GASP joined residents and fellow advocates at a public hearing in West Mifflin Monday to send the message: Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) needs a fully funded Air Quality Program, and the way to get it is through increasing permitting fees on polluters. You can get all the background info you need on the plan here. GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell delivered the following comments at the hearing: Good afternoon. My name is Patrick Campbell, I am the executive director of the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), a nonprofit organization working to improve our regional air quality since 1969. I am here today to speak in support of Allegheny County Health Department’s plan to fully fund its Air Quality Program through increasing fees imposed on polluters.  To put it simply: Air quality remains one of our area’s leading public health issues, and we need to equip our regulators with the resources they need to ensure polluters are playing by the rules.  And right now, it’s clear ACHD does not have those necessary resources. Unfortunately, this isn’t a new issue. Audits dating back at least 10 years have consistently observed that our local Air Quality Program is chronically underfunded and understaffed.  And auditors noted that those funding and staffing deficiencies have contributed to ACHD’s lingering Title V permit backlog, as well as hampered its enforcement and compliance efforts. While I could stand up here all night sharing the very real, very emotional reasons why Allegheny County needs a fully funded Air Quality Program, the truth is, it’s a legal mandate. ACHD has been delegated the authority to enforce both federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to the control of air pollution in Allegheny County and the federal Clean Air Act requires that ACHD have adequate funding and personnel to carry out that authority. The Clean Air Act also requires that ACHD’s program for Title V facilities charge fees that are sufficient to cover the cost of administering the program.  Since it is clear that funding that ACHD receives from Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are also insufficient to cover the cost of administering the non-Title V side of ACHD’s Air Quality Program, it is entirely appropriate that the polluting facilities that require time and resources from the Air Quality Program pay fees that cover the cost of that time and those resources. Thank you. Next stop? The plan must be approved by both the Allegheny County Board of Health and Allegheny County Council. We'll keep you posted as the process proceeds. Editor's Note: GASP also submitted formal written comments that you can read here.

Good news, folks: The Allegheny County Board of Health on Wednesday approved a revised air quality permit fee schedule that is expected to help beef up enforcement and compliance efforts. GASP, residents and fellow advocates have strongly supported the proposal, which ACHD said is necessary to fully fund its local Air Quality Program. Myriad speakers addressed the board imploring members to vote YES on the permit fee schedule, which you can read all about here. Among those commenters was GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell. Here's what he told the board: Good afternoon. My name is Patrick Campbell, and I am the executive director of the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), a nonprofit organization working to improve our regional air quality since 1969. This afternoon, members of this board will again be asked to vote to approve a revised permit fee schedule proposed by the Allegheny County Health Department to help finally fully fund its Air Quality Program. GASP and myriad local nonprofit groups and residents have stated our support for the proposal, which is expected to help buoy enforcement and compliance efforts crucial to ensuring Allegheny County continues to make progress on the air quality front. As you know, the proposal was put out to public comment, where it received an overwhelming amount of support from residents, elected officials, and environmental groups. In fact, at a recent Air Advisory Committee meeting, ACHD’s Director of Environmental Health Geoff Rabinowitz noted that more than 100 comments were received in favor of the changes. The number of comments against the proposal? Just one. Unfortunately, that most recent meeting of the Air Advisory Committee did not result in a recommendation to this board about the fee schedule. That’s because the committee AGAIN lacked a quorum, which meant the members who bothered to show up could neither deliberate nor take formal action. Fortunately, the reasons to vote YES on the revised fee schedule are clear. ACHD has been delegated the authority to enforce both federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to the control of air pollution in Allegheny County and the federal Clean Air Act requires that ACHD have adequate funding and personnel to carry out that authority. The Clean Air Act also requires that ACHD’s program for Title V facilities charge fees that are sufficient to cover the cost of administering the program. It has become abundantly clear that the funding ACHD receives from the county and commonwealth are also insufficient to cover the cost of administering the non-Title V side of ACHD’s Air Quality Program, it is entirely appropriate that the polluting facilities that require time and resources from the Air Quality Program pay fees that cover the cost of that time and those resources. A vote to approve the revised fee schedule is a vote for clean air and a vote for an improved quality of life for residents living in front-line communities plagued by industrial pollution. A yes vote on this proposal is also a vote of confidence for the rank-and-file employees of ACHD who must be equipped with the resources they need to effectively do their jobs. Thank you. Editor's Note: This isn't the end of the road for the proposal. Next stop, Allegheny County Council for a final vote. GASP continues to follow this issue closely and will keep you posted.

