Residents of Beaver County will be able to have their voices heard this week as one local commission opens the comment period for infrastructure projects in the area.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) has announced that they will hold a virtual meeting for county residents to have their comments heard on local transportation and infrastructure improvement projects at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Residents can access the meeting at https://www.spcregion.org/events/public-participation-panel-beaver-county/ during the scheduled time to offer their feedback.

The comment period, which is a part of the region’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, will serve as a way to gain residents’ input and adjust certain parts of the $35 billion infrastructure plan that will continue to make changes to some of the plans for Beaver County’s roadways.

The SPC has held similar events over the past year as well, offering some suggestions for local projects and transportation improvements.

If residents are unable to attend the meeting but still wish to provide opinions, the SPC is inviting the public to comment on potential infrastructure issues in writing from May 11 to June 9. According to the organization, comments can be summited via email at comments@spcregion.org, completing an online form on their website, faxing their opinions to 412-391-9160 or by mailing comments to Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s address at PO Box 101429, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.

View the full article at timesonline.com

Just ahead of Earth Day, state officials said Pennsylvania will use federal money to tackle climate change.

The Climate Reduction Pollution Grants will help county and municipal officials reach emissions reduction goals set for 2030 and beyond, the Department of Environmental Protection said.

“All climate change is local,” said Rich Negrin, the department’s acting secretary. “It is an all of the above problem and needs an all of the above solution, and it is so important to have strong partners at the federal and local level all committing to fight climate change alongside us.”

Pennsylvania will tap into $3 million offered through the program – established as part of the federal infrastructure bill – to assist states with any stage of planning meant to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission will receive up to $1 million each as the first participants in the program.

“We have a monumental opportunity to protect and improve our land, water and air,” said Becky Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. “We must ensure that quality and availability of these resources is available now and into the future.”

Urban areas are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. According to the EPA, the Delaware Valley is shrinking, and the Delaware River will continue rising over the next century – a combination that will result in increased flooding throughout southeastern Pennsylvania.

In addition to severe weather and increased temperature, state officials say diminishing air quality harms vulnerable populations like children, seniors, and those with cardiovascular diseases – and even wildlife.

Few issues divide the legislature the way climate change does, particularly when it comes to cutting carbon emissions. As Pennsylvania’s future participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative hangs in the balance, many Republican lawmakers worry the carbon price it imposes on energy producers will just spike utility costs for residents at a time when they can least afford it.

Cost aside, they say, switching from coal to natural gas already lowered emissions significantly over the last decade. They believe taxing power generators will only undermine Pennsylvania’s role as the region’s top energy exporter while doing nothing to prevent carbon emissions from blowing across the border from neighboring states.

Democrats say the “fearmongering” only serves the natural gas industry – arguably the state’s most lucrative in recent years – and distracts from the true threat climate change poses on communities and public health.

PENNVEST Chairman Dr. Brian Regli offered a more optimistic outlook.

“Pennsylvania has always been an industrial leader, with smart investments we can again lead the way on climate change and carbon pollution reduction,” he said.

EPA Region 3 Administrator Adam Ortiz shared this sense of hopefulness about the work ahead.

“Climate change is not a problem that sprang up overnight and is surely not one that will be fixed in a day,” he said. “Addressing the climate crisis takes real plans, real dollars, real will, and real work – and Pennsylvania has all of the above.”

Read the full article at thecentersquare.com

Up to a million dollars in federal funding will be coming to the Lehigh Valley to help develop a plan to fight climate change.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection recently announced the grant awards, which are part of the federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, along with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, will each receive grants of up to $1 million to help develop climate action plans.

DEP Acting Secretary Rich Negrin called climate change an “existential threat” to safety, security and quality of life in Pennsylvania, and he said tackling the issue must involve cooperation from all levels of government.

“All climate change is local,” Negrin said, “and it’s here right now. It’s here today.”

Negrin spoke about the ongoing impacts of the climate crisis, from flooding and tornadoes to wildfires, which he said have been exacerbated by recent chemical releases and spills. He said the crisis will disproportionately affect the state’s most vulnerable populations first, and that these events are costly.

“According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, extreme weather and climate disasters cost the United States approximately $1.65 billion just last year,” he explained.

To take a step in tackling the crisis, Negrin said the state recently opted into the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program, which is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency.

