The Allegheny County Board of Health on Wednesday approved a transfer of $490,605 from the Clean Air Fund to go toward the Air Quality Program’s operating budget - one that ended 2024 with a nearly $550,000 shortfall.
Here’s the slide presented at the meeting:
Officials were clear: They didn’t want to ask for the 5 percent of the fund that county air quality rules say they are authorized to take each year. But they needed to.
Why?
Because the current permit fees imposed on industry are not sufficient to cover the costs of administering the program. (More on that here.)
And, more importantly, because Allegheny County Council has failed to vote on an updated fee schedule that would fully fund the Air Quality Program. (And more on that here.)
So, what now?
Now we go en masse to the next Allegheny County Council meeting and let them know that thanks in part to their inaction, Clean Air Fund dollars that could have gone to community environmental projects instead will be used to help pay for the program.
As a reminder, the vote on these updated permit fees (slated months ago) should have been a true no-brainer. The proposal was robustly supported by the Air Pollution Advisory Committee, the Allegheny County Board of Health and by scores of public commenters (GASP included). It was even affirmatively recommended by Allegheny County Council’s own Health and Human Services Committee, where it was inexplicably kicked back for further consideration.
Meanwhile, amazingly we, the general public - still have no real idea what the opposition is. When we ask, we get fed lines like, “Welp, we just don’t have enough information.” Or, “Welp, that one fee looks kinda high to me.”
And to that, friends, we call bullshit.
This issue has been in the spotlight for MONTHS. Council has heard from countless air quality groups, residents, public officials, and even the experts they count on to advise them on these technical matters. All have basically said, “Greenlight this bad boy already.”
At this point, we can only assume that it’s either arrogance or ignorance (or a dangerous mix of the two) leading a contingent of council members to be potential “no” votes.
Listen, we know this isn’t the first time (or even the second time!) that we’ve asked yinz to come raise a little hell over these permit fees - but will you join us at the next Allegheny County Council meeting?
Full council is slated to meet this upcoming Tuesday, March 25 and we’re trying to pack the room and send the message: They need to approve the fee schedule changes to fully fund our air quality program ASAP.
If you want to join us at the meeting and address council, click here to register to comment.
If you’d like to send council a written message letting them know you support the fee schedule changes and encourage them to vote YES on the proposal, click here.
Editor’s Note: Have questions, need more info, or help crafting comments? We’re here to help! Hit up our communications manager Amanda Gillooly at amanda@gasp-pgh.org.