Letter to the editor: Allegheny County deserves clean air

Dear Allegheny County Council,

I urge you to allocate the funding necessary to fully staff and operate the Allegheny County Health Department’s Air Quality Program.

Due to budget shortfalls, our county lacks the resources to enforce air permits, monitor pollution levels and hold violators accountable. This failure is not just bureaucratic — it’s a public health crisis and a constitutional failure.

Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment (Article 1, Section 27) guarantees our right to clean air. It charges the commonwealth — and by extension, its counties — with the duty to conserve and maintain these resources for all people.

Allegheny County continues to rank among the worst in the nation for air pollution-related health risks. Children and seniors suffer from high asthma rates and respiratory illness, while industrial polluters operate with minimal oversight.

This is unacceptable. Residents deserve clean air. Businesses must be held accountable. Government must uphold its duty.

Please pass the proposed fee increases and secure dedicated funding. This investment will protect public health, strengthen our economy, and honor our constitutional responsibility.

Gail Neustadt

Sewickley