Dear Candidates,
On March 13th, 2023, we sent a letter to you and to all the other candidates for Allegheny County Executive (ACE), seeking your plan to strengthen the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD).
On April 4, 2023 we will share the responses that we have received in writing from each candidate with the over 1200 individuals who are on our SWPATHS email contact list.
On April 27, 2023 at 6pm (Zoom), at our 10th Grassroots Resident-Led Town Hall, we will address your responses to the following concerns:
The Board of Health and its committees currently have members who have conflicts of interest that make it difficult for them to hold polluters responsible. New members must be committed to addressing the health crisis that air pollution represents, placing us in one of the worst 1% of locations for cancer, lung and heart diseases caused by air pollution.
Will you promote rooting out the conflicts of interest which weaken the ability of ACHD to do its job effectively?
ACHD is being led by an interim-director without public health or medical training.
Will you ensure the new ACHD Director has public health credentials?
The ACHD is critically underfunded, having just approved diverting 25% of the Clean Air Fund composed of fines paid by polluters to fund its own operations. These funds should be used to directly help those in environmental justice communities who live closest to major sources of toxic emissions, and the ACE must provide adequate funding for ACHD to do its job.
Will you ensure that the Clean Air Fund is used to help those in environmental justice communities and others who suffer from toxic emissions, and that the County meets its obligation to adequately fund our air pollution enforcement arm?
ACHD’s online county air pollution complaint system is far too complicated to navigate, given today’s open communication capabilities.
Will you support funding for a system that is easier to use, while ensuring open and timely communication regarding air quality issues?
ACHD has not responded to over 70,000 Smell Pgh app complaints since 2016, even though ACHD collaborated with Create Lab at CMU in the app’s creation.
Will you support improving ACHD operations by taking advantage of the tremendous 21st century technological assets that exist in our region?
Addressing the catastrophic potential of an East Palestine-type disaster happening in Greater Pittsburgh requires immediate preventive action.
Are you open to the exploration of life or death scenarios aimed at increasing preparedness on the part of ACHD?
Attached you will find a full copy of the full letter in order to facilitate your reply.
Please send your responses directly to Howard Rieger at hmrieger@gmail.com.
Respectfully,
Howard M Rieger, Ph.D.
Convener, SWPA Resident-Led Air Quality Town Halls