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Radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers in the US. Protect PT offers a no-cost radon monitoring program so residents can discover their radon levels and take action to mitigate if needed. Radon What is Radon and Why Does it Matter? Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in the United States for non-smokers. Lung cancer is usually not discovered until its later stages, and radon-induced lung cancer kills an estimated 21,800 people every year. Radon is a radioactive element that is a product of uranium decay. It is an invisible, odorless gas found naturally in rocks and soils that rises to the surface to be released. Radon gas can enter your home through cracks in the foundation and become trapped, accumulating over time. The levels of radon can vary from house to house. Pennsylvania is estimated to have some of the highest radon levels in the world - an estimated 40% of PA homes have radon levels above Environmental Protection Agency's action guideline of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). A pCi is a unit of measurement for the rate of radon’s radioactive decay over time. The average radon level in a Pennsylvania basement is 7.0 pCi/L while the average of first floors in PA is 3.5 pCi/L. The EPA strongly advises homeowners to mitigate radon at 4 pCi/L. However, it is recommended to take action for 2 - 4 pCi/L because, as scientists have supported, there is not a truly safe level of radon to remain in a building. Sign up for Radon Monitoring Protect PT's Radon Air Monitoring Program (RAMP) Radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers in the US. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, making it undetectable without proper testing equipment. You can now participate in free radon testing through Protect PT’s Radon Air Monitoring Program (RAMP)! EcoQube Lending Within our service area, you can borrow a high quality, consumer grade radon monitor called an EcoQube. With the EcoQube app, participants can check their radon levels in real time, see average radon levels, and save the results for future reference. EcoQube testing lasts 30 days. RadonEye Pro Monitoring Near our homebase in Harrison City, PA, we offer radon tests with a professional grade radon monitor called a RadonEye Pro. DEP certified Protect PT staff install and retrieve the monitor, and provide a report of the test results. RadonEye testing lasts 14 days. Both monitors are about the size of a soup can, plug into a standard power outlet and connect to wifi. They sit quietly on a flat surface collecting data. If high levels of radon are found , Protect PT will provide you with resources for how you can get a mitigation system for your home and discuss a plan for a follow-up monitoring. Read this guide from ROCIS to learn how to hire a mitigation contractor in Pennsylvania. Donate to Support Radon Monitoring To learn more about Radon and Air Quality, Sign up for a Home Resource Guide Workshop Sign up for Radon Monitoring

Protect PT has drafted a model ordinance and submitted it to the Penn Township Commissioners for enactment to better protect residents from unconventional shale gas development, also known as fracking. If you are a Penn Township resident, sign our petition now to demand better protections for residents. Penn Township Ordinance Advocacy Penn Township is in the midst of a "Comprehensive Rezoning" of the entire municipality. Make sure that any changes that are made are in your family's best interest. Fracking The process of fracking leaves a clear, negative impact on residents living in its proximity. In addition to producing air, noise, and light pollution, emergency incidents can be catastrophic for environmental and human health. These effects are no secret, and can also lead to lower property values for residents living in proximity to a well pad. We're asking our municipal leaders to protect residents' health and property by: Increasing setback provisions from 600 to 2,500 feet; Developing a ten-year plan for future proposed development with gas wells at issue; Conducting adequate studies and documentation of the proposed 10-year plan and its impacts; Obtaining bonding and insurance in a minimum of 25 million dollars in the event of accidents involving people and property; Specifying fines and penalties for failure to comply with the Ordinance. Learn more about the impacts of fracking and how to make change by viewing our facts sheet below. 1/2 Get your FREE yard sign 1/2 Data Centers The data center boom has begun sweeping through Southwestern Pennsylvania, and without the proper precautions, municipal leaders have been left scrambling for adequate protections. Currently, Penn Township has no Ordinance regulating data centers. Unless the use is clearly defined and regulated as to where it can be located within a municipality, a developer could place a data center wherever they want. Without adequate protections, residents could be subject to : Increased electricity costs; Expanded fracking operations; High water usage; Noise pollution; Air pollution; Heat islands; Among other negative health impacts. Learn more about the impacts of data centers and how to make change by viewing our facts sheet below. Clean water right at our tap and clean air all around us, that’s what each of our families, across races and places, deserves. Join us to advocate for an ordinance that will protect our health and our community in Penn Township for generations to come. To learn more, call or email us: info @protectpt.org 724-392-7023 TAKE ACTION! ADVOCACY LETTER

Complete our form to sign up to volunteer with us! Volunteer We can't do this alone! Community service is a great way to help others and improve the community. Protect PT works to empower residents to become informed and involved in current local events to promote a more viable and communal future. If you are a socially and environmentally conscious person who has a positive attitude, flexibility, enthusiasm, and a passion for helping others and the community, please join us by volunteering your time. Young volunteers can gain skills and experience to include on their resume and college applications. SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER Pictured from left to right: Volunteers, Dan and Kevin, having fun at our 9 Year Anniversary Party!