He said Pennsylvania is posed to receive $3 million, made available through the federal Inflation Reduction Act.

Negrin noted that the three planning organizations also applied to the program, adding up to $3 million more on top of the state’s money. And, he said the program makes state and local entities eligible for other grants from a major funding pool.

“Through this investment, and this is a significant part, Pennsylvania will be creating a priority climate action plan that will make us eligible to apply for a pool of approximately $4.6 billion in funding that is meant to implement projects and activities that we will outline in the priority climate action plan,” Negin said.

“I’m going to say that again, because I don’t get to say that number so often, $4.6 billion that can be utilized and brought back here to Pennsylvania to develop and fight climate change.”

Becky Bradley, Executive Director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, said the LVPC has been working for over 60 years to improve air quality, mitigate hazards associated with weather events, and plan for “optimal environmental management and protection.”

“Due to the prioritization of air, water, and land protection by our counties, Lehigh and Northampton, the state and now our federal partners, these new opportunities that have presented themselves are going to help us advance some of the critical things that we need to do,” Bradley said.

She said the planning commission has been conducting public opinion polls for decades, many of which are returning the same feedback.

“And literally for the past 40 years, all of those public opinion polls have prioritized the environment as well as jobs and the economy in the Lehigh Valley.”

Bradley said the Valley has the fastest growing manufacturing economy in the United States, adding more than 22 million square feet of industrial space in less than six years.

However, she said the effects of this booming industrial economy must be balanced with the “public directive” to protect air, water, and land.

“That means our 16 watersheds, that means our vulnerable populations, and this provides us a new opportunity to do that,” she said.

Bradley said the additional federal funding will allow for the creation of new stormwater management ordinances for all 62 municipalities in the Lehigh Valley, providing a regionwide green infrastructure program.

The money will also be used to support regional electric and alternative fuel strategies, smart transportation corridors, permanent air quality monitors, improving walking, biking, and ADA accessibility, and increased investment in LANTA – the local transit authority – to deploy a bus rapid transit system.

Bradley concluded by thanking federal agencies and officials, “for supporting this effort and allowing our region in the Lehigh Valley to actually achieve some of the things that we could only have dreamed of, and balance again jobs, the economy, and the environment for everyone.”

Read the full story at wdiy.org

Just ahead of Earth Day, state officials said Pennsylvania will use federal money to tackle climate change.

The Climate Reduction Pollution Grants will help county and municipal officials reach emissions reduction goals set for 2030 and beyond, the Department of Environmental Protection said.

“All climate change is local,” said Rich Negrin, the department’s acting secretary. “It is an all of the above problem and needs an all of the above solution, and it is so important to have strong partners at the federal and local level all committing to fight climate change alongside us.”

Pennsylvania will tap into $3 million offered through the program – established as part of the federal infrastructure bill – to assist states with any stage of planning meant to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission will receive up to $1 million each as the first participants in the program.

“We have a monumental opportunity to protect and improve our land, water and air,” said Becky Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. “We must ensure that quality and availability of these resources is available now and into the future.”

Urban areas are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. According to the EPA, the Delaware Valley is shrinking, and the Delaware River will continue rising over the next century – a combination that will result in increased flooding throughout southeastern Pennsylvania.

In addition to severe weather and increased temperature, state officials say diminishing air quality harms vulnerable populations like children, seniors, and those with cardiovascular diseases – and even wildlife.

Few issues divide the legislature the way climate change does, particularly when it comes to cutting carbon emissions. As Pennsylvania’s future participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative hangs in the balance, many Republican lawmakers worry the carbon price it imposes on energy producers will just spike utility costs for residents at a time when they can least afford it.

Cost aside, they say, switching from coal to natural gas already lowered emissions significantly over the last decade. They believe taxing power generators will only undermine Pennsylvania’s role as the region’s top energy exporter while doing nothing to prevent carbon emissions from blowing across the border from neighboring states.

Democrats say the “fearmongering” only serves the natural gas industry – arguably the state’s most lucrative in recent years – and distracts from the true threat climate change poses on communities and public health.

PENNVEST Chairman Dr. Brian Regli offered a more optimistic outlook.

“Pennsylvania has always been an industrial leader, with smart investments we can again lead the way on climate change and carbon pollution reduction,” he said.

EPA Region 3 Administrator Adam Ortiz shared this sense of hopefulness about the work ahead.