Let us put it to you this way: If Allegheny County Health Department’s revised air quality permit fee schedule that is expected to help beef up enforcement and compliance efforts was a football, it would be on the 10-yard line. We’ve got just one more play to get that bad boy into the proverbial endzone.  The final vote on the proposed fee schedule is coming up soon, and we need to make sure that Allegheny County Council knows there is strong support from local residents, nonprofits, and other local stakeholders. Quick background: The revised fee schedule has already been through the public comment period, where it received robust support. After that, it was shipped back over to the Allegheny County Board of Health, where it received nearly unanimous support. Next stop is the Allegheny County Committee on Health and Human Services, which will convene Wednesday, Oct. 9 to discuss the proposal. That committee is tasked with recommending to the full council whether or not the fee schedule changes should be finally approved. When finally approved, the proposal then heads to the desk of Allegheny County Chief Executive Sara Innamorato for her signature. Why are we telling you all this now? Because while the Committee on Health and Human Services has already been bombarded with comments from industry opposing the changes, they have not yet heard from YOU. “We cannot let industry interests drown out the voices and very real concerns of residents who are calling for a fully funded Air Quality Program,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “We need to let Council know definitively that there is a groundswell of support for the proposal - that it’s necessary for our public health and improved local air quality.” Our question: Will you help us get this thing into the endzone?  If your answer is a “heck yes, GASP” then please consider submitting a written comment to Allegheny County Council as a whole - and to your specific council person - to encourage them to vote YES on the proposed fee schedule changes. The Council vote is expected at the Oct. 22 meeting, so there’s still time to send over comments showing your support. Need a little help getting started? We got you. Please feel free to copy and paste the comments below or use them to help kickstart your own: I am writing today to ask that council members vote YES on Allegheny County Health Department’s plan to fully fund its Air Quality Program through a revised permit fee schedule. GASP, myriad local nonprofit groups and residents have stated our support for the proposal, which is expected to help buoy enforcement and compliance efforts crucial to ensuring our region continues to make progress on the air quality front. As you know, the proposal was put out to public comment, where it received an overwhelming amount of support from residents, elected officials, and environmental groups. The Allegheny County Board of Health also voted nearly unanimously to approve the fee increases. Fortunately, the reasons to vote YES on the revised fee schedule are clear.  ACHD has been delegated the authority to enforce both federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to the control of air pollution in Allegheny County and the federal Clean Air Act requires that ACHD have adequate funding and personnel to carry out that authority. The Clean Air Act also requires that ACHD’s program for Title V facilities charge fees that are sufficient to cover the cost of administering the program. It has become abundantly clear that the funding ACHD receives from the county and commonwealth are also insufficient to cover the cost of administering the non-Title V side of ACHD’s Air Quality Program, it is entirely appropriate that the polluting facilities that require time and resources from the Air Quality Program pay fees that cover the cost of that time and those resources. We told members of the Board of Health and we want you to know, too: A vote to approve the revised fee schedule is a vote for clean air and a vote for an improved quality of life for residents living in front-line communities plagued by industrial pollution. A yes vote on this proposal is also a vote of confidence for the rank-and-file employees of ACHD who must be equipped with the resources they need to effectively do their jobs. Thank you. Comments can be emailed to Ken.Varhola@alleghenycounty.us . You can also contact your personal council representative here.  GASP has already submitted formal comments and is planning to attend the Oct. 22 meeting to speak in support of the fee schedule changes. Please save the date if you’d like to join us!  Questions? Concerns? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at amanda@gasp-pgh.org .