Protect PT advocates for the constitutional rights of Pennsylvania residents to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. Legal Advocacy Our Legal Advocacy in Southwest PA Protect PT advocates for the constitutional rights of Pennsylvania residents to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. Members participate in appeals to public officials and government agencies charged with protecting your health and environmental rights. Find more information about each case below. Support our Legal Work Municipality Assistance Protect PT has assisted numerous municipalities in suggesting protective ordinance language covering activities that have been known to harm human health and the environment, including: Injection wells Data Centers Unconventional well pads Noise Also covering truck routes, lighting, landscaping, and other important considerations where industrial development is proposed. For residents who want more information on how they can advocate to protect their community from these types of activities, email our Community Advocate Jim Cirilano: james@protectpt.org or call 724-392-7023 . Drakulic Well Pad Drill and Operate Permits: Apex Energy, LLC, since acquired by CNX Resources, by its subsidiary WCAA Upstream, LLC (WCAA), obtained special exception zoning permits for a total of 7 well pads in Penn Township. Drakulic is one of those well pads and is located on 1st Street in Penn Township, adjacent to Trafford PA. Apex initially applied for the D&O permits in 2021, but because the permits expire in one year if drilling does not occur, those first permits expired and Apex was required to refile its application. Protect PT had appealed the second set of permits. The Environmental Hearing Board (EHB), the adjudicative body that hears appeals from permits granted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP), held hearings in January of 2025 on the PA DEP’s issuance of drilling and operating permits for fracking wells by WCAA at the Drakulic Well Pad. Protect PT objected to well permits for Apex's 1H and 7H wells. The EHB rendered its decision in June and upheld the issuance of the permits by the DEP, however the hearing board amended the permits to include conditions on the well pad that WCAA (formerly Apex) had agreed to in a Consent Judgment that it had entered into with Penn Township in 2016. Protect PT appealed the EHB’s decision to uphold the issuance of the permits to the Commonwealth Court. WCAA appealed the EHB’s amendments to the permit requiring compliance with the provisions contained in the Consent Judgment. Since these appeals were filed, the permits granted by the PA DEP for the 1H and 7H wells have expired. No drilling is currently allowed at the Drakulic site. Due to this, Protect PT has dismissed its appeal and believes that the appeal by WCAA is now moot. Our Press Release EHB Docket 2025 Adjudication 2016 Consent Judgement Sedat 4A Injection Well Residents Prevail in Plum, Blocking Penneco’s Hazardous Fracking Waste Injection Well! Our Press Release On September 23, 2024, the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County issued an order that returned the Sedat 4a injection well permit back to the Plum Borough Zoning Hearing Board. The Court ordered the Zoning Hearing Board to clarify its original Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law. The Commonwealth Court explained in its opinion that the Zoning Hearing Board was free to deny the injection well permit, if it found that Penneco did not meet the required standards. The Zoning Hearing Board had the option to draw its conclusions from the transcript of original hearing held in 2022, or to conduct another hearing on the matter. The Board decided to conduct another hearing, which took place in March of 2025. In June of 2025, the Board voted unanimously to deny Penneco's application for a special exception and Penneco's application for a variance. Penneco appealed this decision in July of 2025 and Protect PT has intervened in the appeal. This appeal is currently in front of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Additional Documents Judges Order 1.29.24 Order of Court 9.23.24 Learn More about the Plum Injection Well Guardian Compressor Station In January 2024, Olympus, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Hyperion Midstream (Hyperion) filed for a Special Exception zoning permit for the Guardian Compressor Station (Guardian). Guardian is located between the Aphrodite pad and the Poseidon pad, between Pleasant Valley Road and Ramalley Road, near the Valley Landfill. A compressor station is associated with pipelines for the produced gas. It compresses the gas for transmission through the pipeline. Protect PT challenged the Special Exception zoning permit application before Penn Township’s Zoning Hearing Board. The hearings were held one night a month, over the course of nine months. The Zoning Hearing Board granted the permit and we have now appealed that decision to the Common Pleas Court, Westmoreland County, Judge Smail. Olympus challenged Protect PT’s right to bring the appeal, based on standing. In order to bring legal action, an individual or group must have personal stake or involvement in a particular issue and the result of a decision about that issue must have the