The buildout of fossil fuel-powered data centers across SWPA, Ohio, West Virginia and the entire state has demanded advocacy to protect the health of communities from air quality and water pollution, electric rate hikes and potentially thousands of new fracked wells in our region. It’s a fast-moving campaign that is being build out as quickly as residents and environmental advocates have capacity. To understand the scope of the buildout, the FracTracker maps are an excellent source. To understand what data centers are, the economics and policies behind them and air quality concerns, PennFuture has excellent videos. More messaging and support is coming, stay tuned!

Breathe Project collaborative partners are actively fighting the expansion of the petrochemical industry, fracking and fossil fuel development that will exacerbate climate change, including Climate Reality Pittsburgh & SWPA, Sunrise Pittsburgh, 350 Pittsburgh, Extinction Rebellion and more. Environmental Justice groups and leaders are actively seeking the creation of a Climate Action Plan (CAP) that addresses racial injustices and inequities to  people who face the greatest threat from climate change in Allegheny County.

Residents in Clairton and Mon Valley communities suffer serious respiratory and health problems due to air pollution coming from U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works – one of the largest coking operations in the United States.

The voices of Mon Valley residents must be heard, especially with the pending sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel. Residents in environmental justice communities deserve a seat at the table.  In Clairton, nearly 40% of residents are Black and they live near the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant. Many are disproportionately affected by pollution and related illnesses, including asthma and cancer. Children living near the plant suffer from asthma rates that are nearly three times higher than the rest of the U.S. Championing environmental justice requires listening to residents whose health and quality of life are the most harmed by the coking operations.

How can we promote solar, wind & renewable energy expansion in rural PA?  A discussion of messaging and counter-messaging to farmers & rural residents; municipal ordinances on solar setbacks; & actions on regional and state-wide levels.

Title V of the Clean Air Act requires “major sources” of air pollution to obtain operating permits from the EPA or a state or local agency authorized to issue these permits. In Allegheny County, the Allegheny County Health Department decides these permits. Join GASP, PennEnvironment, Clean Air Council, Clean Water Action, Environmental Integrity Project, SWPA Grassroots Air Quality Town Hall activists and the Breathe Project in the effort to reduce pollution greenhouse gases.

Residents of SWPA are fighting a David vs. Goliath battle against the petrochemical industry in Allegheny, Beaver and Washington counties and beyond to Ohio and West Virginia. The Appalachian Basin is facing massive growth of this highly polluting fossil fuel industry from the Shell Plastic Plant in Beaver, Pa., to pipelines, compressor stations, drilling operations, well pads, a storage hub and truck traffic.  This industry will push our planet over the edge on climate change, making it absolutely impossible to meet Paris Accord Climate Goals. Residents in Beaver County have stepped up with the formation of a citizen watchdog team, Eyes on Shell, that records and reports smells, spills and air emissions from the Shell Plastic Plant.

ACCAN’s campaign to turn a now-shuttered industrial coke plant on Neville Island into a healthier development has shifted into high gear. Campaign work includes reducing emissions from the industrial operations on Bruno and Neville Island, including Metalico, stopping the spread of Fracsilica from the fracking industry into neighborhoods and finding a sustainable, healthy alternative for the former Shenango site.

Pittsburgh residents living in close proximity to rail lines running dangerous chemicals and fossil fuels are committed to addressing the risk and negative impacts of rail proliferation where it conflicts with urban health, sustainability, and personal well-being. Norfolk Southern wants taxpayers to pay for something we don’t want, that damages our health and jeopardizes our safety, just to magnify their profits

Air pollution from the coke oven industry impacts the health of residents of Southwestern Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and beyond. Check out GASP’s work in this area.

Clean Air Council has a PA Coke Ovens website that provides information regarding these air pollution impacts from the coke oven industry in general, as well as specific facilities in Southwestern Pennsylvania.