Allegheny County to seek new pollution regulations

By KRISTIE LINDEN

klinden@yourmvi.com

Over the past few weeks, the Allegheny County Health Department has monitored air quality throughout the Mon Valley following heavy fogs that kept some unhealthy particles from dissipating.

Now the department is prepared to be proactive about health-threatening, weather-related pollution events. 

“Allegheny County recently experienced strong and lengthy temperature inversions as a result of an extended period of extreme weather conditions including light wind speeds, heavy fog and a significant warm front,” said ACHD Interim Director Ronald A. Sugar. “Temperature inversions alter the profile of the local atmosphere and tend to trap pollutants closer to the surface.”

Sugar explained that such temperature inversions are expected to get worse with climate change, according to research. Between 2008 and 2018, there were four such events in Allegheny County. In 2019, there were two — one in February and the other in December.

Before the temperature inversion in December, the county was on track to be in compliance with air quality standards for the second year in a row, but the accomplishment is now at risk.

The air quality monitor in Liberty borough exceeded federal standards for atmospheric particulate matter — PM2.5 — for six consecutive days. Higher pollution readings were also recorded at other monitored sites across the county.

On Dec. 24 and 25, the DEP issued an Air Quality Action Alert for citizens in the Clairton and Liberty communities.

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