potential to impact them in a significant way. Olympus is challenging whether we have a member who will be sufficiently impacted by this decision for our case to go forward. Judge Smail denied Protect PT's argument that we have standing. Protect PT has appealed this decision to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. Pictured: June 2024's packed Compressor Station Hearing with our Environmental Consultant, Makenzie White, as an Expert Witness. Pictured from left to right: Community Advocate, Jim Cirilano and Protect PT's attorney Lisa Johnson, Esq. at the April 2024 Compressor Station Hearing Pictured: Our Environmental Consultant, Makenzie White, serving as an expert witness at the June Compressor Station Hearing. Slickville Pipeline Protect PT along with Three Rivers Waterkeeper, in a joint appeal to the Environmental Hearing Board are challenging the DEP’s grant of a permit for a produced waste pipeline to CNX Midstream that would traverse and imperil 48 wetlands, 43 streams, and two ponds, in the area around Slickville, Pennsylvania. We have filed our appeal and are now in the discovery stage of the proceedings. Aphrodite Well Pad The Well Pad Placement: Olympus had applied for the Aphrodite Well Pad in January 2022 and the hearings concluded in June, 2022, findings of fact and conclusions of law were issued in August 2022 and the Aphrodite pad was granted the permit by Penn Township. Olympus then applied to the DEP for an erosion and sedimentation permit. Protect PT objected, pointing out to the DEP that the proposed pad interfered with an intermittent stream. Olympus then moved the pad to avoid the stream, and applied to Penn Township for a land disturbance agreement. Protect PT appealed this to the Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County, arguing that Olympus could not change the location of the well pad without another hearing before the Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB). The matter was heard by Judge Smail and he ruled against Protect PT. This matter is on appeal to the Commonwealth Court, briefing and oral argument are complete and we are awaiting a decision. The OG71b Permit: In order to obtain an approval to process waste through an OG71b, it must be based on a processing system that is currently in place and approved through an existing OG71a. There also must not be any violations associated with the original OG71a that the proposed OG71b is based on. The first Aphrodite OG71b was derived from a waste approval granted to the Olympus Calliope well pad. The Calliope disposal approval had numerous violations, however, which would void any potential OG71b for Aphrodite. Olympus then applied for an OG71b based on a prior waste processing approval granted to the Olympus Metis well pad. Olympus claimed the Metis waste processing approval is substantially different from Calliope’s. Protect PT granted the dismissal as to the Calliope derived approval and now challenges the grant based on the Metis approval. Draftina Well Pad Expiration of the Special Exception Approval: Apex obtained a special exception zoning permit from Penn Township as part of the Federal Court action, which resulted in a Consent Order and Apex receiving special exception zoning permits for the well pads called Draftina, Drakulic, and Beattie in 2016. The special exception zoning permits, by the terms of the Penn Township Ordinance, expire, without notice, after two years if there is not substantial completion of the proposed use. In March 2024, Apex and the township entered into a Land Disturbance Agreement whereby Apex proposed to begin the development of the Draftina well pad. This would mean that the development was only beginning nearly eight years after the issuance of the special exception zoning permit. Protect PT appealed the Land Disturbance Agreement to the Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County. Attorney John Smith of the firm Smith Butz represents Protect PT in this matter. The case has been fully briefed and argued and we are awaiting a decision. Drill and Operate Permit Appeal: Protect PT has also appealed the DEP’s issuance of Drill and Operate permits for Draftina. Protect PT is objecting to well permits for Apex's 2H, 3H, 4H, 7H, 9H, 11H, and 13H wells because these wells are close to sensitive public gathering places, the permits do not consider the cumulative impact of nearby wells and compressor stations, the permits do not consider federal New Source Performance Standard regulations on air emissions, the permits include an exemption from hazardous and radioactive pollutants, which violates the Environmental Rights Amendment, and the permits do not restrict PFAS and PFOAS contamination. One of the wells also drills under Turtle Creek and could pollute this critical public waterway. For additional updates on our legal work, visit our blog page or contact our Community Advocate, Jim Cirilano. Support Our Work

