PITTSBURGH, April 23, 2019 – At the request of state Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Forest Hills) and Senator Wayne Fontana (D-Brookline), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing today in Pittsburgh on strategies for combatting climate change by reducing methane gas emissions.
“Methane has a huge impact on global warming,” Costa said. “As the second largest gas-producing state in the nation, it is imperative that Pennsylvania do all it can to reduce methane emissions.”
Fontana added, “While our federal government should be taking the lead on developing policies, emissions reduction goals and coordinating a national response on climate change, our president’s shameful abandonment of the Paris climate accord makes it imperative that state leaders take the helm on this critical issue.”
Methane is an odorless, colorless, flammable greenhouse gas (CH4) that is used as fuel. It is also an important source of hydrogen and part of a wide variety of organic compounds. Methane is a huge component of natural gas and can remain in the atmosphere for about 9 to 15 years.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, methane warms our planet 86 times more than carbon emissions. Earlier this month, Andrew Williams, who serves as director of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs for the Environmental Defense Fund, criticized the Pennsylvania State Department of Environmental Protection’s revised draft rule because it would only mandate the capture of 21 percent of methane emissions. If the rule were adopted, Williams claims Pennsylvania would have the least protective methane rule in the nation.
Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton/Lehigh), who chairs the committee, argued that the issue should not pit Pennsylvania’s environment against its economy.
“Controlling carbon emissions and building a strong economy are not competing interests,” she said. “As alternative energy sources become more reliable, affordable and efficient, we must be ready to embrace and capitalize on the economic opportunities that accompany these promising technological advances. This doesn’t need to be framed as some dire choice between poverty and pollution.
In withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord in 2017, President Donald Trump defended his decision by claiming he was “elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.” Costa and Fontana (D-Allegheny) immediately criticized the president’s decision.
In the accord, the United States had committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28 percent below the 2005 level in 2025, and to make “best efforts” to reduce emissions by 28 percent. That would include curbs on carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride and nitrogen trifluoride, all of which contribute to global warming.
Several state bills and proposals were introduced to supplement existing environmental protection efforts included in the decade-old Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) and Energy Efficiency and Conservation law (Act 129).
Williams urged the legislature to support Gov. Tom Wolf’s greenhouse gas reduction commitments, implement a viable methane existing source regulation and defend the Department of Environmental Protection’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases.
Rob Altenburg, Director, PennFuture Energy Center, said, “The natural gas industry is going to be part of the Pennsylvania economy for many years, but we are no longer in an era where we can ignore pollution as a natural consequence of economic growth. Avoiding the worst impacts of global warming requires that we remain under a set carbon budget – and that means that any additional emissions from the natural gas sector are emissions we will need to account for later or face the costs.
Arvind Ravikumar, an Assistant Professor of Energy Engineering for the University of Harrisburg, told the senators, “With the profusion of new technology in the methane space, falling costs for renewable energy, and competitive electric vehicle prices, protecting the environment almost becomes secondary to the potential for thousands of high-paying, clean energy jobs. The best way to give Pennsylvania businesses and industry a leg up is to help them prepare for the transition through well-crafted, cost-effective state policies.”
Today’s hearing was the second in a series of Policy Committee hearings on climate change. The committee held a hearing in Pittsburgh last November, focusing on carbon emissions.
Joining Fontana, Costa and Boscola at the hearing were Senators Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny) and Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland).
Hearing participants included the following:
- Andrew Williams, Director of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs, Environmental Defense Fund;
- Rebecca Kiernan, Senior Resilience Coordinator, City of Pittsburgh;
- Arvind Ravikumar, Assistant Professor of Energy Engineering, University of Harrisburg of Science and Technology;
- Jared Metcalf, USA Operations Manager, Target Emission Services;
- Rob Altenburg, Director, PennFuture Energy Center; and
- Jane Worthington and Dale Tiberie, residents of Washington County.
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Clairton, February 7, 2019 – With an overflow crowd of steel workers and concerned citizens in attendance at Clairton City Hall, a joint state Senate-House Democratic Policy Committee hearing was held today on ways to improve air quality, community notification procedures and emergency response.