Dear Fellow Breathers, We've got more work to do. Last night, Allegheny County Council remanded the proposal to fully fund our Air Quality Program back to the Health and Human Services Committee for further discussion. That punt, which you can read about here , came after myriad members of the public urged council to vote YES on the proposal. GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell was among those who submitted addressed council, asking members to greenlight the revised permit fee schedule. Here are his full comments: Good afternoon. My name is Patrick Campbell, I am the executive director of the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), a nonprofit organization working to improve our regional air quality since 1969.   Today, I am here to urge you to vote yes on Allegheny County Health Department’s Air Quality permit fee schedule expected to help buoy enforcement and compliance efforts.   It is important to note that the updated fee schedule was approved nearly unanimously by the Board of Health and was subject to a public comment period where it received robust support from residents, nonprofits, and elected officials like the Allegheny County Controller.   While there are emotional arguments to be made about the importance of equipping our Air Quality Program with the resources and staffing, the decision you are making tonight is straight-forward.   ACHD has been delegated the authority to enforce federal and state laws and regulations regarding air pollution controls in Allegheny County such as the Clean Air Act. And the Clean Air Act requires that ACHD have adequate funding and personnel to carry out its duties.   As demonstrated at myriad meetings by Deputy Director Geoff Rabinowitz, ACHD currently does not have adequate funding as evidenced by an anticipated $1.8 million budget shortfall.   The Clean Air Act is clear on who needs to pay. In fact, the law requires ACHD to charge Title V facilities fees that are sufficient to cover the cost of administering the program. And again, Mr. Rabinowitz explained in detail at several meetings how those fees are currently NOT sufficient to fund the program.   It’s also become evident that state and county funding streams are not sufficient to cover the costs of administering the non-Title V side of the air quality program. We believe it’s entirely appropriate - and common sense- for ACHD to charge the polluting facilities requiring the time and resources of our air quality program to actually pay for that time and those resources.   You’re likely going to hear plenty of balking from industry, which is fond of cherry-picking percentages they hope will alarm you enough to make a knee-jerk reaction and vote no on a proposal that has already been approved by the Board of Health and in the court of public opinion. Let’s be clear: A no vote tonight is a vote against public health. It’s a vote against the dedicated men and women in the Air Quality Program who work to monitor our air and enforce our air pollution control laws.   Please know that a no vote tonight will be remembered by your constituents, who just this week have dealt with another abysmal bout of air quality, including four straight days of H2S exceedances as well as the year’s first exceedance of the sulfur dioxide standard.   Clearly, the Air Quality Program has work to do. Please vote YES and help them get that work done. Stay tuned. Plans to engage council are underway. We'll keep you posted.

We’re not gonna sugar coat it - things didn't go our way last night: Allegheny County Council on Tuesday again punted the proposal to fully fund our Air Quality Program through increasing certain fees imposed on polluters. Following more than an hour of public comment - all in favor of the proposal - Health and Human Services Committee Chair Paul Klein thanked all of those in attendance for their comments but said he believed the permit fee schedule increase was supported by just eight members of council. At least 10 votes are needed for this proposal to succeed. Saying he “feared it would face a certain death” if voted on Tuesday, he asked Council President Pat Catena to send it back to committee for further discussion instead - a request that was granted. “It is outrageous that this common-sense proposal - one that was fully vetted and had robust support from residents, nonprofits, and elected officials - is taking this long to get approved,” GASP Executive Director Patrick Campbell said. “And we - the public - still have no idea why there are seven members of council who oppose this true no-brainer solution to an anticipated $1.8 million budget shortfall because they haven’t said much in that public sphere.” He continued:  “We cannot make it easy for members of council to vote no on a proposal that impacts the public health of us all - especially if it’s special interests that are fueling their stances. We need council to call a working session of all members, so the public understands why there is this shadowy opposition.” GASP again wants to note that an overwhelming number of everyday folks reached out to their county reps - and many attended and spoke out at the meeting last night. By contrast, not one business owner or individual spoke out against the proposal. Campbell was among them. Here's what he told County Council: Good afternoon. I'm Patrick Campbell, executive director of the Group Against Smog and Pollution, a non-profit advocating for clean air since 1969. Today, you have the power to make a significant impact on our region's air quality. You'll be voting on a revised permit fee schedule proposed by ACHD to fully fund its Air Quality Program. This proposal has the overwhelming support of the public, including residents, elected officials, and environmental groups. It's a critical step to strengthen enforcement and compliance, ensuring we continue to improve our air quality. By voting YES, you're: ●  Upholding federal law:   ACHD has been delegated the authority to enforce both federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to the control of air pollution in Allegheny County and the federal Clean Air Act requires that ACHD have adequate funding and personnel to carry out that authority. The Clean Air Act also requires that ACHD’s program for Title V facilities charge fees that are sufficient to cover the cost of administering the program. ● Investing in our health:  Supporting front-line communities burdened by industrial pollution - we know you’ve heard from many of your constituents in these neighborhoods as you’ve mulled the merits of this proposal. ● Empowering ACHD staff:  It’s imperative to provide the men and women who work in ACHD’s Air Quality Program with the tools they need to do their jobs. Not only is it required by the Clean Air Act, it will undoubtedly help with staff retention, talent acquisition, and morale. Again, this is the final stop for a vetted, robustly supported proposal that has real human impacts. Please seize this opportunity to create a cleaner, healthier future for all. Vote YES for clean air! Editor’s Note: GASP continues to follow this issue closely, is reaching out to officials, and will keep you posted.

