At the beginning of July, the Allegheny County Board of Health voted 8 to 1 to indefinitely postpone updating the Air Toxics Guidelines used to issue permits for industry to release toxics. The Board is appointed by County Executive Dan Onorato, who, we might add, is running for Governor.

Citizens living around Neville Island on the Ohio River and in the Mon Valley are most impacted by the lack of Air Toxic Guidelines based on newly developed science, not science used for the 20-year old present guidelines. But this is an issue that affects all residents of Allegheny County, as long as the quality of air in the County is ranked among the worst in the country (see below).

Not only is Allegheny County delaying revision of the Guidelines, it is also one year late on developing a plan to meet the standards of the Clean Air Act.

One can only speculate as to why County Executive Onorato is so reluctant to improve the air quality in the county.  Certain members of the business community may be concerned that tighter regulations will prevent some companies from setting up shop in Allegheny County. But this should not stop Executive Onorato from following the lead of Louisville KY; after all, the growth industries he is touting with signs for the G-20 meeting are medicine, technology and education – not industries to be frightened off  by tighter air regs.

Pleaase send an E-mail to County Executive Dan Onorato (executive at alleghenycounty dot us) and urge him to show consideration for the health of our citizens, and update the Air Toxic Guidelines NOW.

Reports on Allegheny County’s unhealty air include:

• EPA – Cancer risks for Clairton and Glassport residents 20 times the national average.
• American Lung Association – Pittsburgh ranked first in the country for “soot” (short term particle pollution).
• USA Today – In a survey of 95 schools exposed to toxics, 4 of 7 most “at risk” schools were in Allegheny County.
• CMU – Stowe and Avalon resident in the 95 th percentile for health risks attributed to exposure to benzene.