Letter to the editor: Pittsburgh's air must be improved

Pittsburgh’s air

As someone who just moved to Pittsburgh, I was shocked to discover the gruesome facts surrounding air quality. One out of every three days has unhealthy air quality. The area has become unhealthy to live in.

You, your family and your neighbors can play a role in paving the path toward clean air by making sure we have clean-air champions in local government.

In the last year, Dr. Karen Hacker, who recently resigned as director of the Allegheny County Health Department, worked hard to address one of the largest air polluters — U.S. Steel — leading to a record fine that is holding the company accountable for its actions and violations.

This position is now open and ready to host someone who will continue to work with the community in order to improve the air and living quality of the Pittsburgh region.

Pittsburgh has so many wonderful things to offer its current and future citizens; however, people are going to take their education and children elsewhere if and when they learn the shocking air-quality details that I did.

Rena Fennell

Cranberry Township

The writer is a junior at Duquesne University studying political and environmental science and communications.