We have a watchdog win to share with you today, friends: As a result of GASP’s legal advocacy work, emissions limits for harmful air pollutants from the Brunner Landfill in New Sewickley Township in Beaver County have been reduced. This is an initiative our senior attorney John Baillie has been working on for a while now - here’s what you need to know: This whole thing started in June 2024, when we submitted comments to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regarding a draft Plan Approval for two sources of emissions at the facility: The Enclosed Flare and Leachate Evaporator. We are pleased to report that following our comments, DEP revised that Plan Approval to reduce limits for the Enclosed Flare’s emissions of carbon monoxide and smog-forming oxides of nitrogen. But that’s not all: Long-time readers of   our blog  may recall that Brunner Landfill is one of a handful of major sources of air pollution in Pennsylvania that have never had a Title V Operating Permit issued to them. Indeed, in 2022 GASP sent the landfill’s operator a   notice of intent to sue  to get it to submit an application for such a permit.   The lack of a Title V Operating Permit has not been the only permitting issue at this facility – the landfill installed the Enclosed Flare and Leachate Evaporator back in 2015 without first applying for a Plan Approval from DEP.   The Enclosed Flare and Leachate Evaporator control both air and water pollution, but the failure to obtain a Plan Approval from DEP beforehand was a violation of Pennsylvania’s Air Pollution Control Act.   A fine and years of wrangling over the contents of the Plan Approval ensued. The draft Plan Approval that we commented on back in June would have brought that wrangling to an end, but there was a problem with it: As we pointed out in our comments, the draft Plan Approval’s emission limits for the Enclosed Flare were based on Best Available Technology as it existed in 2015 (when the source was installed, illegally) rather than Best Available Technology as it currently exists.   This also would have violated the Air Pollution Control Act, which requires all Plan Approvals to implement Best Available Technology to control air pollution at the time they are issued, not at any earlier time. The revised emission limits in the Plan Approval appear to be based on current Best Available Technology. “DEP appears to have fixed the problem with the Plan Approval’s emission limits for the Enclosed Flare,” Baillie added. “That should pave the way for this facility to finally get its Title V Operating Permit.”

Dear Fellow Breathers, We wanted to start the day off by saying THANK YOU SO MUCH for your support this Giving Tuesday. Because of the generosity of so many of you, GASP was able to raise $2,825 yesterday. And we want yinz to know we will put that money to good use. Your donations to GASP will help fund so many clutch things - from youth education programming to our advocacy, legal, and watchdog work. We’ve known it since our inception in 1969: That the most effective way to effect change is by standing - and fighting - together.  Listen, we probably sound like a broken record here, but we’re just super thankful that you’re still standing here with us and fighting the good fight with us. We are grateful you’re on our team. With hope + solidarity, The Gang at GASP PS: If you missed out on the Giving Tuesday action, it’s not too late to make a donation! If you wanna kick in a couple bucks to the cause, here’s the link to do just that.