Protect PT's home base, Penn Township, has had significant levels of unconventional oil and gas development in the past decade, including over ten proposed well pads and two compressor stations. View our Penn Township initiatives below to learn more about our work in PT. Penn Township Advocacy Penn Township, home to Protect PT's Environmental Education Center, is currently engaged in a "comprehensive rezoning" of the entire municipality. This involves changing the map's zoning districts, creating new zones, and adding new defined uses, such as "Truck Stops" and "Solar Farms". One use that has remained absent from the list of defined uses is "Data Centers". Most people are aware that new data centers are being proposed throughout Western Pennsylvania. Unless a use is defined and regulated within a municipality, a developer could place new development wherever is most convenient. That's why Protect PT is pressuring Penn township to include "Data Centers" in their new ordinance, and to restrict their placement in the township to the "Heavy Industrial" Zone. Important Upcoming Dates Expected Voting Meeting - Final Draft of the Ordinance June 2nd, most likely at 6:30 Recent News Find Infrastructure Near You Penn Township is the site of 7 permitted well pads, many of which are in close proximity to residential neighborhoods, schools, and healthcare facilities. Find out what infrastructure is closest to you using our interactive fracking map (left). EQT Industrial Complex Penn Township is home to the EQT Industrial Complex: A collection of fracking infrastructure composed of the Poseidon 8M and Aphrodite 3M well pads, as well as the Guardian Compressor Station. Stay in the know, and report any environmental concerns or noise complaints! LEARN MORE Penn Township Ordinance Protect PT has drafted a model ordinance and submitted it to the Penn Township Commissioners for enactment to better protect residents from unconventional shale gas development, also known as fracking. If you are a Penn Township resident, sign our petition now to demand better protections for residents. LEARN MORE Legal Advocacy Protect PT's legal advocacy program is designed to hold the oil and gas industry and government agencies accountable to the environmental and health impacts from fossil fuel development. Currently, we have several ongoing cases regarding proposed infrastructure here in Penn Township. LEARN MORE Level Green/Lyons Run Pipeline The Level Green and Lyons Run Pipeline, proposed by Apex WML Midstream LLC would transport unprocessed, fracked gas from the proposed Drakulic Well Pad through Level Green and Murrysville. The proposed pipeline measures 8" in diameter. LEARN MORE

Protect Beaver Run Reservoir! Well Pads like the Dearmitt pad are often less than 1,000 feet from the waters edge. Other infastructure remais dangerously close to the water as well. Learn if your public water comes from Beaver Run and read about the progress we've made on protecting your water. Beaver Run Reservoir Where does your water come from? What can we do? Beaver Run Reservoir is a critical water supply for 150,000 people. Even still, MAWC has allowed fracking companies to withdraw water from Beaver run during drought, putting residents' water supply at risk. Do you receive your water from Beaver Run? Help Protect PT remind the Westmoreland Commissioners of their duty to Make Every Drop Count and restrict fracking withdrawals during drought! Sign our petition! Find out Sign ............................................................ Upcoming Actions Events ............................................................ Watch our Presentation Help support Protect PT's work around the Beaver Run Reservoir. With your support, we will be able to continue working to protect your right to clean air and water. Donate Here! Protecting Our Precious Resources: For over a decade, fracking has been active around the Beaver Run Reservoir by CNX. Fracking companies use an enormous amount of water to frack a single well and this water is so contaminated it can no longer be used for human consumption. Click here to get updates About Beaver Run Located in Westmoreland County, Beaver Run is a public water source for 150,000 people in the 39 surrounding townships. More than 50 wells are located near the reservoir. Many of the well pads are less than 1,000 feet from the water's edge, yet a large portion of the scientific community agrees that half-a-mile is the bare minimum when working near drinking supplies. In early 2019, drilling complications at one of CNX's deep gas wells resulted in pressure spiking at nearby shallow wells. Nine shallow wells were continuously flared for days to receive pressure. Authorities claimed there were no impacts on the environment or nearby community, but air monitoring showed elevated levels of Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide, and Sulfur Dioxide. Infrastructure Near the Beaver Run Reservoir Water & Air Quality Our Technical Water Report Our Air Report More about water in Westmoreland Co. There are more than 50 wells near the reservoir with many less than 1,000 feet from the water's edge. Photo provided by Bob Donnan

