Body
WHEREAS, companies in close proximity to Pittsburgh release over six million pounds annually of toxic chemicals into our air; and
WHEREAS, the Pittsburgh Metro Area remains one of the top ranked metro areas in the U.S. for the release of toxic chemicals into our air; and
WHEREAS, roughly 25,000 adults and children in the City of Pittsburgh suffer from asthma; and
WHEREAS, recent studies by the Allegheny County Health Department and Carnegie Mellon University has found that local pollution sources result in the City of Pittsburgh experiencing high levels of toxic chemicals in their air; and
WHEREAS, the existing Air Toxics Guidelines that the Allegheny County Health Department uses is over twenty years old; and
WHEREAS, the proposed revisions to the Air Toxics Guidelines would provide an updated scientific basis on limits to air toxics and provide clarifications to permitting procedures; and
WHEREAS, the proposed revisions to the Air Toxics Guidelines contain appropriate exemptions for small businesses that use small quantities of hazardous substances; and
WHEREAS, the proposed revisions to the Air Toxics Guidelines would protect all neighborhoods from being burdened with too many local pollution sources through enacting a cumulative impact provision.
Title
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the Council of the City of Pittsburgh recommends that the Board of Health of the Allegheny County Health Department support the proposed revisions to the Air Toxics Guidelines and requests that the revisions to the Air Toxics Guidelines be enacted as the official policy of the Air Quality Program of the Allegheny County Health Department; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution shall be transmitted to all members of the Board of Health of the Allegheny County Health Department.