By Pat Beaudet, Southeastern Pennsylvania Group, Sylvanian Team member
The Allegheny Group (ALG) is the largest group by area in the Pennsylvania Chapter and second highest in membership (4,210). It covers the entire southwest corner of the state comprising 14 counties, the most populous being Allegheny County, which includes the greater Pittsburgh area. Most Sierra Club members live in Allegheny County. (A list of the other 13 counties is noted at the end of this article). Geographically, the group area is home to the Allegheny Mountains, the Allegheny National Forest and two major rivers, the Allegheny and the Monongahela, which converge near Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River. The group was established in 1970, less than 10 years after the passage of the Wilderness Act. In fact, the first conservation campaigns helped to establish protected wilderness areas under this Act. Since then, the group has grown to address many other conservation concerns.
The Pittsburgh region is well-known for its history as the Steel Capital of the United States. Even though Pittsburgh faced rough times following the global recession of the 1970s and 80s, when steel production all but disappeared from its landscape, the city has since re-invented itself as a hub for education, medicine, small manufacturing and research.
As one ALG leader remarked, Pittsburgh is a labor town. Pittsburgh remained home to strong financial companies like Mellon Bank and PNC Bank, founded in 1870 and 1845 respectively. Additionally, Federated Investors and Citizens Bank employ many people in western Pennsylvania. The gas extraction industry (fracking) and renewable energy firms have also increased employment. PPG, ALCOA, and coal mining are major but shrinking users of local workers.
Only two major steel production plants remain in the Pittsburgh area: The U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works and the nearby Edgar Thomson Mill, which produces raw steel from iron ore and coke. Both are located about 10-15 miles from downtown Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River and are major sources of air pollution in the nearby local surrounding communities. The Allegheny Health Department has been increasing fines for these over-limit toxic occurrences, but the fines are probably just a nuisance rather than a real impetus to address the problem, according to ALG leader Bob Smith.
Nippon Steel of Japan has offered to buy U.S. Steel, which is opposed by the United Steel Workers Union, the Sierra Club (National), and some politicians. Nippon Steel is promising a $1.4 billion investment in union facilities. Environmentalists worry that Nippon Steel plans to use investments to extend the life of the most polluting parts of a steel mill, leaving no doubt that the company is not acting on behalf of the climate or accounting for public health. Cleveland Cliffs' recent investments in their own plants include installing new, less polluting technology. Therefore, environmentalists would prefer a Cleveland Cliffs takeover.
FOREST & CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
The goal of the Forest and Conservation Committee is to ensure a healthy environment for all species, including protecting the forests (both wild and urban) of southwest Pennsylvania. This broad goal includes keeping an eye on development projects, which have the potential to harm our air, water, human communities and ecosystems, such as our diverse forests. For example, the group petitioned Allegheny County to deny a proposed development that would decimate an important wildlife corridor in the heart of Pittsburgh's urban forests, which has now been delayed for debate. The group also fought against a proposed development on the outskirts of Murrysville, that would not only require clearcutting a vast forest, but would also threaten the headwaters of Steele Run, which feeds into Turtle Creek. Sadly, this proposal was eventually approved by the town council, but ALG plans to find other avenues to stop the project. The group’s upcoming activities include looking into effects of the Shell cracker plant in Potter Township as well as existing and proposed fracking projects.
POLITICAL COMMITTEE
The political committee of the Allegheny Group is 13 members strong. There are new members and well-seasoned members whose years of experience and expertise are highly valued. This year ALG endorsed a record 19 "environmental champions" ranging from incumbent congress members and Pennsylvania (PA) Senate challengers to PA House seasoned incumbents along with newbies to the political scene. ALG members are very active in the questionnaire and interview process. In addition, this year they are sending postcards, participating in door-knocking and donating time whenever possible to help our endorsees. In addition, emails are sent to all ALG members informing them of our endorsed candidates and how the community can help to support them.
The political committee has been working hard to endorse candidates who care about climate change and will support bills like Energy Efficient Appliance Standards, Solar for Schools, Community Solar, and Offshore Wind (for Lake Erie). All of these bills passed the Pennsylvania House, but only one (Solar for Schools) passed the Senate and was then signed into law during the budget negotiation process. In addition to those four bills, the Governor has proposed a comprehensive plan to address the climate crisis called PRESS/PACER. PRESS would require utilities to obtain 35% renewable clean energy by 2035. More specifically, we need to add three more climate champions/environmental advocates in the PA Senate to be able to pass legislation like this.
HUPLITS GRANTS
The Allegheny Group is one of five environmental organizations across Pennsylvania chosen by the Huplits family to manage grants from the Huplits Family Trust, established in 2003 from the Estate of Myrtle and Woodman Huplits of Philadelphia. Under the revised guidelines established by the Huplits Grants Committee, the purpose of these grants has been expanded beyond protecting wildlife and habitat in Pennsylvania to include any project consistent with the Sierra Club's mission.
The Huplits Fund, overseen by the Allegheny Group and Sierra Club Foundation, has granted over one million dollars since its start! All organizations seeking funds must submit a completed Application Form with the appropriate accompanying documents.
EVENTS AND OUTINGS
The goal of the outings committee is to inform and educate the public about the environmental issues the Sierra Club is working on and to provide guided outings into nature. The first is achieved through tabling at different events throughout southwest Pennsylvania, such as town festivals and movie showings. An added benefit of these events is recruiting more members and volunteers. (There was a membership committee in the past, but right now only its basic needs are being met through the outings committee.)
A second goal of the outings committee is getting more people out into nature, regardless of the activity or location, which serves to increase society's access to the outdoors and deepen our connection to the natural world. The chair of this committee, Kara Kukovich, is also a trained Outings Leader, who has led hiking and stream monitoring outings and has assisted the Erie Sierra Club group in providing outings in their region.
Volunteers Angela Wateska and Ellen Wright contribute by handling orders, packaging, and mailing hiking guidebooks and patches to customers, which generates about $1,500/yr. in revenue that the Allegheny Group uses for administration and programs.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Kudos to all ALG leaders for serving the needs of this large group, even through difficult times. In January of this year, ALG lost one of its most valuable leaders, Chris Shepard. Chris also acted as a Chapter leader and served on the Sierra Club Council of Leaders. Click here to read the blog post to learn more about Chris' contributions.
ALG leaders have since regrouped to serve the needs of its members and continue Sierra Club's mission in southwest Pennsylvania. They are:
Sr. Barbara Finch, co-chair; Equity-Inclusion-Justice Issues
Fred Kraybill, co-chair; political co-chair; alternate chapter delegate
Peggy Hoover, political co-chair
Kara Kukovich, secretary, chapter delegate, conservation, programs and outings
Robert Smith, treasurer, Huplits Grants coordinator
Ryan Rauch
John Stolz
(Chapter Director Tom Schuster, himself a member of ALG, serves in an advisory capacity.)
NOTE- The Allegheny Group includes the following counties in southwest Pennsylvania: Allegheny, Washington, Greene, Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland, Cambria, Indiana, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clarion, Lawrence and Mercer.
This blog was included as part of the October 2024 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!