The communities of the Turtle Creek watershed and airshed have come together to demand sustainable change to protect the interconnected water and airsheds that encompass these connected communities. There are over 30 municipalities that are touched by these networks of creeks, rivers, and traveling air pathways. Meetings began in December 2019 to explore options for sustainable community development actions based on what people of the community wanted to see done. ReImagine TCWAC What Is Reimagine TCWAC? The communities of the Turtle Creek watershed and airshed have come together to demand sustainable change to protect the interconnected water and airsheds that encompass these connected communities. There are over 30 municipalities that are touched by these networks of creeks, rivers, and traveling air pathways. Meetings began in December 2019 to explore options for sustainable community development actions based on what people of the community wanted to see done. Protect PT is a fiscal sponsor of Reimagine TCWAC. TCWAC Website Vision Re-Imagine Turtle Creek Watershed and Airshed Communities Plus (TCWAC+) is a community-led initiative to envision and implement sustainable community and economic development for the TCWAC and beyond. The counties of eastern Allegheny and western Westmoreland, in which the communities reside, are focusing on sustainability tactics for Human Health and Wellness, Land Management, Renewable Energy and Green Infrastructure, Urban Agriculture, and Single-Use Plastics Diversion. By looking within ourselves and working to improve our relationship with the earth, we will improve the greater Western PA Watershed and Airshed region. “Healing and coming back to the balance of the air and the people that live within it,” as Moni Wesner commented, is the future we see and are building ahead. Communities of the Turtle Creek Watershed Although TCWAC+'s scope reaches the majority of SWPA, the Turtle Creek Watershed is the heart of our sustainable development efforts. The watershed makes up the suburbs east of Pittsburgh in east Allegheny County and west Westmoreland county. It reaches 32 municipalities (listed below) and over 320,000 individuals of all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. In creation of TCWAC+, we organized around the watershed and airshed in recognition of how our actions are interconnected by geological features, not political lines. How we treat the air and water affects everyone downwind and downstream. Adamsburg Borough Braddock Hills Borough Chalfant Borough Churchill Borough City of Greensburg City of Jeannette Delmont Borough East Pittsburgh Borough Export Borough Forest Hills Borough Hempfield Township Irwin Borough Manor Borough McKeesport Borough Municipality of Monroeville Municipality of Murrysville Municipality of Penn Hills North Braddock Borough North Huntingdon Borough North Irwin Borough North Versailles Borough Penn Township Pitcairn Borough Plum Borough Salem Township Trafford Borough Turtle Creek Borough Wall Borough Washington Township Wilkins Township Wilkinsburg Wilmerding Photo by Bob Donnan

Learn about the vast amount of waste the oil and gas industry produces. Why is Oil and Gas Waste a Big Issue? Unconventional oil and gas development (fracking) produces vast amounts of waste. This waste comes in the form of brine and drill cuttings, both brought up from deep shale layers that can contain high amounts of uranium. Despite the potential presence of radioactivity, this waste is classified as residual waste and permitted to be disposed of in landfills and injection wells. This waste is often transported by trucks or barged. Oil and gas waste creates serious health concerns for residents living near sites that accept this waste as well as potential contamination from spills and accidents during transportation. Oil and Gas Waste Disposal Methods Municipal Landfills - Leachate Injection Wells Road Spreading What is an Injection Well? Leachate is the result of rainwater and moisture seeping through waste at a landfill and leaching chemicals, organic matter, and other particles from the waste. When landfills accept oil and gas waste, radioactive constituents can contaminate the leachate. However, the leachate is classified as residual waste at the landfill and sewage treatment plants. It is not treated for potential radioactive materials, leaving concerns that discharged treated water could be polluting rivers and streams. Learn more about the hazards of leachate and how Protect PT is advocating for residents who have been impacted more than 10 years on our leachate page. Learn More About Leachate What is leachate? What is Leachate? Download the Poster Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill This landfill produces significant health and environmental impacts to nearby residents in Rostraver, Monessen, and Belle Vernon. Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill (WSL) has been the subject of three Consent Decrees with the DEP in the past three years. The latest decree dealt specifically with the leachate problem that exists at the landfill. Learn More about WSL Stop the Plum Injection Well What is an Injection Well? Injection wells are often the last stop for fracking waste. These are the most dangerous kind of well to live nearby, as they can result in contaminated well water, contaminated aquifers, and even seismic activity. The premise of injection wells that the fracking industry tries to sell the public on is that, once the wastewater is injected underground, it stays put - as if something swept under a rug will not have to be dealt with sooner or later. The issue is that underground systems are all hydrologically connected. Fluids migrate underground, and can make their way back to the surface. Furthermore, injection