EPA HEARINGS- Pittsburgh, PA 7/31/2014 11:20a.m. Federal Bldg., Rm 1310
Barbara Lee Pace 44 Courtney Street Pittsburgh, PA 15202 barbleepace@gmail.com
Ivalue your efforts to conductthese hearings specifically in these regions where a lot ofthe pollution is being generated that is effecting everybody's health. Not just in these United States- but globally. I have tried to research and discover exactly whatthe differences are between your peers atthe Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Environmental Protection, and our Allegheny County Department of Health. There appears to be so many over lapping responsibilities and lack ofaccountability. Our "Clean WaterAction" committee members have repeatedly questioned all the aforementioned agencies asking who can accomplish enforcements to make all ofour air, water and land free of carcinogens.
I am the daughter, sister, niece of local ironworkers. Myfather and brother worked on erectingthe power plant in Beaver County. My efforts to obtain a clean environment have caused me totake verbal abuse from those, who do not truly understand the long term costs on our health. Our group was formerly called "Neville Island Good Neighbor". We are in the process offinding and changing our name to represent more accurately -who and what we are about. Shenango Chemical resides on Neville Island. They are owned and operated by DTE based in Detroit. Our committee believes that Shenango has blankly ignored the clean air guidelines and would rather pay the fines than operate underthe letter ofthe law. A lot of recent research has discovered- even the laws we currently have passed are not enforced or even strong enough as currently written -to reach the goals ofgood health forthe entire planet.
Most ofour energies as "Clean Water" members (formerlycalled "Neville Island Good Neighbors" were spenttryingto negotiate less pollution being emitted from Shenangos' smoke stacks on Neville Island. They did avery goodjob ofcourting
us for close totwo years. They fed us, metwith us regularly- butthe improvementswere not coming along atthe pace we were desiring. They spent thousands ofdollars flying in representatives from Texas and Detroit. Monies that should have been spent on their quench towers. As their personnel kept changing over the two years, we found it of interest that none ofthe plantmanagers were living in the vicinity oftheir place ofemployment. Often they had theirfamilies residing in adjoining counties ofAllegheny. We finally refused to be used as pawns anymore and no longer are meeting with Shenango. They proved 

### NOT to be "good neighbors!" Sadly, even our meetings with our local Allegheny County Health Departmentfelt like our concerns were not being met. When large community meetings were set up many ofthe residences leftangry and frustrated. Their comments were 1) "we didn't need slide presentations on howa coke plant works"

... 2) "Ifwe breakthe lawwhile driving- we Jose ourdriver's license- why is Shenango still paying fines and there is no accountabilityforfoul actions"? Mustwe have a "Three Mile Island" catastrophe, a "Love Canal" disaster, to warrant enough publicityto getthe agencies that have "Protection" and "Health" in their given names -to see the results we can all live with? Will big industry seeking profits atthe expense ofour health- ALWAYS have more power over you and our elected politiciansthwartingall our efforts? What can we little people doto effectively produce changes in our environment? We write letters, we meet with politicians, we attend hearings, we vote. What will you dowith all these commentsfrom these various cities you have been listeningtoo? Possibly, some ofyou can remember when Pete Seeger sang some ofthe music Woodie Guthrie composed. "Pittsburgh is a Smoky Old Town" and "This Land is Our Land". We might not have darkskies in ourafternoons as we did in the 40's/SO's; butthese invisible cancer causing pollutants are just as compromisingto ourexistence.
THANK YOU for listening. Please care enough to doyour best to make changes for the current and future health of us all!