GASP, Residents Blast Allegheny County Council for Lack of Action on Air Quality Permit Fees

GASP on Tuesday blasted Allegheny County Council for its inaction on a health department proposal that would increase certain permit fees on industrial polluters as required by federal law.

Our Executive Director Patrick Campbell was among the MANY who addressed council and demanded action on the issue. Council neither addressed the proposed air quality fee schedule changes nor acknowledged commenters.

We continue to follow this issue closely. Stay tuned - we'll have more details on the process and how we can continue to push council to get this thing approved.

Until then, here's what Patrick told council:

Good afternoon. I’m Patrick Campbell, executive director of the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), a nonprofit working to improve our region’s air quality since 1969.

I am here today - again - to demand action on Allegheny County Health Department’s proposed fee schedule changes.

ACHD’s straightforward plan to properly fund our Air Quality Program through fee adjustments on operators hasn't even been discussed by this full council. It’s been on your plate since June 2024.

Meanwhile, your constituents have come out in droves - meeting after meeting - imploring you to take action – and you have failed them.

Again, this isn't some abstract debate about economics. This is about basic functionality. Right now, dedicated professionals – ACHD inspectors, engineers, attorneys, and more – are performing crucial tasks like modeling local air quality, assessing health risks, and processing permits for major industrial facilities.

To be clear, this is what a Title V permit looks like. It’s printed on both sides, and this is for just one facility, there are 23 in Allegheny County. These permits are extremely complex. They are hundreds of pages long and take months to complete.

The Clean Air Act is clear: Allegheny County must have the resources and personnel to effectively manage these essential services, and that means charging fees that cover the cost to administer its Title V program.

This isn't about punishment; this isn’t punitive. It’s administrative. It’s about companies paying for the myriad services ACHD staff provides to ensure their permits are complete and they can continue to do business in Allegheny County - business that employs thousands of your constituents.

It’s simple budgeting, folks.

The Air Pollution Advisory Committee understood this. The Board of Health understood this. Environmental advocates, community leaders, and most importantly, the very people you represent understood this. The proposal moved swiftly through the established channels – until it reached this council.

Now, it’s languishing in committee. Despite all the pleas, it’s not been put on the agenda for a discussion and possible vote.

And what are the real-world consequences of this inaction? You have deprived our most vulnerable communities of nearly half a million dollars from the Clean Air Fund. Money that should be going directly to community-led projects to improve public health will instead be diverted to cover the very administrative costs this fee increase was meant to address.

Think about that. The air dispersion models, the risk assessments, the permit reviews performed on behalf of industry – that's what your inaction is forcing ACHD to pay for out of community funds.

Let there be no misunderstanding: Your delay has inflicted tangible harm.

Source: "Allegheny County Council TV" YouTube