wells are often made from old conventional wells, which were not designed to handle the kind of pressure an injection well must endure. Casing failures are common, and result in disastrous consequences for anyone nearby who relies on well water. They can even contaminate nearby gas production wells . Protect PT's Work with Injection Wells Protect PT is fighting against the apparently-illegal expansion of the Sedat injection well site, and helped defeat the Higinbotham well in Fayette County in 2023. The Higinbotham well risked communicating with a network of abandoned gas wells and abandoned coal mines that ran under the course of the Monongahela River, upriver of the drinking water of 25 million people. Following this, Fayette County passed state-of-the-art regulations on injection wells that should prevent projects like this going forward in the future in such risky locations. Contact us if you want our help pushing for similar protections in your own community. Learn more about the Plum IW Contact Us Protect PT Members discussing our work around the Plum Injection Well. What is Road Spreading? Did you know that the gas industry spreads their radioactive waste on our roads? Protect PT's Environmental Policy Advocate Tom Pike Testifying before the PA State House Energy Committee regarding the practice of road spreading. Due to a creative interpretation of State regulations, the conventional gas industry exploits a loophole that allows them to sell their waste to municipalities for use as a de-icer and dust suppressant. Gas waste has been shown to be ineffective at both of these tasks, as compared to commercial products, but some rural municipalities buy it anyway because it is cheaper. They should consider why it is cheaper: it is someone else’s garbage. Road spreading is extraordinarily dangerous to human health. The process of gas drilling brings radioactive material from underground to the surface. These are known as TENORMs, or technologically-enhanced naturally-occurring radioactive materials. What are TENORMS? Radon , which decays much faster than some of the other TENORMs, but is still the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Radium 226 , which has a half-life of 1600 years. To give you an idea of how long this will linger, if the Romans had disposed of gas industry waste on their roads, Italians would still be breathing in radium 226 today. Uranium 238 , which has a 4.5 billion year half life. To give you an idea of how long that lingers, 4.5 billion years ago, the earth was formed. Thorium 232 , with a half-life of 14 billion years. The universe is 13.7 billion years old. When the industry takes these chemicals out of the ground and puts them on roads, they’re going to stay with us for a very long time. It would be cheaper for anyone to dispose of their waste by dumping it in the roads, but when residents do that, they are fined. The same standards should apply to heavy industry. Protect PT and our allies, including Earthworks and Better Path Coalition, achieved major wins against road spreading in 2024. Gas industry brine was removed as a legitimate co-product category from the DEP’s waste reporting system. What that means is that it will become harder for the industry to get away with road spreading of waste. We also provided data and testimony to legislators which resulted in a bill that would ban the road spreading of waste definitively , and enforce violations with fines. Support Our Work

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Sustainability While Protect PT has primarily focused our efforts towards preventing unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) in Westmoreland and Allegheny Counties, we also aim to facilitate and develop alternative sustainable energy solutions within our communities. This dual-sided approach is represented by Promote PT, signifying our wish to not just protect our communities but promote a better future for them. 01 Re-Imagine Turtle Creek Watershed and Airshed Communities (TCWAC) The communities of the Turtle Creek watershed and airshed have come together to demand sustainable change to protect the interconnected water and airsheds that encompass these connected communities. LEARN MORE 02 Promote PT While Protect PT has primarily focused our efforts towards preventing unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD), we also aim to facilitate and develop alternative sustainable energy solutions within our communities. This dual-sided approach is represented by Promote PT, signifying our wish to not just protect our communities but promote a better future for them. 03 Municipal Sustainability Project Small towns and rural communities throughout the United States are looking for ways to strengthen their economies, provide better quality of life, and build on local assets. LEARN MORE SUPPORT OUR WORK

