By Maddie Curtis
My name is Maddie Curtis and I live in Shadyside. I am an alumni of the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs, a current Carnegie Mellon University graduate student and an intern with the Breathe Project.
I am here today to share my perspective on improving the air quality in Allegheny County as a way to retain young professionals and support the region’s long-term growth.
As a public policy student, I see the intersection of public health, environmental health, economic growth and regional development as central to the issue of air quality in Allegheny County. If Allegheny County wants to compete for talent, families and future investment, clean air has to be part of the strategy.
I have had numerous conversations with my classmates about where we want to settle after graduation, and the poor air quality in the region is a common concern. We want to live in a city that cares about the health of its residents and poor air quality in our county is an indicator that is not there. We want to live and begin our futures in a city where we feel the air we breathe is safe. The next generation workforce is making-value based decisions, and environmental health and safety is high on that list of values.
The region has seen improvements in the last few years, but with the current EPA rollbacks and changes to the steel industry, this could all end abruptly. The county sits at the 31st percentile for PM2.5 emissions on average across the county in comparison to other U.S. regions for 2024 (Breathe Meter, AQ Stats Data). While this is an improvement, large sections of the county still have very poor air quality. For example, residents near the Liberty monitor in the Mon Valley have air that is in the 5th percentile, meaning worse than 95 percent of all monitored locations in the U.S.
I urge you, as the Allegheny County BOH to:
- Continue to strive to meet the 2024 PM2.5 standards and hazardous air pollution standards for steel and coking facilities
- Increase transparency and communication around air quality data with residents
- Hold the steel industry accountable
- Support transitions away from heavy polluting industries
My peers and I understand how livability metrics, like air quality, play a significant role in where people choose to live and work. Young professionals are crucial to the economic growth of a region as they are the future of our workforce, the next homeowners and the next civic leaders and entrepreneurs. As a hub for higher education, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County have the opportunity to be a place where post-graduate students want to begin their careers, supporting the overall growth of the region.
Thank you for your work and for your time.
Maddie Curtis is an alumni of the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs, a current Carnegie Mellon University graduate student and an intern with the Breathe Project. The statements were made to the Allegheny County Health Department July 2025.
