As we continue to advocate for a cleaner, safer Mon Valley, the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) is keeping a close eye on the fallout from the deadly August 2025 explosion at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works . In case you missed it, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) published an interim report following that issued interim safety recommendations to the company. You can read the entire document here  (and we totally recommend that you do). For those who’d prefer the Clif’s Notes, here’s a breakdown of what the investigators found and why it matters for our community. The CSB’s findings are…sobering. The explosion happened when coke oven gas leaked and ignited in a transfer area. The board found that the buildings where workers were stationed—including control rooms and break rooms—were simply not designed to protect people from such a blast.   The CSB has issued two main interim fixes: What’s most frustrating for those of us following U.S. Steel’s safety record is that these aren't necessarily new ideas. The CSB pointed out that industry-standard safety practices for what’s known as facility siting—essentially making sure workers aren't sitting ducks in a blast zone—have existed for YEARS. In fact, the document notes that some of these specific safety recommendations were, in fact, suggested in the past. Despite those warnings, U.S. Steel management didn't enact those recommended changes. Here are the receipts: Now, in the wake of a tragedy, the company has already started rebuilding gas piping in almost the exact same location and layout as before. They are also moving control rooms only about 100 feet away—a move the CSB says might not actually be safe without a real evaluation. At GASP, we know that worker safety and environmental safety go hand-in-hand. These incidents often lead to massive releases of pollutants and emergency flaring that bypasses pollution controls. We’re glad to see the CSB stepping in, but it shouldn't take a fatal explosion to get a company to follow basic safety protocols that have been on the books for years. Editor’s Note: GASP continues to follow this issue closely. We’ll keep you updated as the final report is released.

Yinz smell that?! That tell-tale stench of rotten eggs? You’re not smelling things: Concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (or H2S for short) are sky-high in and around the Mon Valley today. And you’re not alone in your suffering - social media and Carnegie Mellon University’s Smell Pittsburgh app lit up with complaints starting overnight Monday and continuing into the afternoon Tuesday: For the uninitiated: H2S is a toxic gas that occurs both naturally (from sources such as swamps, manure pits, and oil, gas, and water wells) and as a result of industrial activity (including, most notably for our region, coke making). According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry , H2S is a colorless gas recognizable by its rotten-egg odor. Exposure to the levels of hydrogen sulfide we see in the Mon Valley can cause: irritation to the eyes, nose, or throat headaches poor memory tiredness breathing problems for some people with asthma balance problems Just how elevated were levels of the foul-smelling pollutant? The short answer: They were high enough to exceed the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s 24-hour average standard, marking the first exceedances of the new year. But those exceedances don’t tell the whole story on today’s H2S event. There were also  crazy-high H2S spikes at Allegheny County Health Department’s air quality monitors in both Liberty and North Braddock. For reference: Pennsylvania’s 24-hour average standard for H2S is 5 parts per billion. As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, the 24-hour average for H2S at the Liberty monitor was more than twice that. Here’s a look at those spikes: You might be asking yourself at this point, “But where does the stuff come from?” Fortunately, several studies have placed the blame squarely on U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works facility. You can read more about all that here . So, what can you do about it? Two words: Report it. Make a complaint to the Allegheny County Health Department, which is tasked with enforcing DEP’s H2S standard. We also implore you to report poor air quality on the Smell Pittsburgh app. GASP is following this issue closely and has - and will continue - to demand ACHD do more to stem stench in the Mon Valley through more robust enforcement. “This issue has been ongoing for decades. Knowing the source is awesome, but it’s not enough. More must be done to reel in these episodes of hours-long stench that residents say impact everything from their sleep to their breathing to their quality of life,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “There were just as many H2S exceedances in 2025 as there were in 2024. So, we’re NOT making progress on this issue, just holding the line at best.”