The hearing was held in Clairton at the request of state Senator Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) and Representative Austin Davis (D-Allegheny). It was prompted by a December 24, 2018, fire at the Clairton Coke Works that resulted in emissions of high levels of sulfur dioxide and damage to the facility’s gas processing system.
“We need to see to it that air quality standards are properly monitored, and that local emergency response and community notification procedures are accurate and timely,” Brewster said. “To accomplish this goal, we must bring together officials from U.S. Steel, the Allegheny County Department of Health, local governments, labor organizations and emergency responders. We need to both address air quality issues and protect good paying jobs in the industry.”
Davis added, “Improving the air quality in our communities is my top priority. I appreciate the testimony of all stakeholders. As we look to improve air quality it’s imperative that we look for effective ways to do so.”
The hearing was jointly chaired by state Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton/Lehigh) and state Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster).
“Being raised in the shadow of the Bethlehem Steel plant, I am well aware of the seriousness of air quality issues and how communities such as Clairton must balance an economic reliance on good industrial jobs against health and environmental issues,” Boscola said.
Sturla added, “I thank Representative Davis for bringing this important issue to the House Democratic Policy Committee’s attention. This joint public hearing helps ensure that all perspectives are heard as the legislature looks for effective ways to improve air quality.”
Claiming that U.S Steel is committed to keeping the coke works operational and doing more to improve its environmental efforts, Chris Masciantonio, who serves as Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy for U.S. Steel, said, “The Mon Valley community is more than just the company’s home; it’s our company’s birthplace and where our employees work and live. The safety of our employees, our partnering contractors and our neighboring communities is paramount to our efforts.”
Masciantonio argued that placing the plant on hot idle, as some environmentalists have urged, would be a lengthy, difficult and costly process.
Don Furko, who serves as president of the United Steelworkers Local #1557, added, “Simply put, if U.S. Steel ends up idling batteries, our members will lose their jobs. This will begin a chain of events that will have a devastating impact on them, their families and our communities across the Mon Valley.”
Members of environmental organizations and Dr. Deborah Gentile of Pittsburgh testified that residents of the Mon Valley have been exposed to pollutants for decades. They said the pollution level and related health threats were compounded by the recent fire and emission exceedance.
Some of the environmentalists called for greater U.S. Steel efforts to comply with health and safety dictates and reduce pollution discharges. They also called on the Allegheny County Department of Health to step up monitoring, enforcement vigilance and provide more responsive public notification when problems arise.
Dr. Karen Hacker, director of the county health department, said the department has already ramped up its enforcement efforts. She said her agency has imposed direct enforcement orders and civil penalties. She said the department’s expanded legal team has also stepped up inspections, toughened penalties and collaborated with state and federal environmental enforcement agencies.
“The department will continue to be proactive and aggressive to improve air quality in our county, as our actions indicate,” she said. “We will continue to improve our communication via our current strategies through additional opportunities such as mobile phone applications and direct communication with citizens, municipal leaders and legislators.”
The hearing follows a January 22 public meeting in Clairton. Brewster, Davis and Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Rep. Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny) and Austin Davis (D-Allegheny) were also updated on January 25 by officials from the Allegheny County Health Department.
Joining Brewster, Boscola and Costa at today’s hearing were Senators Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) and Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny). In addition to Davis, Sturla and Kortz, Representatives Summer Lee, Ed Gainey, Dan Miller, Brandon Markosek and Sara Innamorato (all D-Allegheny) attended.
