Time is running out to speak up in support of an Allegheny County Health Department proposal to fully fund our Air Quality Program by raising fees imposed upon industrial polluters.
Little background/context for ya: GASP was the first to sound the alarm over the Air Quality Program's newest funding woes, and teamed up with Breathe Project, Clean Air Council, Environmental Integrity Project, Penn Environment to get residents to join us telling the Allegheny County Board of Health last week to approve the plan for public input - a collective advocacy success.
Now the proposal is in the public comment phase - one that will culminate with a hearing at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 19 in West Mifflin. This is where (we hope) you come in because we need as many voices as possible speaking out in support of the plan.
Why do we care - and why should you? It’s pretty simple, really: Allegheny County needs a fully funded Air Quality Program. Air quality issues remain one of our area’s leading public health issues, and we need to equip our regulators with the resources they need to fulfill their duties under the Clean Air Act. Period.
Another reason to speak up? Representatives from industrial polluters like U.S. Steel have already stated their opposition to the plan, and we anticipate a heavy presence of folks speaking out against it. So the time to stand up for our right to clean air is now, friends.
GASP will be presenting public comments at the hearing, and we encourage people who can make it to join us. Folks can sign up to speak on the matter here.
If submitting a public comment is more your style, ACHD has a public participation form you can use to weigh in here.
Need a little help getting started? We got you covered! Remember, the most impactful public comments from residents include both their personal experiences with air pollution and information on why the proposed plan (which you can read more about on our blog), should be greenlighted.
So here are some points to consider including:
Not only will a fully funded program help ensure enforcement and compliance efforts, but it will also fulfill Allegheny County’s legal obligations under Title V of the Clean Air Act.
Air pollution remains one of our most pressing public health issues and ACHD’s Air Quality Program needs the resources it needs to ensure that industrial polluters are playing by the rules.
The Air Quality Program has been chronically underfunded and understaffed and for years, ACHD used a portion of the Clean Air Fund to help shore up its operating budget - a practice that needs to stop.
Right now, ACHD’s Air Quality Program is facing a permit backlog, which means that many polluting facilities are operating on expired permits or, in some cases, without any operating permit. Having a fully staffed program is essential to eliminating that backlog.
Remember: The deadline to submit your written comment is 11:59 p.m. Aug. 19. Questions? Reach out to us at amanda@gasp-pgh.org.