ACHD Air Permit Fees Public Hearing

As you may have recently seen, Allegheny County is currently accepting comments on a proposal to increase funding for the Allegheny County Health Department’s Air Program by significantly increasing the permitting fees for local industrial air polluters.

This is a critical step toward cleaner air, by closing the permitting backlog, setting more health-protective emissions limits, and holding lawbreakers accountable. We know U.S. Steel and their allies have already organized in opposition, so it’s important that as many of us as possible speak up in support of cleaner air.

First, you can add your comments to the Penn Environment Research and Policy Center First, you can add your comments to the Penn Environment Research and Policy Center. Click here to sign the form and post your comments.

Second, you can sign the petition to force our worst polluters to pay their fair share. Allegheny County’s largest air polluters dumped more than 1.4 millions of pounds of dangerous toxins into local communities in 2021 and regularly violate their air pollution permits. The good news is that local health officials are proposing to increase fees on polluters and use this money to pay for greater enforcement against illegal polluters and to implement stronger health protections from air pollution in the Pittsburgh region.

The deadline for submitting comments in support of this proposal is Monday, August 19, so add your name in support of this important proposal today! Click here to sign the petition and let your voice be heard.