Those who testified included:
Panel from U.S. Steel Corporation:
- Chris Masciantonio, Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy
- Mike Rhoades, Plant Manager, Clairton Coke Works
- Tishie Woodwell, General Manager, Environmental Affairs
- Kurt Barshick, General Manager, Mon Valley Works
- Jim Futrell, Vice President of Market Research and Analysis, Allegheny Conference on Community Development
Panel from Allegheny County Health Department:
- Dr. Karen Hacker, Director
- Jim Kelly, Deputy Director for Environmental Health
- Michael Parker, Solicitor
- Dr. LuAnn Brink, Chief Epidemiologist
Panel from area unions:
- Don Furko, President, United Steel Workers Local 1557
- Jeff Nobers, Executive Director, Builders Guild of Western Pennsylvania
- Ken Broadbent, Business Manager, Steamfitters Local Union 449
Panel of health and environmental advocates:
- Dr. Deborah Gentile, Physician, Pediatric Alliance
- Rachel Filippini, Executive Director, Group Against Smog & Pollution
- Matt Mehalik, Executive Director, Breathe Project
- Ashleigh Deemer, Western Pennsylvania Director, PennEnvironment
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Brewster, Costa, Kortz, Davis receive update during morning conference call
McKeesport – January 25, 2019 – State Sens. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland), Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and state Reps. Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny) and Austin Davis (D-Allegheny) received an update from officials from the Allegheny County Health Department concerning the Dec. 24 fire at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works.
The update was provided during a morning conference call.
“We had a discussion with Dr. Karen Hacker and her team at the health department about the fire and its aftermath,” Brewster said. “Conversations will continue at a public meeting on February 7 at the Clairton Municipal Building.”
Brewster said the discussion focused on proper community notification procedures, air quality monitoring, improving communications and emergency response. He said the county officials pledged that these issues would be covered at the February public meeting.
The fire damaged the coke work’s gas processing system. The fire and response were the focus of a public meeting held in Clairton earlier this week.
Brewster said that additional information would be available at a public meeting, which is a joint Senate-House Democratic Policy Committee hearing, scheduled for Feb. 7 beginning at 12 noon at the municipal building, 551 Ravensburg Boulevard, Clairton.
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Mon Valley, Pa. − January 17, 2019 − The Mon Valley is in the midst of a public health situation; one that could have been avoided, and one that needs to be immediately remedied.
Since the US Steel Corp.’s Clairton Coke Works fire on Dec. 24th, the plant has been in violation of the maximum legal safety threshold for sulfur dioxide emissions six times. What makes this worse is that the public was not notified about the violations and resultant danger until January 9th.
The 22 effected communities should have been informed and have been provided clear direction on how to minimize the danger to those that are most at risk.
The Clairton Coke Works is a known, ongoing violator of air pollution standards. The facility has been fined over $4 million, even prior to the most recent violations following the fire. While the plant has taken steps to reduce emissions violations, it must do more and quickly. And the continuing violations triggered by the fire must be brought to a quick end.
An ongoing local health study being conducted by Duquesne University School of Pharmacy physicians Dr. Deborah Gentile and Dr. Jennifer Elliot has provided eye opening, real time results showing the danger presented by the post-fire emissions failures. Comparing children from inside and outside of the sulfur dioxide emissions zone before and after the fire, the physicians have been able to show negative health conditions as a result of the fire aftermath. Proof positive that the plant, and perhaps the delay in notifying the public, led to public health consequences.
To resolve this, we are calling for:
- The Senate and House Democratic Policy Committees to hold a joint hearing in the effected communities to hear from US Steel officials, the Allegheny County Department of Health, local public health and environmental advocates, and members of the community;
- Complete transparency about daily emissions from the Clairton plant, the planned resolution for repairing the plant from the fire including specific timelines, and in the near future, specifics on how the longer-term emissions problems are going to be addressed; and
- To get to the bottom of the legal confusion causing delays in important public health notifications. The public needs to know sooner and get better information on how to react.
“Folks have a right to know about potential concerns with the air they breathe,” said Senator Jay Costa. “That didn’t happen here, and we need more transparency as we move forward. Public health is at stake.”
“We’ve seen a recurring problem with this plant, and it’s time to address it,” said Senator Jim Brewster. “I have concerns about the health and welfare of the employees that work at this plant, in addition to the people who live in this region. The Mon Valley needs to be kept informed about the air quality so that our health doesn’t suffer.”
“We are sure that once we hear from the community and stakeholder more action items will come to our attention, so we must first open this issue up for public dialogue, and we must act quickly,” said Representative Austin Davis.