A view of the new and improved EJ Mapping tool. Here’s some good news YEARS in the making, friends: The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) released the final Environmental Justice (EJ) Policy - one that is expected to improve environmental safeguards in the Keystone State by enhancing opportunities for public participation and emphasizing proactive community engagement across. The document, which was last updated 20 years ago (!!!) will be used to guide DEP protections for communities most vulnerable to environmental challenges. The news was announced Monday in a press release issued by Gov. Josh Shapiro.  Here’s an excerpt: The updated EJ policy directs how DEP's inspection, compliance, and enforcement efforts can better include criteria and concerns of Pennsylvania communities most at risk from pollution and other environmental impacts. Furthermore, the policy outlines the ways in which DEP plans to increase outreach across Pennsylvania and build long-lasting relationships with communities impacted by environmental challenges. In 2023, DEP announced an interim final policy and collected feedback from communities throughout Pennsylvania. During the extensive comment period, DEP received over 700 comments - GASP’s included. You can get all that background info right here. “It's exciting to see DEP taking this much-needed step. Communities in Pennsylvania's EJ areas carry so much of the burden of environmental hazards, and I am optimistic that these improvements are a step towards changing that,” GASP Environmental Health Manager Rachel Macias said. “Meaningful progress comes from centering community voices in every stage of decision-making to truly achieve equitable outcomes that improve all aspects of health and wellbeing.” Basically, the updated policy will: continue to place a large emphasis on public participation and proactive conversations among DEP’s EJ staff that have been engaging with communities in designated environmental justice areas, based on 32 environmental, health, and socioeconomic indicators.  help those seeking a permit to better understand community concerns.  allow DEP to be more efficient when receiving public comment, improving permitting processes But wait, there’s more: DEP has also updated PennEnviroScreen , a state-of-the-art mapping tool used to identify EJ areas across Pennsylvania, using the most updated data available and the 2020 Census geographical boundaries. The updated version is more user-friendly and includes clearer visual outlines and short data descriptions. We encourage folks to check it out!

As the calendar year draws to a close, Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) wants to take a moment to send a huge, heartfelt thank you  to our incredible community of supporters. Because of your passion, dedication, and generous support, we’ve achieved some real breakthroughs this year in the fight for cleaner air and a healthier environment for all. We’ve rallied, we’ve educated, and we’ve stood up to protect our community.  We are so close to the end of the year, and as we look ahead to 2026, we’re setting ambitious goals to tackle new challenges and safeguard the progress we’ve made. To ensure we can hit the ground running on Jan. 1, we need your help. Dec. 31 is the final day  to make a tax-deductible donation  for the 2025 tax year. A gift of any size made before midnight will go directly toward funding our educational, outreach, and ongoing advocacy work in the new year. Want to give an extra boost to your commitment to clean air? Check if your employer offers a matching gift program! Many companies are happy to match their employees' charitable contributions, sometimes doubling or even tripling the impact of your donation—at no extra cost to you!  It's an easy step that can make your tax-deductible gift go significantly further for GASP. Just ask your HR or community relations department for the simple form, and you can truly maximize your support. Whether you’re a long-time member, a new donor, or someone sharing our social media posts, thank you for being a vital part of the GASP family. We wish you a safe and healthy holiday season!

GASP’s origin story prominently features strong women - mothers and matriarchs who organized in their living rooms, inviting their friends and neighbors into their homes to advocate for policies and protections to clean up our air. In its infancy (note: our inception was all the way back in 1969), GASP was truly a grassroots endeavor: We had no foundation support or grant funding to help fill our coffers.  So how did we raise money? Glad you asked: They sold cookbooks.  And to celebrate the holiday season, one of our staffers decided to take it upon herself to recreate one of the most iconic of them: The Fun Bun Dirty Gertie. Was it delicious? Of course it was! In fact, it was so tasty that we wanted to share the recipe with yinz: Then we thought, “Wonder how many bakers we have in our ranks - people who might want a vintage GASP Fun Buns cookbook of their very own?”  Because we found a cache of them during an office cleanout, and while supplies last, we wanna send them to folks who make a charitable donation of any size. Email us at kathy@gasp-pgh.org  to secure your piece of GASP history!