Protect PT is conducting air monitoring for our Clean Air for All (CAFA) study, beginning in late 2024 through 2027. This project focuses on communities in Westmoreland and Allegheny Counties that are likely impacted by air pollution emitted from three local facilities. Clean Air For All (CAFA) Air Monitoring Plan Protect PT is conducting air monitoring for our Clean Air for All (CAFA) study, beginning in late 2024 through 2027. This project focuses on communities in Westmoreland and Allegheny Counties that are likely impacted by air pollution emitted from the following facilities: Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill Monessen Coke Works a.k.a. Cleveland Cliffs Plum Injection Well a.k.a. Sedat Injection Well a.k.a. Penneco Injection Well. Each monitoring site hosts a particulate matter (PM) air monitor, which will collect data for approximately 2 years to account for variables in weather patterns and industrial activity. In addition to the PM air monitors, the study is also utilizing one Summa canister and SPod deployment systems around each of the three facilities to collect information on volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This is so the best air samples can be captured. The Summa canister — a specialized metal canister that collects a single sample of air — will be triggered by the SPod during high pollution events. Our goal with the SUMMA canister is to determine what kind of VOCs are present at the time of a pollution event and determine how much of each pollutant is present. There are no commercially available VOC monitors on the market, which makes measuring them extremely difficult. And because some VOCs are naturally occurring while others are not and have serious health impacts, it's important to determine what specific pollutants are present in what quantity. Shown: 2 of 3 monitoring sites in Monessen and Belle Vernon Shown: Monitoring area in Plum Equipment We're Using Pictured: SPod Pictured: Particulate Matter Monitor (Purple Air) Pictured: Summa Cannister Community Engagement To keep the community informed on the progression of this study and its findings, Protect PT will hold an annual resident meeting to go over the data we've collected and break down the most important information. To see if we have an upcoming meeting, please go to our events page. To request past community reports, please complete the form linked below. Events Report Request Form Have any questions? Contact Us

We offer mentorship and guidance to individuals or groups that want to work toward social change in their community and fiscal scholarship to groups/individuals applying for grant funding. Communities United Mentorship Project Mentorship Pollution is a detriment to our quality of life as humans and knows no boundaries. We strive to help individuals and other communities who are facing similar issues by providing educational support, sharing of resources, and mentorship to ensure that others maintain or obtain clean and health communities. We strive to be of service t o other communities in the Southwestern Pennsylv ania region to help them better protect themselves from unconventional gas development and its associated infrastructure. In order to serve other communities, we are offering mentorship and guidance to individuals or groups that want to work toward social change in their community. We can discuss with other community members how to organize groups, participate in the local process and educate, engage, and empower their own communities for social change. We will also direct groups to other organizations in our network that can help them achieve their goals. Grantee Resources Reimbursement Form Groups Fiscally Sponsored: Some of the current and past groups participating in the mentorship program include Rostraver Residents, CROWD, Better Path Coalition & PA Climate Convergence, Freshwater Accountability Project, Ohio Valley Environmental Alliance, Mariner East Organizers, Cyclone Residents, and Friends of Murrysville Parks. Fiscal Sponsorship We offer fiscal sponsorship to groups or individuals that want to apply for grant funding for their organizing efforts but do not have 501(c)3 nonprofit status. Click here to fill out the Application for Fiscal Sponsorship Form . Once you have completed and submitted the form, we will discuss your application with our Board and let you know of their decision. Any additional paperwork you can provide to help the Board make their decision on funding your group can be sent to gillian@protectpt.org . Apply for Fiscal Sponsorship Today! FAQs What is fiscal sponsorship? A Fiscal Sponsorship is a formal arrangement in which a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization sponsors a group or a project that lacks exempt status. This allows the group to seek grants and solicit tax-deductible donations under the sponsor's tax-exempt status. What are the advantages of having a fiscal sponsorship? Having a fiscal sponsor can be more efficient for small groups that do not have manpower or time to handle all the paperwork necessary for a 501(c)3. Groups that have sponsorship can focus more on fulfilling their mission and engaging with their community. Partnering with a fiscal sponsor can help groups gain more funding. What does a fiscal sponsorship cost? Fiscal sponsors have different costs. Some charge as little as 2 percent, while others charge around 10 percent of gross profits. Do you need an attorney? Fiscal Sponsorship Agreements involve written contracts. You should always ask your sponsor questions if you do not understand part of the contract. If you are still unsure what you are getting into, it would be advisable to have an attorney read it through. Support Our Work