Residents from the Mon Valley and advocates packed the council chambers, a group that has kept a steady drumbeat going for months to encourage county council to raise the 10 needed votes for the resolution’s passage, according to the groups.
412 Justice was instrumental in bringing more than a dozen Mon Valley residents to the meeting by bus.
Residents and advocates agreed that a vote to increase permit fees was crucial in ensuring a fully-funded health department to do the work of protecting residents’ health, especially at a time when federal regulators are failing to do all they can to protect the health and well-being of people.
The groups also said "that polluters should pay a greater share of this work, not taxpayers."
The following groups commented on the action--
“A ‘YES’ vote is an investment in our health: it gives the people charged with protecting our air the resources they need to do the job, which means cleaner air and healthier lungs for all of us. We cannot put a price on our children’s health or our grandparents’ lives, and thankfully, the law doesn’t ask us to. It asks us to ensure polluters pay what it costs to keep the air safe," said Qiyam Ansari, Executive Director, Valley Clean Air Now (VCAN).
“There was a lot of good energy tonight among all the groups that came together for this long-overdue vote to increase these embarrassingly low fees — fees that have been nothing more than pennies in a bucket for major polluters in Allegheny County. But the real shining stars were the 412 Justice Black women from Clairton and Braddock who showed up and bravely shared their lived experiences. Their testimony and courage about the devastating health impacts on their families and communities carried and inspired the room," said Angel Gober, Executive Director, 412 Justice
“It’s simple. They pollute, they pay. The community of Allegheny County has paid enough with the ultimate price, their health. The air permit fee increase will make polluters pay for the pollution that they’ve made in this community. In order to build a better future for the next generation, we must hold these big polluters accountable. This new permit fee will do just that by generating essential revenue for the Allegheny County Health Department to hire more inspectors, improve enforcement and launch community-driven air quality initiatives," said Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., President & CEO, Hip Hop Caucus.
“On behalf of Southwest Pa. Resident-led Grassroots Air Quality Town Halls (SWPATHS), I thank Allegheny County Council for their leadership in passing the fee increase for Title V Operating Permits for polluting industries. This action will provide the funding to more fully staff the Allegheny County Health Department, an urgent requirement if ACHD is to fulfill its responsibility to protect the health and well-being of the residents of the Mon Valley from the toxic air that we breathe," said Howard Rieger, Squirrel Hill resident, SWPATHS.
"Last night we achieved a long overdue affirmation that our health matters and must be a priority. We thank County Council for passing the increased fee resolution ensuring our County Health Department has the resources it needs to better protect us. Our work is not finished. We look forward to a new chapter in the oversight and accountability of polluters," said Lisa Graves Marcucci, lifelong resident of the Mon Valley.
"It took us 19 months to get here. The Breathe Project wants to thank all of the residents who spoke up for the need to protect their health, the County Council members who heard them and took action and to the administration for pushing to get its health department funded. We Pittsburghers make good things happen when we come together to elevate health as a priority for all of our residents," said Matthew Mehalik, Executive Director, Breathe Project.
“Today’s vote to make polluters pay their fair share will result in a fully-funded County Health Department. The Health Department will now be in a position to enforce the regulations it is entrusted with upholding. Today’s bold vote by Allegheny County Council is a meaningful step toward a future where all the people of our region can breathe clean air and drink clean water. Make no mistake: today’s action will save lives," said Tom Pike, Director of Campaigns, Clean Air Council.
"Last night's vote was such a tremendous community win. So many residents and advocates showed up meeting after meeting, made phone calls to council, crafted statements and shared information on social media. It's an amazing example of what we can accomplish when we all work together. Since ACHD announced the shortfall in June of 2024, this has been a concern for so, so many of us," said Patrick Campbell , Executive Director, GASP.
"Last night marked a significant milestone in our decades-long work to clean up Allegheny County’s air. While we’ve seen real improvements over the years, this unanimous vote shows not only how far we’ve come, but what’s possible when we work together toward a cleaner, healthier future. A future where, no matter your zip code, everyone can breathe easily," said Nickolas Bartel, PennFuture, Clean Air Campaign Manager.
(Photo: US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works.)
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NewsClips:
-- TribLive: Allegheny County Council Approves Increases To Air Quality Permit Fees
-- The Allegheny Front: Allegheny County Council Approves Higher Fees For Polluters After Year-Long Delay
[Posted: November 19, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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