GASP is also on the smoke trail

I am writing on behalf of the Group Against Smog and Pollution, Inc. in response to your June 28 article, "Where there's smoke, there's a county health worker watching," by David Templeton.

Regarding smoke reading, we wish to point out that where there's smoke, there is also often a GASP volunteer or staff member watching. For about four years, GASP, through funding provided by Allegheny County's Clean Air Fund, has facilitated GASP is also on the smoke trailsmoke reader certification for citizen volunteers. Allegheny County residents interested in the enforcement of air quality standards can undergo, free of charge, the same training and certification process that county smoke readers receive. Through this program, GASP smoke readers have discovered air quality violations throughout the county, those violations were reported to the Health Department and offending facilities, and in turn have prompted the Health Department to send out their own inspectors, which in some cases resulted in enforcement proceedings. Individuals interested in becoming smoke readers should contact GASP at 412-325-7382 or visit www.gasp-pgh.org. The next smoke reader certification will occur Oct. 10-12.

For many years smoke reading was the exclusive method of monitoring industry compliance with visible emission standards. Smoke reading must occur during daylight and manpower limits the frequency that a facility can be checked for compliance. While smoke reading remains an important enforcement method, GASP has long recognized these limitations of smoke reading. Therefore, approximately two years ago GASP helped initiate the process leading to the currently proposed Health Department regulation that will include continuous opacity monitors, COMs, as an air quality enforcement tool.

COMs will enable Health Department personnel to verify industry compliance with visible emission standards on a nonstop basis, as opposed to sporadic smoke reading. People breathe 24 hours a day, seven days a week; it is appropriate that industry comply with air pollution standards on the same time frame.

MICHAEL A. PARKER
Policy & Outreach, Coordinator, Group Against Smog and Pollution