“Climate change is not a problem that sprang up overnight and is surely not one that will be fixed in a day,” he said. “Addressing the climate crisis takes real plans, real dollars, real will, and real work – and Pennsylvania has all of the above.”

Read the full article at therecord-online.com

Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered remarks Tuesday at the Pittsburgh Aviation and Robotics Summit, where he reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to stimulating innovation and economic development in Pennsylvania.

Speaking at The Vision on Fifteenth in the Strip District, Mr. Shapiro pointed to industries such as robotics and artificial intelligence as drivers of growth within the region and commonwealth, and highlighted multiple initiatives to target economic redevelopment his administration has already enacted since his taking office.

“Aside from all the plans, the policies and proposals and grants and budget investments, most importantly, I believe in you. And I believe that the future success of our commonwealth depends on what happens in rooms like this,” Mr. Shapiro said.

Shortly after taking office, Mr. Shapiro signed an executive order to create an Office of Transformation and Opportunity, which he called a “one-stop shop” for emerging businesses looking to grow or expand in Pennsylvania.

Last month, he unveiled a budget proposal that included increases in funding for government initiatives geared toward scientific innovation, such as the Manufacturing PA Innovation Program and PA Smart Program. In his speech, Mr. Shapiro called on lawmakers in the General Assembly to pass his proposed budget as part of the commonwealth’s continuing support of the industry.

Outgoing Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald also spoke at the summit’s opening event, highlighting the need for innovation within aviation and the potential of a burgeoning robotics industry.

“Years ago, when the National Football League was starting up a franchise, it really made sense that the name of the team that played here was called the Steelers, after the industry that we had. Well, the next time we get a franchise, we’re going to be calling it the Robots,” Mr. Fitzgerald said.

Mr. Fitzgerald praised Mr. Shapiro’s ongoing efforts to support emerging industries in southwestern Pennsylvania and the funding from the federal Economic Development Administration that subsidized the summit.

In September, the EDA awarded $63 million to the Southwestern Pennsylvania New Economy Collaborative — a group of university, philanthropic and private entities based in the region — through the Build Back Better Regional Challenge.

A competitive grant program designed to “supercharge” struggling local economies, the Build Back Better Regional Challenge is considered an anchor of the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan initiatives.

“These are the kinds of investments that send a signal to the world that Pennsylvania understands economic development. And I must tell you, it also sends a clear signal that we are open for business,” Mr. Shapiro said.

The invite-only event brought hundreds of senior executives in the aviation industry to Pittsburgh — advertised as “the robotics capital of the world” — for a three-day summit that includes workshops, facility tours and networking opportunities.

The program is being hosted by the Robotics Factory, a collective of robotics programs also funded by the EDA’s federal grant program.

In a region that has seen a dwindling population and stagnating economy since major industrial declines in the 1970s, Pittsburgh has already become an emerging hotbed for the robotics industry, according to a report from the Pittsburgh Robotics Network.

More than 100 robotics companies have taken root in Pittsburgh, creating almost 15,000 jobs and attracting billions in capital investment within the past five years, the report found.

Mike Harding, vice president of business investment for the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, said collaboration between government officials and the private sector has become crucial to southwestern Pennsylvania’s development.

“We’re fortunate to have a friendly public-private partnership here in the region, where we’re able to try things like autonomous vehicles on our roadways, because we also have a state that supports that type of deployment. So we have that opportunity to use the city as our living laboratory,” Mr. Harding said.

View the full article at post-gazette.com

CommuteInfo Vanpool Vehicle and Fleet Support Services RFP

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation, a 501(c)(3) corporation, on behalf of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), is requesting Technical Proposals and Price Proposals (together, Proposal packages) for CommuteInfo Vanpool Vehicle and Fleet Support Services. The selected firm or team of firms will provide SPC with the following support services for its CommuteInfo Vanpool Program: vanpool vehicles; fleet maintenance/management; driver support, contracting, and invoicing services; fleet insurance; and data collection.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) was released by SPC on April 19, 2023. Copies may be downloaded from the SPC Website (www.spcregion.org) or may be obtained by e-mail request to Anthony Hickton at Ahickton@spcregion.org.

Electronic submissions will be required via SPC’s SharePoint site. Full submission details are provided in the RFP document. Proposal packages are due on May 19, 2023.

