help accomplish both of these things.” The day culminated in the state Department of Environmental Protection designating today, Tuesday July 6 as a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for ozone in not only Allegheny County but also, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland. On an Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities. GASP joins DEP and the Allegheny County Health Department in encouraging residents and businesses to voluntarily help reduce air pollution by: Driving less by carpooling or using public transportation; Combining errands to reduce vehicle trips; Limiting engine idling; Refueling cars and trucks after dusk; and Conserving electricity by setting air conditioning to a higher temperature and turning off lights that are not in use #PM25 #H2S #PM25exceedance #hydrogensulfideexceedance #emissions #fineparticlepollution #episodicairpollutionregulations #ACHD #airquality

This story was updated at 10:32 a.m. Wednesday to include a statement issued by the Allegheny County Health Department. Another day, another air quality exceedance for the Mon Valley. For the second straight day, concentrations of hydrogen-sulfide (H2S) at Allegheny County Health Department’s air quality monitor in Liberty exceeded the state 24-hour average standard of 0.005 ppm on Tuesday. The average concentration there was 0.007 ppm. Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas most commonly recognized by its “rotten egg” smell. “While H2S at Liberty was pretty bad yesterday, the 24-hour average concentration at North Braddock was just 0.001 ppm – and that required rounding up,” GASP staff attorney Ned Mulcahy noted. “I really can’t explain it, but the same thing is happening today. H2S at Liberty averaged 0.023 ppm from 10 p.m. – 7 a.m. but over the same time period at North Braddock the average was just 0.004 ppm.” Based on numbers published shortly before this story, the 24-hour average h2s concentration at Liberty will exceed the state standard again today, making four such exceedances in five days. And that’s not all of today’s air quality concerns. Levels of fine particulate matter (pm2.5), were high enough at one point this morning to earn the Liberty-Clairton the distinction of worst air quality in the country per AirNow.gov. Levels are expected to drop through the day but by how much is unclear. GASP will continue to monitor the data and will update this report if there is an exceedance for either H2S or fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Following the publication of this story, ACHD issued the following statement via its Allegheny Alerts system: Starting last evening, air quality readings for PM2.5 at the Liberty Monitor increased and have remained elevated. This is unusual and unexpected because the air dispersion forecast was for fair air quality yesterday evening and fair for this morning.The Health Department contacted US Steel regarding these unhealthy air quality readings and was informed that they took their three oldest batteries off line sometime in the past 12 hours. However, ACHD is requesting additional information from the company to understand the situation.While we continue to work with US Steel, we are issuing an Air Pollution Watch for the Mon Valley. The forecast for the next 24-hours indicates that the PM2.5 levels will likely exceed the 24-hour standard for the Mon Valley.Young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities during this time.We have requested that US Steel delay bringing the batteries online until air quality improves and we have a better understanding of what caused the unhealthy situation. Editor’s Note: These exceedances come on the heels of a Notice of Violation issued by ACHD to U.S. Steel regarding concentrations of hydrogen-sulfide. You can read more about that here. #H2S #AQI #H2Sexceedance #hydrogensulfide #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #Clairton #airquality

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will hold a virtual public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 6 to take testimony from interested parties on DEP’s interim response under the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA) at the former Mazzaro-McKees Rocks Landfill site in Kennedy Township. This unpermitted municipal landfill ceased operations prior to modern regulations and sits atop historic coal mining features. In 2006, DEP previously conducted a prompt interim response to remove exposed waste and drums from a portion of the site. Recent work by DEP and its contractors has demonstrated that landfill gas (LFG), including methane, exists within the site and potentially beyond the boundaries of the site, at levels that exceed standards established in Pennsylvania regulations for combustible gas monitoring, off-site migration, and mitigation at permitted municipal waste landfill sites. DEP has begun a second prompt interim response at the site to help prevent the potential for offsite LFG migration. After considering multiple alternatives for remediation at the site, DEP determined that the most cost-effective approach that also meets the objective of the project is to install a passive trench venting system. DEP estimates the total project budget to be between $1.6 million and $2 million, with less than one year for its contractor to complete the work. The administrative record which contains the information that supports DEP’s selection of this response action is available for public review and comment. The administrative record is available for review on the DEP’s webpage for this response. Those wishing to register for the virtual public hearing must contact Lauren Fraley, community relations coordinator, by email at lfraley@pa.gov or by calling 412-442-4203, at least 24 hours before the hearing. Video demonstrations and screen sharing by witnesses will not be permitted. Testimony will be limited to three minutes. DEP asks that each organization designate one speaker per group and reminds those presenting that time may not be shared or relinquished to others. The WebEx information for the virtual public hearing is available through the public participation page on DEP’s website at https://www.dep.pa.gov/PublicParticipation/Pages/Virtual-Public-Hearings.aspx. DEP will equally consider all comments, whether delivered orally during the virtual hearing or submitted in writing. Written comments may be submitted to RA-EPSW-HSCA@pa.gov and must be received by 4:00 PM on Friday, May 21, 2021. Individuals wishing to attend who require an auxiliary aid, service, or other accommodations to participate should contact Lauren Fraley by email at lfraley@pa.gov or by calling 412-442-4203. #methane #DEP

