Allegheny County plans to award $5 million in grant money to projects aimed at improving the region’s air quality. But with a little more than a week before proposals are due, no one has applied.
The $5 million comes from the county’s Clean Air Fund, which collects penalties paid by plants and companies that pollute. County officials are urging local municipalities and community organizations to submit their ideas for one of four qualifying project categories as soon as possible: fleet electrification, tree canopy expansion, equipment electrification, and climate resiliency and adaptation projects.
Preference will be given to communities that experience disproportionate negative effects of pollution, such as those in the Mon Valley.
“Please do not wait until the last minute,” urged Geoff Rabinowitz, deputy director of the health department’s Bureau of Environmental Health. “If something comes in after the deadline, we're not going to be able to consider it.”
The Clean Air Fund was criticized earlier this year by the County Controller’s office which found that only a small portion of the $10 million fund balance had been spent between 2021 and the early part of 2023. County Controller Corey O’Connor argued in May that the fund had fallen “far short” of meeting its mission at the current pace of investment.
“Why are we holding on to this money? Let's get this money out as quick as we can to help these residents,” O’Connor said.
The county approved about $2.3 million to support several proposals late last year, according to Rabinowitz. With plans to spend another $5 million this year, the Health Department appears to be trying to answer O’Connor’s call.
The county held two public hearings last month in West Mifflin and Pittsburgh’s North Side to provide information about what projects would best qualify for financial aid. Rabinowitz said at those meetings, several municipalities stated their intent to apply for help with fleet and equipment electrification as well as other projects.
“We know that there are quite a few applications that are being put together,” Rabinowitz said. “We've had a lot of interest, and a lot of people have contacted my staff to ask some questions about things.”
But whether all $5 million will be awarded could come down to whether proposals are submitted in time. Despite public hearings and direct solicitation from the county, some clean air advocates argue the grant process is still too complicated.
“This has been a perpetual struggle for Allegheny County, specifically with these clean air funds, [to] effectively get them out into the community,” said Zach Barber, a clean air advocate with PennEnvironment.
Barber said he wasn’t working directly with any local proposals for the grant funding, but he questioned whether the county is effectively communicating when grants are available.
“The funding cycles can kind of come up without much warning,” Barber said. “And that kind of leaves municipalities or community groups then kind of scrambling to get their application together.”
Still, Barber said he’s heartened by the health department’s effort to improve its application process and expand what could qualify for a clean air grant. He said he hopes to see municipalities take advantage of transitioning lawn care equipment from gas-powered to electric.
“Our leaf blowers and lawn care equipment, diesel and gas powered, are shockingly large contributors to air pollution,” Barber said.
Operating a commercial leaf blower for an hour emits as much air pollution as driving a car for 1,100 miles, according to the California Air Resources Board. That’s roughly the distance from Pittsburgh to Miami.
But Barber also urged county leaders to expand the parameters for who would be eligible to use the funds. He noted that residents might be willing to switch from gas to electric lawn care equipment with an incentive, which could further cut down on pollution.
He also wants to see the county put more support behind health care infrastructure in communities where access is scarce. He suggested transportation grants for patients who live near the Clairton Coke Works seeking care or a mobile clinic to come into neighborhoods where pollution is high.
The county has expanded grant parameters this year to include projects aimed at climate resiliency and adaptation. Rabinowitz said funds could help municipalities prepare to deal with the impacts of climate change. Nearly half of the $5 million is earmarked for these projects.
“These are things that don't necessarily fall into the normal silos of just air quality,” Rabinowitz said.
For example, an unmanaged stormwater pond could be contributing to greenhouse gas emissions due to the decomposition of organic matter within the pond. But with sufficient vegetation to sequester carbon through photosynthesis, a stormwater pond can become more of a carbon sink, according to Rabinowitz.
“That kind of crosses the threshold between water pollution control [and] air quality,” he said. “One can affect the other.”
Applications for all clean air projects are due by Sept. 27. Find more information on the county’s website.
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