RFP Document Download Request Form

On-Call Consultancy Services RFQ

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation, a 501(c)(3) corporation, on behalf of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), is requesting Statements of Qualifications and Pricing Details Compilations (together, Statement of Qualifications packages) for On-Call Consultancy Services. SPC is seeking to engage up to five full-service teams of firms to provide “on-call” delivery of a wide range of specialized support services as the need arises related to SPC’s functional areas of Transportation Planning, Strategic Initiatives & Policy, Economic & Workforce Development, Information & Data, Finance, Public Relations & Communication Initiatives, and Human Resources. 

The Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was released by SPC on April 19, 2023. Copies may be downloaded from the SPC Website (www.spcregion.org) or may be obtained by e-mail request to Kristin Baum at kbaum@spcregion.org.

Electronic submissions will be required via SPC’s SharePoint site. Full submission details are provided in the RFQ document. Statement of Qualifications packages are due on May 24, 2023.

RFQ Document Download Request Form

Pittsburgh has become a fast-growing hub for many technology and robotics companies, and leaders across the region and state are hoping that expands even more.

At the opening night of the Aviation & Robotics Summit in Pittsburgh’s Strip District on Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro heralded the growth of the industry and said the region should build on that progress.

He cited the success of Astrobotic, a North Side company that is planning to send equipment to the moon as part of the first lunar mission the U.S. has carried out since the Apollo missions of the 1970s.

Shapiro said that more companies should join Astrobotic and the more than 100 other robotics companies that are operating in the Pittsburgh region.

“When I say we are going to plant a flag in the artificial intelligence, robotics, space, and innovation industries here in Pennsylvania, I mean it,” Shapiro said. “We are making sure that the future of robotics and innovation is Pennsylvania made.”

More than 100 hundred people attended the summit kickoff, with participants coming from companies located all over the world.

The summit is the world’s first to combine the two industries, and it coincided with the announcement of a partnership between the Pittsburgh International Airport and International Airlines Group (IAG), which is the airline giant that owns British Airways, Aer Lingus, and other carriers. IAG will be developing tech solutions for aviation groups and other industries at Pittsburgh International Airport.

This partnership will allow IAG to use artificial intelligence, robotics, and other technology innovations to assist passengers’ travel experience. For example, Pittsburgh International is already testing an autonomous vending robot and a floor disinfection robot through the airport’s xBridge program.

Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO Christina Cassotis said at the summit that more than 10,000 square feet has been made available at the airport from unused space from the former U.S. Airways. She said tech and robotics companies have already been testing on site, and she’s encouraging more to join.

Jorgen Pedersen of Utah-based Sarcos Robotics said having space to test technology at airports is crucial. He said the robotics company, which operates an office in Lawrenceville, has conducted testing at Pittsburgh International and in Singapore for robotic baggage handling. He said robots could allow airlines to collect bags during lighting storms, when safety precautions halt many logistical operations at airports.

“Robotics could enable a massive change within this industry,” Pedersen said.

Shapiro said he wants the state to be a partner with companies and airlines. He praised the work of local leaders like Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald for fostering an environment to grow the tech and robotics industry, including the recent opening of a space industry hub in the North Side. He exuded enthusiasm and confidence to the crowd that Pittsburgh will grow its industry even further.

“I believe in you, I believe the future success of our commonwealth depends on what happens in rooms like this,” said Shapiro. “I believe in the future of this region.”

Astrobotic CEO John Thorton was equally as bullish. He said Astrobotic’s launch this summer will be an historic event, and that it might surprise people that it all started in Pittsburgh.

“If Pittsburgh can land on the moon,” he said, “Pittsburgh can do anything.”

View the full article at triblive.com

Pennsylvania this month opted into the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program, part of the federal Inflation Reduction Act, which provides funding to state and local governments to develop climate action plans and makes them eligible for grants from the $4.6 billion pool established by the act and administered by the Environmental Protection Agency.

LVPC Executive Director Becky Bradley said the money will be used to complete work on the Regional Climate Action Plan. Items in the plan include a regional green infrastructure program supporting clean water, flood mitigation, installation of air quality monitoring systems, electric vehicle charging stations, as well as advancing walking and biking.

“We’ll be able to do a lot more work than we could have ever dreamed of related to climate action,” Bradley said. The specific plan for the funding will have to be completed by April 28.