Can you do us a solid? Take a few deep breaths real quick. Relax. How did it feel? How did it smell ? We ask because for way too many people here in our neck of the woods, the act of breathing isn’t such an easy thing.  If you live near a major source of industrial air pollution like the Clairton Coke Works or Shell, you already know how emissions from these facilities foul our air, harm the health of our most vulnerable neighbors, and erode a community’s quality of life.  It’s an extremely unfortunate fact that air pollution impacts all of us, but not equally. This Giving Tuesday, we’re asking for your support so we can continue fighting for the clean air that we all deserve. GASP has been our area’s clean air watch dog since 1969, and while we’ve come a long way from our “hell with the lid off” days, we’ve still got a long road to hoe. We know the weeks and months ahead will be thick with uncertainty. Locally, a proposal to fully fund Allegheny County Health Department’s Air Quality Program to buoy staffing and enforcement efforts will be up for a vote soon. At the federal level, environmental advocates fear a new administration will rollback newly enacted regulations related to coke ovens and fine particulate matter. So we want YOU to know that no matter what challenges may come, you can continue to count on us to educate the public (and sometimes public officials) on air quality issues, advocate for progressive and protective policies, and work as a watchdog to keep polluters and regulators honest. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support. If you are financially able, a monetary donation toward our $5,000 Giving Tuesday fundraising goal would be so appreciated. But please know it’s not the only way you can support us - and clean air - today.  If you haven’t already, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram  and invite your friends to do the same. Download the SmellPGH app and make using it a habit. Bookmark the Allegheny County Health Department page where you can access the air quality dashboards and online odor complaint forms. Contact your Allegheny County Council rep to urge them to vote YES on the proposal to fully fund our air quality program. We thank you - so much - for being part of our team. Together we’ve come a long way and will continue to forge a path forward.  With hope and resolve, The Gang at GASP

We've all seen the news reports about air quality. They use buzzwords like “disproportionate impacts” and "frontline communities." But what they are actually talking about are real people  in our corner of the universe - our friends, our neighbors, our kids - who are breathing in toxic air every single day. At GASP, we believe clean air is a basic human right. And We're fighting for a future where no one has to worry about the quality of the air they breathe - a future where kids can play outside without fear of having an asthma attack…a future where our communities can thrive, not just survive. But we can't do it alone. Next week is Giving Tuesday and we're hoping we can count on your support. Your donations help us: Hold polluters accountable:  We'll continue to fight for stricter regulations and enforcement. Empower communities:  We'll provide education and resources to help people protect their health. Advocate for clean air policies:  We'll work with policymakers to create a healthier future. Your support, no matter how big or small, can make a HUGE difference. Please know that every dollar counts and every voice matters.  Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation today!

Over the years, GASP has written a LOT about Title V Operating Permits - and for good reason.  They are required of all major sources of air pollution and are important compliance tools because they incorporate all applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act in one comprehensive document and require the facilities that have them to submit regular compliance reports. GASP was the first to raise an alarm over a permit backlog at the Allegheny County Health Department, and our senior attorney John Baillie has been tracking how the Air Quality Program has worked to whittle it. One of our paramount concerns? That there were major sources of air pollution in Allegheny County that had been operating for years without ever having been issued a Title V permit. Among them was Synthomer Jefferson Hills (formerly known as Eastman Chemical Resins). Some quick background: Synthomer operates a facility on the Monongahela River in Jefferson Hills and produces a variety of chemical feedstocks and is a major source of both hazardous air pollutants and volatile organic compounds.   According to ACHD’s own rules, it should have taken final action on the initial Title V Permit application for the facility (which was submitted by former owner Hercules, Inc.) by November 2004.   Yes, you read that correctly - it was supposed to be issued nearly 20 years ago. However, there were a variety of problems with that application (and at least one subsequent revised application), resulting in a 2011 Consent Order in federal court, which spelled out a comprehensive process by which the facility was to apply for, and finally obtain, a Title V Operating Permit. Why are we bringing this up? Because  we are pleased to report the long-awaited culmination of that process: On Sept. 17 ACHD issued the initial Title V Operating Permit to the facility.  You can view the permit here. For those keeping track: There is now only one major source of air pollution in Allegheny County that has never had a Title V Operating Permit – ATI’s Brackenridge Works in Natrona Heights.