Allegheny County should let Clean Air Fund money flow to projects, audit says

Emissions rise from U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works on Jan. 18, 2023. (Photo by Quinn Glabicki/PublicSource) Millions of dollars that the county collects in relation to its air pollution regulations sits unspent while area air fails to meet standards, Controller Corey O’Connor contends. The county executive pledges to work with communities on air quality. by Briana Bindus, PublicSource Allegheny County should loosen its grip on Clean Air Fund spending, enabling the millions of dollars amassed through its emissions control initiatives to support community projects related to air quality, according to& an audit released& by the county controller on Tuesday. The Allegheny County Health Department’s [ACHD] Clean Air Fund collects fines and penalties from polluters in the county that violate regulations or exceed permitted emissions. The money is designated to help educate the public on air pollution and improve county air quality via reduction or prevention projects and conduct research, along with other efforts.& Following& a PublicSource story& on the distribution of the fund, Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor conducted a performance audit of the Clean Air Fund.& Examining the period from January 2021 through September 2023, the audit showed that more money went toward ACHD’s normal Air Quality Program operating...