Pittsburgh, Pa. − March 11, 2020 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. (D-Allegheny) and Representative Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) today announced the award of more than $500,000 for local organizations to improve safety and security measures to prevent hate crimes.
This program was the joint effort of Senator Costa and Rep. Frankel following meetings with community and faith leaders following the tragic violence in Squirrel Hill in October of 2018.
“In the aftermath of the tragedy in the Squirrel Hill community, Representative Frankel and I knew we had to do everything in our power to prevent this kind of horrific event from striking again. It was an honor to craft this important program together with input from our local leaders in the faith community,” said Senator Costa. “I wish this program weren’t necessary, but I’m proud of the work that got us to $5 million in funding for it statewide, and I’m glad that institutions across the Commonwealth will see improved security. No one should live and worship in fear.”
“As we know only too well, evil can strike at anytime and anywhere, even in those places we consider to be sacred. And as we strive toward a world without hate, we must also not be blind to the difficult realities we face, which is one of the reasons I joined Sen. Costa and others in fighting for this new grant program,” Frankel said. “This investment in security and safety for our religious institutions, regardless of faith, sends a strong message to the diverse communities that make our neighborhoods, cities and state strong – we see you, we hear you and we stand with you. No one should ever have to enter a house of worship with fear in their hearts. Instead, we should always join together in life, light and love.”
The following nonprofit organizations will receive funding:
| Organization |
Amount |
| Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh |
$ 45,158 |
| The Aleph Institute Inc |
$ 23,385 |
| Locally Grown |
$ 20,000 |
| Yeshivath Achei Tminim of Pittsburgh |
$119,341 |
| Lubavitch Center |
$ 25,000 |
| Rodef Shalom Congregation |
$ 24,589 |
| Chabad of Carnegie Mellon University, Inc. |
$ 25,000 |
| ACHIEVA |
$ 24,419 |
| Pittsburgh Kollel Beth Yitzhok |
$ 25,000 |
| Community Day School |
$ 74,584 |
| Carnegie Library of Homestead |
$ 71,593 |
| First Methodist Church of PGH |
$ 17,500 |
| The Rector, Wardens and Vestrymen of Calvary Protestant Episcopal Church |
$ 25,000 |
| Congregation Dor Hadash |
$ 15,100 |
| TOTAL: |
$ 535,669 |
The funding comes from Act 83 of 2019, which established a new program at the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). Act 83 directs PCCD to administer grants to Pennsylvania-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations who principally serve individuals, groups or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime incidents as identified by the FBI’s 2017 Hate Crime Statistics publication. The categories include race/ethnicity/ancestry; religion; sexual orientation; disability; gender; and gender identity.
Applicants were eligible for security enhancements designed to protect the safety and security of the users of a facility located in the Commonwealth that is owned or operated by the nonprofit organization.
In January of this year, PCCD released a $5 million solicitation for the grant program. 805 total applications requesting approximately $27 million were submitted and reviewed.
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Pittsburgh, Pa. − February 26, 2020 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. today announced major state funding for school and community safety programs in districts throughout the 43rd senatorial district.
“Students cannot focus on learning if they’re worried about their safety, and we are taking a multi-pronged approach at the state level to address physical security and mental health,” said Senator Costa. “I’m glad to see this funding coming to our region, and I’m confident that our school districts will use it for programs best suited to the needs of their students.”
The following districts in the 43rd received grants today:
- $384,810 for Penn Hills School District
- $929,578 for Pittsburgh School District
- $40,000 for West Mifflin Area School District
- $478,287 for Wilkinsburg Borough School District
- $45,000 for Woodland Hills Area School District
- $35,000 for Steel Valley School District
- $30,000 for Riverview School District
Act 44 of 2018 created a School Safety and Security Fund for the purposes of providing funding to school districts for school safety and security concerns and addressing community violence. Today, $60 million was distributed for school safety, including $7.5 million for community anti-violence programs.
PCCD receives hundreds of applications for these awards. Eligible school entities include school districts, intermediate units, area vocational-technical schools, charter schools and private rehabilitative institutions. Act 44 created the School Safety and Security Committee, which reviews the grants.
Funds can be used for a wide variety of items, based on the needs of the entity. These uses can include the purchase of equipment, trainings, programs, counseling services, planning, screenings, and to secure behavioral health care professionals and support.
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Pittsburgh, Pa. − February 7, 2020 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. wishes Senator Andy Dinniman the best in his retirement and thanks him for years of dedicated service to his constituents.
“It has been an honor to serve with Senator Dinniman since he was elected in 2006,” said Senator Costa. “He’s been a passionate leader in the realms of education, animal rights and pipeline safety. He is a tireless advocate for every issue his constituents care about and his thoughtful, critical voice will be missed in our caucus and on the Senate floor.”