Initially, the LVPC wasn’t even eligible for this program. Bradley said some slots opened up when four states decided not to participate. The Lehigh Valley had just missed the initial cut because the top 67 metropolitan areas were initially included and the Valley is the 69th largest. The LVPC applied for funding on the chance it could move up.

Bradley didn’t know LVPC moved into eligibility until last week, and she had to hustle to Harrisburg for Friday’s announcement. It was accomplished, she said, through advocacy and luck.

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission are also receiving $1 million, while the state will receive a $3 million planning grant through the program.

“Greater Philadelphia is committed to attaining net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and preparing our communities for the impacts of climate change,” Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Ariella Maron said in a statement. “The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant will enable us to develop a plan that will guide future policy and investment decisions that are both equitable and sustainable. DVRPC is proud to lead this planning effort for our region.”

View the full article at mcall.com

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission received $1 million in federal funding to continue its work developing a comprehensive climate action plan for the region, the state announced Friday.

The commission will work with Pennsylvania to update existing climate, energy, or sustainability plans, or to develop new plans, according to details about the grant published on the state’s website.

The money comes from federal dollars set aside in the Inflation Reduction Act passed last year by Congress, which allocates $250 million of non-competitive grants to states and local governments focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and harmful air pollutants.

Eligible agencies will later be enrolled in a second, competitive round for a $4.6 billion funding pool administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to a news release by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Lehigh Valley Planning Commission was named among three Pennsylvania planning commissions to receive support from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission also received $1 million each.

Pennsylvania will receive nearly $3 million in planning grant money through the program.

Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Executive Director Becky Bradley called the grant “a monumental opportunity” to protect and improve the region’s land, water and air resources for future generations.

The commission plans to use the dollars to complete the work on the new Regional Climate Action Plan and other objectives set up by FutureLV: The Regional Plan, Bradley said, including a regional green infrastructure program supporting clean water and flood mitigation; installation of permanent air quality monitoring systems; advancement of the electric vehicle charging network; and advancement of walking, biking and ADA accessibility in the region.

“Addressing our climate crisis is going to require the kind of planning and response that can only be accomplished through a multi-governmental partnership. It’s a practical, innovative path to the best possible outcomes,” Bradley said. “We have a monumental opportunity to protect and improve our land, water and air.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Acting Secretary Rich Negrin joined Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3 Administrator Adam Ortiz, PENNVEST Chairman Brian Regli and local government officials on Friday to celebrate the partnership between federal, state, and local governments in the fight against climate change.

“All climate change is local,” Negrin said. “It is an all of the above problem and needs an all of the above solution, and it is so important to have strong partners at the federal and local level all committing to fight climate change alongside us.”

View the full article at lehighvalleylive.com

Construction on Pittsburgh’s Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge project could begin as early as spring 2024, city officials said Monday.

The most recent project update indicates the design phase for the bridge should be completed by the end of this year. Construction is “anticipated to begin” next spring and is expected to take two construction seasons.

The bridge was closed in early February, after inspections showed the need for immediate repairs to the 85-year old steel deck truss bridge. The bridge carries the four-lane Boulevard of the Allies over a pedestrian trail and connects Central Oakland and South Oakland with Schenley Park.

The project predicts the removal of one inbound lane on the bridge to accommodate a bicycle lane. There would still be two outbound lanes of traffic with sidewalks on each side.

The scope of the project has also expanded from its initial plan to include the rehabilitation of the Panther Hollow Overpass, which sits just a few hundred yards from the bridge, next to the Schenley Pool.

The bridge crosses over the pedestrian trail and would still be safe for vehicles but would require a weight limit if not updated, officials said.

Combining both bridge repairs into one project means the road would only have to be closed once, Kim Lucas, the director of the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure recently told City Council.

After disputes over the funding, City Council approved a $3.1 million contract for the bridge project, which officials said could accelerate the construction timeline to begin at the end of March.

The city’s 2022 capital budget showed $6 million listed for repairs to the bridge, but that was not included in Mayor Ed Gainey’s budget. Mr. Gainey said that the $6 million was a “projection not an allocation” from former Mayor Bill Peduto’s budget.

Mr. Gainey also said funding for infrastructure projects in the region funnels through the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, of which he sits on the executive committee.

The city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure submitted requests to the SPC and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to delay other projects so that the Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge project could receive funding sooner.

View the full article at postgazette.com