Allegheny County experienced three more air quality exceedances this past weekend, with residents of the Mon Valley breathing in the worst of it. Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) data show that levels of fine particulate matter were elevated at its Liberty air quality monitor situated downwind of U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works, exceeding federal health limits Friday. The 24-hour average concentration of PM2.5 at the Liberty monitor was 43.4 ug/m3. The federal health-based standard is 35 ug/m3. But that’s not all: Concentrations of hydrogen sulfide at the Liberty monitor exceeded the Pennsylvania standard on both Friday and Saturday. Although ACHD was aware since Wednesday that a bout of stagnant weather conditions could exacerbate local air quality, there was no public disclosure or warning issued until after the PM2.5 exceedance was noted. In a Post-Gazette story, an ACHD spokesman was nonchalant about the lack of disclosure, saying it was the responsibility of DEP – not ACHD – to issue action day alerts. “Residents of Allegheny County just want to be able to breathe. If conditions are going to be ripe for exceptionally poor air quality, they need to hear about it from the health department, sooner rather than later, so that they can do what they can to mitigate health impacts,” said GASP Executive Director, Rachel Filippini. GASP, which regularly checks ACHD’s air dispersion reports, began warning the public last Wednesday that weather conditions were expected to tank local air quality Friday into Saturday. In its public alert Saturday, ACHD reiterated that it is taking steps to address poor air quality during inversions, which include a regulation aimed at emission mitigation requirements for industry operating in the county during these weather-related pollution episodes. It further noted that the department is working to build an infrastructure to model and forecast inversion events. GASP appreciates and supports these efforts. But we would be remiss in our watchdog duties if we didn’t again call on ACHD to prioritize outreach when these events are expected so the residents they serve can have the knowledge they need to make better decisions about their own health. ACHD issuing a public alert after a bad air episode is akin to a meteorologist warning people about a tornado the day after it rips through a town. It’s not helpful. Editor’s Note: We know that when it comes to complex data, visuals can be helpful. Check out these infographics to take a deeper dive: #airpollution #dispersion #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #episodicairpollutionregulations #ACHD #airquality

Good news: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded a $5.67 million grant to the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD), money that will offset the cost incurred by the Port Authority of Allegheny County in purchasing battery-electric buses. “We are quite fortunate in this community to have so many collaborations that benefit our region – and this announcement is no exception,” County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald said in a press release issued Friday. “The application by the Health Department for this funding from the Targeted Airshed Grant (TAG) Program, and the award by the EPA, will go a long way in helping Port Authority continue to transition to a more environmentally-friendly bus fleet, leading to better air quality and a cleaner environment for our citizens and our region.” The Port Authority is purchasing seven 60-foot articulated battery-electric buses and one electric charging station. The buses will be used in the operation of the Authority’s Downtown-Uptown-Oakland-Wilkinsburg Bus Rapid Transit corridor, which is expected to be in operation by the end of 2022. “The Health Department is excited to help Port Authority transition to cleaner transportation in Allegheny County,” said Dr. Debra Bogen, director of the Health Department. “This is a small but important step toward cleaner air for all.” The nearly $5.7 million grant represents the largest award to date by the EPA to Allegheny County under the Targeted Airshed Grant Program. In 2010, the EPA awarded the Health Department $2.9 million for pollution-reducing efforts in the industrial Mon Valley area through the Targeted Airshed Grant Program. “Receiving this grant will help us put electric vehicles in densely-populated areas with high public transit ridership,” said Port Authority CEO Katharine Kelleman. “We are grateful to the Allegheny County Health Department for submitting this application on our behalf as we continue to move toward a more environmentally-friendly fleet.” “We too are grateful to the ACHD for applying for this funding,” GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini said.  “Reducing diesel emissions, a known carcinogen, in our communities is critically important to do.” The EPA’s Targeted Airshed Grant (TAG) Program funds projects that benefit the environment by reducing carbon emissions in areas with historically poor air quality. The EPA selected the Health Department’s application through a competitive grant program. #airpollution #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #airquality #electricbuses