Senator Dinniman was reelected in 2008, 2012, and 2016 to represent Pennsylvania’s 19th District in Chester County.
Prior to serving in the legislature, Senator Dinniman served for 15 years as a Chester County Commissioner, making him the longest-serving commissioner in county history. Before being elected county commissioner in 1991, Senator Dinniman served on the Downingtown Area School Board and the West Whiteland Municipal Authority.
A teacher, West Chester University professor and community leader, he has been honored by numerous education, business, environmental, veterans’ and service groups: Temple University’s College of Education, Pennsylvania Bio, the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the YMCA of the Brandywine Valley and the ARC of Pennsylvania.
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For many PA cities, air quality was unhealthy around 1 out of every 4 days
PITTSBURGH, PA – January 28, 2020 – Millions of Pennsylvanians across the state are breathing months’ worth of poor air quality due to pollution in 2018, according to a new report released today by the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group. The groups’ report was released as Pittsburgh and other metropolitan areas experienced unhealthy air days this month, an uncommon experience in wintertime for the Commonwealth’s cities.
“No Pennsylvanian should have to experience a single day of polluted air — let alone several months,” said Zachary Barber, the Clean Air Advocate with PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center. “Air quality will only get worse as our climate warms, so we have no time to lose. We must make progress toward clean air.”
For the report, Trouble in the Air: Millions of Americans Breathed Polluted Air in 2018, researchers reviewed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air pollution records from across the country. The report focuses on ground-level ozone and fine particulate pollution, harmful pollutants that come from industrial sources and the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, diesel, gasoline, natural gas and from other sources. Air pollution increases the risk of premature death, asthma attacks, and other adverse health impacts.
“As nurses, we see the impacts of air quality each day. As a mother, I’ve seen the impacts of poor air
quality in my own children and among their peers,” said Dr. Kelly Kuhns, Chair of the Department of Nursing at Millersville University and member of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments. “Most people understand that air pollution can increase the risk and incidence of asthma and other breathing problems. These risks are especially significant in our most vulnerable populations – our children and our elderly.”
The report’s troubling findings come at a time when the federal government is further endangering air quality by dismantling protections under the Clean Air Act such as California’s clean car standards, which Pennsylvania had joined.
“The data show that America’s existing air quality standards aren’t doing enough to protect our health,” said Elizabeth Ridlington, Policy Analyst with Frontier Group and co-author of the report. “As the climate warms, higher temperatures and more severe wildfires increase air pollution and the threat to human health.”
Recommendations the report called on policymakers at all levels of government to:
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Oppose the Trump Administration’s rollbacks to critical clean air protections like the Clean Power Plan, the Mercury Air Toxics Standards and clean car rules.
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Cut pollution from transportation by switching to zero-emission electric vehicles
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Support Pennsylvania’s proposal to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which would dramatically reduce fossil fuel emissions from industrial sources, and the Transportation and Climate Initiative, which would tackle carbon emissions from cars and trucks
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Rein in the worst sources of industrial pollution including Pittsburgh’s Toxic Ten.
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Fully fund environmental watchdogs like the PA Department of Environmental Protection
“We can’t wait for leadership from above – it’s not coming. If we want to protect our air and our water, we have to do it ourselves,” said State Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa. “With the research and activism that PennEnvironment and other groups are doing, I believe we can make real strides in mitigating climate change.”
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PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center is dedicated to protecting our air, water and open spaces. We work to protect the places we love, advance the environmental values we share, and win real results for our environment. For more information, visit www.pennenvironmencenter.org.
Harrisburg, Pa. − January 22, 2020 − State Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. today announced two awards to local dairy programs, totaling nearly $400,000.
“Dairy is one of Pennsylvania’s largest industries, with unique and difficult challenges. If we want the industry to continue its success nationally, we need to support it from the state level,” said Senator Costa. “Just this month, I attended the Pennsylvania Farm Show and had the opportunity to speak to several dairy farmers. I’m proud to announce these local grants and anxious to see their projects unfold.”
Twin Brook Dairy will receive $38,278 to establish a milk processing facility in Homestead. They will use the funds to centralize milk processing and sell chocolate milk directly, as well as purchase additional equipment.
Turner Dairy Farms in Penn Hill Township will receive $355,562 to increase its dairy processing capacity. Since 2014, Turner Dairy has sold 10 different flavored milk products on a seasonal basis, and to offer them on a more regular basis they need to install newer, larger equipment.
The Pennsylvania Dairy Investment Program was established under Act 38 of 2019 for research and development, organic transition, value-added processing, and marketing grants in support of Pennsylvania’s Dairy Industry. The program is administered jointly by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and the PA Department of Agriculture (PDA), under the direction of the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA).
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