Athletes For Clean Air Rally

As the EPA’s new standards for air quality were released this week, the Pittsburgh branch of Athletes for Clean Air met on the South Side to promote and encourage the agency to pass the strongest clean air regulations on particulate matter (PM), also known as soot.”All of us want to wake up one day when we don’t have to worry about clean air and air quality,” said Jamin Bogi, an education and outreach coordinator for GASP (Group Against Smog and Pollution).On July 17th, the EPA passed new regulations in an effort to combat PM pollution in the air.  Although the guidelines had been revised in 1997 and 2006, many environmental action groups across the U.S. have been advocating for tougher regulations.

Instead of rallying on the same day the new rules were being issued, the Pittsburgh branch of Athletes for Clean Air wanted to have a bigger impact in their own backyard. The group pushed for the EPA to set the annual PM standard at 11 micrograms, a request that is even stronger than that of the EPA’s initial thoughts of 12-13 micrograms a year.

Pittsburgh, a city that has been plagued with poor air quality over the years, has some of the most to gain in terms of air quality standards, said Burgo.

Improved air quality affects all citizens.  With cleaner air, citizens can both literally and figuratively breathe easier knowing that their chances of getting asthma and breathing problems are reduced.

Julie Burgo, a member of the board of GASP, only wishes tougher standards had been implemented years ago.  While taking care of a sick loved one, Burgo realized that residential wood burning had many adverse effects on her family.  Both she and her daughter developed asthma and her sick family member suffered due to all of the burning.

Burgo suggests that Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania as a whole learn a thing or two from their counterparts on the West Coast – California’s “Spare the Air” days and Washington state’s “Ban to Burn” programs have been in place for quite some time.

Simply put, “…a problem like this needs to be addressed,” said Burgo.  Hopefully the EPA will realize this as well and implement tougher air quality standards in the country.

Below are some images from the rally:

by: Megan Wall