Bad news to report today, friends. Here’s what’s going on: As you may recall, back in July, we blogged about the EPA’s   proposal to postpone compliance deadlines  in the revised National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for integrated iron and steel manufacturing facilities (the II&S NESHAPs), including U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works in Braddock.  GASP also   spoke out against  the proposed postponement in September. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, EPA has decided to go ahead with its proposed postponement of the compliance deadlines in the II&S NESHAPs.  On Dec. 3,EPA published a   rule  in the Federal Register that finalized the postponement that it proposed earlier in the year.   As was the case for the postponement of deadlines for standards for coke ovens’ emissions of hazardous air pollutants, EPA relied on “infeasibility” and “national security” concerns to justify the delay.  “This is yet another decision by EPA to put corporate convenience ahead of public health,” said GASP’s Senior Attorney John Baillie. “It is a disappointment.”

Friends, we’re not gonna lie: We are absolutely abuzz over here in the GASP office! Why? Because you all showed up for us BIG on Giving Tuesday and we wanted to send out the loudest, most heartfelt THANK YOU to every single person who threw down a donation for clean air. While we're still tallying the final numbers, we can tell you something pretty amazing: We completely blew past our $1,500 goal!   Seriously, yinz are incredible! This outpouring of support reminds us of how we got started in the first place: GASP began as a small, scrappy, grassroots group of everyday folks. They weren't politicians or big shots - just neighbors, parents, and friends deeply concerned about the air quality where they lived, worked, and raised their kids.  Fast forward 56 years, and that fundamental support system hasn't changed much at all. Our mission—to improve air quality for everyone in the Pittsburgh region—is still being sustained by the very people who got this whole advocacy party started: Everyday heroes who care. Please know that your donation, whether $5 or $500, is vital to the work we do, funding everything from air quality monitoring and educational outreach to our legal and policy advocacy. PS: Stay tuned for the final total—we can't wait to share it! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Want to keep the momentum going? You can always make a donation  here!

Trump’s EPA on Dec. 1 announced that it is taking final action on the agency's July 2025 Interim Final Rule to extend several compliance deadlines in the Biden-Harris Administration's Clean Air Act rules for the oil and gas industry – commonly known as OOOOb/c.  As we blogged back in August , the standards in Part OOOOb are New Source Performance Standards made under the authority of Section 111(b) of the Clean Air Act. The standards outlined in Part OOOOc apply to existing sources, which would have previously been managed through state regulations mandated by the seldom-used Section 111(d) of the Act. It’s worth noting that EPA’s press release touted the action “will impact hundreds of thousands of oil and gas sources across the country and save an estimated $750 million over 11 years in compliance costs.” “It’s also worth noting that the term ‘public health’ is not mentioned once in the release,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “Sadly, placing industry fiscal considerations over environmental and public health has seemingly become routine in EPA’s decision making.” Here’s an excerpt from the release: In July 2025, EPA issued an IFR extending compliance deadlines in the 2024 New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and Emissions Guidelines for OOOOb/c. This IFR included extending the deadline to meet certain requirements related to control devices, equipment leaks, storage vessels, process controllers, and covers/closed vent systems for 18 months following the publication of the IFR in the Federal Register. This remains unchanged in today's final rule. Also remaining unchanged are the 18-month extensions given to states to create plans for reducing methane emissions from existing oil and natural gas sources and for the implementation of the 2024 rule's "super emitter" program, which requires third parties using EPA-approved remote-sensing technology to provide EPA with data on potential large leaks. Following a public comment period and a public hearing on the July 2025 IFR, EPA is extending the November 28, 2025, deadline for net heating value continuous monitoring requirements and alternative performance test (sampling demonstration) option for flares and enclosed combustion devices by 180 days. This addresses the supply chain, personnel, and laboratory limitations identified by commenters, which made compliance with the requirements in the 2024 final rule infeasible. The IFR previously had extended this to 120 days. To ensure clarity, EPA is providing 360 days from the effective date of this final action for owners and operators to submit all annual NSPS OOOOb reports that were originally due prior to this deadline. Subsequent reports are due no later than 90 days after the end of each annual compliance period. These changes do not alter any provisions specifying the annual compliance period. Today's final action also includes all responses to public comments received on the IFR, as well as testimonies from the public hearing. To read the final rule and related materials, visit EPA's website for the oil and natural gas rules .