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Harrisburg, PA − September 25, 2018 − Following the death of Antwon Rose, Jr. earlier this year, and other incidents around the state and nation, state legislators began work on legislation regarding police management and community relations. Today, Senators Jay Costa, Wayne Fontana, Jim Brewster, Art Haywood and Representatives Jake Wheatley, Ed Gainey and Austin Davis unveiled that work.
“Recent events have shown that we are at a crossroads in how we manage and interact with our police officers,” said Senator Costa. “We need to do more to improve the training, quality and support of officers. But our improvements need to extend beyond police departments and into communities. I believe the package of bills we are working on can do that.”
The legislation, now seeking cosponsors, focuses on three categories:
Police Administration & Management
- Municipal Police Officer Education and Training Commission Improvements
- Improved Police Pay
- Regional Policing Incentive Program and Study
Community Relations
- Professional Oversight and Policy Development Board
- Change the Standard for Police Using Deadly Force
- Police Diversity Recruitment
- Professional Oversight and Policy Development Board
Event Response
- Police Shooting Response Team
- Special Prosecutor
“We need to find ways to improve the level of trust and cooperation between citizens and police officers on a broad range of matters such as the use of force, diversity education, oversight and community relations,” said Senator Fontana. “This package of reform legislation is a step in the right direction in addressing these issues.”
“Exploring new ways to improve police services is extremely important,” Senator Brewster said. “Allowing municipalities to pursue voluntary and consensual police mergers — provided there are incentives to smooth the transition while ensuring citizen safety is not compromised– is a viable approach to addressing local police issues. These efforts, combined with other measures I have offered such as increasing pay for part-time police and changing the board composition of the Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission to better reflect local policing, are important improvements that need to be acted upon.”
“Our criminal system is meant to be impartial and for prosecutors to discharge their duties free of personal or professional conflicts. However, in certain circumstances, there is the appearance of conflict that can lead the public to believe that justice is not being dispensed fairly,” said Senator Haywood. “My legislation, SB400, co-sponsored by Senators Leach, Costa, and Hughes would take the review the deadly force incident by police officers out of the hands of the attorney general and into the hands of a special prosecutor. This bill is not designed to punish law enforcement but to provide a neutral party to review the case when death has been caused by an officer.”
“ We are all deeply saddened and disturbed by the tragic and avoidable shooting of a young man, Antwon Rose Jr; no family should have to endure this type of loss. Two different departments already terminated this officer and there was documented evidence he was unfit to serve,” said Senator Street. This is why I plan to sponsor legislation that would mandate intelligence and information sharing among departments in the hiring of officers. While this is a reality in many jurisdictions , we must ensure that this standard is maintained across The commonwealth. every family should receive equal protection and every officer should know that the man or woman next to them is qualified to serve.”
“Since the tragic shooting death of Antwon Rose in June, my colleagues and I have worked tirelessly to address and provide solutions to police shootings and violence,” said Rep. Wheatley. “Our initiatives center on a three-prong approach including an overhaul of police management, more community inclusion and a better response to police shootings. I’m asking other lawmakers to join us in support of our legislation.”
“This is not to point the finger at or place blame on anyone, but rather to start an honest conversation about how we improve police community relations,” said Rep. Gainey. “We know that we have many great police officers; we also know that we have some bad actors within the organization, just as we do in all other professions. We need to work together and move forward together.”
“I can’t think of many other relationships as important to the unity and safety of our community than the one between police and citizens,” Rep. Davis said. “We have seen the devastating consequences when there is a breakdown in that relationship. I’m hopeful that the work I’ve been doing with my colleagues to draft legislation on police management and community relations will be a crucial step in the right direction. We need to ensure that police can continue in their mission to protect and serve, while citizens can feel confident in their ability to trust and support police actions.”
“The time has long since passed that we modernize policing and criminal justice in Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Miller. “By underfunding drug treatment, mental health, and our schools we have dumped a ridiculous amount of societal problems on their desks while giving them a woefully outdated playbook. We must do better, and working with law enforcement is key to raising standards across the board. We must ensure professionalism and accountability while eliminating the historically discriminatory impact of our criminal justice system on communities of color and on people of limited economic means.”
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