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Some local environmentalists are working to block plans to increase emissions from two Neville Island industrial plants.

Myron Arnowitt, the western Pennsylvania director for Clean Water Action, and the Neville Island Good Neighbor Committee made up of Clean Water Action members, are urging residents of the island to contact the Allegheny County Health Department to stop the approval of installation permits to the Watson Standard and Lindy Paving companies.

However, health department officials point out the increased emissions allowed under the permits would be well within air pollution limits.

"We don't think the emissions associated with the equipment are going to have a significant impact on air quality," said Guillermo Cole, spokesman for the health department. "Granting them the permit would be within federal, state and county pollution laws."

Arnowitt disagrees.

"If these were the only plants on Neville Island, we wouldn't be making such a big deal," he said. "But we are already breathing a lot of toxic chemicals from Neville Island. We don't need any more."

Whenever a company is a source of pollution, it must apply to the health department for permission to install new equipment.

Watson Standard, located on Grand Avenue, makes specialty paints and coatings, used primarily in metal decoration. The company wants to install four new paint mixing tanks.

Pete Duffy, a spokesman for the company, said business is growing and production capabilities need to be expanded.

"What we are proposing doesn't have any potential to emit (above) standards," he said. "This is not anything that would cause concern for the public."

Duffy said the company's plans for expansion include making coatings that will be used in food packaging, including tuna and chicken cans and baby food containers.

Lindy Paving produces hot mix asphalt and has four plants throughout western Pennsylvania, including one plant on Neville Island. Lindy became part of the P.J. Dick-Trumbull group of companies in 1998.

Lindy wants to build a new asphalt plant at 200 Neville Rd. to replace the existing one on the opposite end of the island. Cole said the department most likely will make that a condition of their permit. Frank Colella, president of Lindy Paving, couldn't be reached for comment.

Arnowitt said if these two permits are approved, together they would increase emissions of toxic chemicals called volatile organic compounds by 46 tons per year. Volatile organic compounds contribute to the formation of ozone in the atmosphere.

Arnowitt said residents should write to the department about the Watson Standard plan by today and about Lindy Paving by March 20. The dates mark the end of a 30-day public comment period from the time the permit applications were filed.

Soon after the public comment period ends, Cole said, the department's air quality division will decide whether to approve or deny the permits. He said concerns can be e-mailed to aqpermits@achd.net.

Cole said if approved, Watson Standard's potential increase of volatile organic compounds would be 15.4 tons per year, including 6.6 tons of hazardous air pollutants although this would be the worst case scenario.

Arnowitt disagreed.

If Lindy's permit is approved, the new plant will be 20 percent larger than the existing one and will have a 20 percent increase in total emissions, Cole said, adding that a new plant also means better pollution controls.

Lindy produces 400 tons of asphalt per year, and the new plant would increase production to 500 tons per year.

Arnowitt said before permits are issued the health department should consider cumulative pollution in the area, require both companies to consider less hazardous alternatives to the chemicals they propose using and hold a public hearing on the applications.

Cole said public hearings aren't common in such cases, and are held depending on the potential pollution source and level of interest. The hearings sometimes are held as part of the public comment period.

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