by Riona Duncan | 90.5 WESA
Southwestern Pennsylvania Grassroots Town Halls and the Breathe Project convened a meeting on Tuesday to call on the Allegheny County Council to increase fees for processing Title V operating permits.
Title V operating permits are required under the Clean Air Act for facilities that are major sources of air pollution. Collected fees fund the health department’s Air Quality Program, which enforces air quality regulations.
Last September, the Allegheny County Board of Health voted to recommend significant increases (the proposed fee schedule range from $1,100 for extending an installation permit — a 46.5% hike — to $50,800 for permits for new sources of pollution — a nearly 600% increase) but this must be approved by the Allegheny County Council. According to Air Quality Program data, it faced a $1.8 million funding gap in 2024.
The Allegheny County Council board was expected to vote on the fee increases in December, but the proposal was sent back to committee. Title V operating permit fees were last increased in 2021.
- U.S. Steel agrees to $1.5 M settlement for residents living near Edgar Thomson Plant over air pollution complaint
- Campaign pushes for more voices in the fight against air pollution in Allegheny County
During the town hall, two scientists presented research about impacts of air pollution in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and potential benefits that can come from improved quality. Dr. Deborah Gentile shared a recently published study she co-authored that found school absenteeism in Clairton City School District was impacted by air pollution levels — especially among children with asthma; and Wuyue Yu presented research that found significant health benefits, such as fewer emergency room visits related to cardiovascular disease, after the Shenango Coke Works closed in 2016.
Four members of the Allegheny County Council attended the meeting.
County council member Paul Klein, the chair of the health and human services committee, said only eight members of council are willing to vote in favor, which is not enough for the ordinance to pass.
“Because revenues are involved we need 10 votes and so that is where we have been sitting for many, many months now. And our goal is to hopefully move some of the members who are not supportive to join us in this effort to demonstrate that in Allegheny County, public health is first and foremost our priority,” he said.
The increase in fees for air pollution would increase in tandem with an increase in fees for asbestos-related permits.
“I think that there is a path forward for the air quality permit fee to getting 10 votes. Because it’s coupled with asbestos, that’s a little bit of the challenge,” said council member Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis.
She added that the county executive office was working to come to a resolution on asbestos-related fees that would not limit rehabbing buildings, especially in Downtown Pittsburgh where “we’re losing revenue.”
The Allegheny County Council is on recess until Aug. 19.