Giving Tuesday is a global movement that celebrates radical generosity. If you've been meaning to support the fight for a healthier Pittsburgh, now is the perfect moment.  Because we’ve got a truth bomb for you: Pittsburgh is one of the most beautiful and resilient cities in the country, but (and it’s a big but) the air quality challenges—especially in places like the Mon Valley—are still a serious daily reality.  When you wake up to that rotten-egg smell (Hydrogen Sulfide or H2S for short) or to headlines about yet another pollution event at a local industrial facility, we want you to know GASP is already on the case. Your support - on Giving Tuesday and EVERY day - allows us do the hard, necessary work that big polluters abhor:  • Watchdog Work:  The devil, they say, is in the details. That’s why watchdog work is at the center of GASP’s mission. We review and provide formal comments to strengthen permits and regulations. We make public records requests, investigate and raise the red flag on issues like the air quality permit backlogs at ACHD and DEP. You can count on us to pay attention to the issues that matter most - in detail - and speak out on them. When necessary, we even initiate legal action.  •  Youth Advocacy:  Through programs like Fresh Voices for Clean Air, we're training high school students to become the next generation of clean air advocates, ensuring the fight continues.  • Community Air Monitoring:  We've set up a community air monitoring network in neighborhoods impacted by toxic diesel and industrial emissions that too often fly under the regulatory radar.  This work costs staff time, fees, and equipment, which is why a Giving Tuesday gift is so critically needed. Our big ask: Can you chip in $50 right now to help us put even more pressure on polluters? Truly, a gift of any size fuels our advocacy and community programs - especially at a time of historic regulatory rollbacks and attacks on science.  Thank you for standing with us today and every day.  Yours for clean air, The Gang at GASP

We find ourselves somewhat surprised to report that the federal government’s struggle against its own revised National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for coke ovens continues.  Quick background: The EPA promulgated the Revised Coke Oven NESHAPs in 2024.  Among other things, they required that coke oven operators monitor for benzene at their fencelines; imposed new limits on emissions of hazardous air pollutants from coke oven pushing, quenching, and battery stacks; and imposed new limits on leaking coke oven doors, lids, and offtake piping. Last spring, we   reported  that pursuant to Section 112(i)(4) of the Clean Air Act, EPA offered to delay compliance deadlines that were imposed on facilities by several revised NESHAPs that were promulgated during the waning months of the Biden Administration, including the Revised Coke Oven NESHAPs.   Section 112(i)(4) authorizes the President to delay compliance deadlines set by a NESHAPs when the technology needed to comply is not available and the delay is in the interest of national security.  Both U.S. Steel and Cleveland Cliffs (the operators of the Clairton Coke Works and Monessen Coke Works, respectively) asked for compliance extensions from the deadlines imposed by the Revised Coke Oven NESHAPs.   On July 8, 2025, EPA issued an   interim final rule  that would have extended those compliance deadlines for the full two years authorized by Section 112(i)(4), as U.S. Steel and Cleveland Cliffs requested.   The original compliance deadline was July 5, 2025; the new compliance deadline under the July 8, 2025, Interim Final Rule would have been July 5, 2027.  As you may recall, we spoke out  against the July 8, 2025 Interim Final Rule this past summer. Accordingly, in October we were pleased to   report  that it appeared that EPA would scrap the July 8, 2025 Interim Final Rule and go ahead with the original deadlines in the Revised Coke Oven NESHAPs: on Oct. 3, 2025, EPA withdrew the July 8, 2025 Interim Final Rule, stating that withdrawal “effectively reinstitutes the compliance deadlines set forth in the 2024 final rule,” to wit:  July 5, 2027. Cut to Nov. 21, 2025, when the president issued a   proclamation  that purports to give coke oven operators the full additional two years authorized by Section 112(i)(4) to comply with the deadlines in the Revised Coke Oven NESHAPs.   Should this Proclamation withstand the inevitable legal challenge, the compliance deadline for the Revised Coke Oven NESHAPs will (once again) be July 5, 2027.  “The government’s flip-flops on this beggar belief,” GASP Senior Attorney John Baillie said. “This latest switch sure looks arbitrary and capricious. It further underscores how public health concerns and even common sense seem to have been shoved into the back seat by rule makers in the administration.”