The Clean Air Council (the Council) is an environmental advocacy group founded in 1968 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It campaigns for weather-dependent energy initiatives, stricter industrial pollution laws and regulations, and alternatives to gas-powered automobiles within Pennsylvania and surrounding states. ¹ The Council is a left-of-center organization whose stated goal is to ensure that the Mid-Atlantic has the lowest carbon footprint of any region within the United States by advocating for “carbon neutral” or “net-zero” initiatives. ²

The Council has formed coalitions of left-leaning environmentalist advocacy groups to establish Philadelphia as a “zero-waste” city by increasing regulation on plastic items. ^{3 4} Another coalition promotes a shift away from automobiles to bicycles and public transportation. ⁵ The Council has received government grants from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as contributions from left-leaning activist groups and charities. ^{6 7}

Environmentalist Advocacy

The left-leaning climate change advocacy group, Citizen’s Climate Lobby, worked with the Council to successfully lobby Amtrak to stop using natural gas to power the steam boilers to heat Philadelphia’s 30^th Street Station and instead power the boilers with wind and solar electricity or biofuels. ⁸ The left-leaning environmentalist news source, Inside Climate News, notes that the Council had filed a lawsuit against Shell and, within two weeks, Shell had agreed to pay over $10 million in penalties to Pennsylvania “because the company’s new plastic manufacturing plant in Beaver County near Pittsburgh put more pollution in the air in its first months of operation than its state permits allow.” ⁹

The Council has led a coalition of left-of-center weather-dependent energy advocates and environmental activist groups called the “Waste Free Philly” coalition. ¹⁰ The coalition is comprised of Circular Philadelphia, the Clean Air Council, Clean Water Action, the Plastic Reduction Task Force of Weavers Way, Philadelphia Neighborhood Networks, and Clean Philadelphia Now. ¹¹ Waste Free Philly’s methods for ending illegal dumping by 2028 are “compensating residents who clean up their own neighborhoods,” “activating” vacant lots with community gardens or programming, and re-establishing the slashed Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet.” ¹²

The Council is involved with another coalition called the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia whose platform includes the goal to “motivate 2 out of every 3 Philadelphians to bike, walk, or take transit to get around” by 2026. ¹³

Regional Partnership with the EPA

In 2023, the Council received a $3 million grant to investigate Delaware’s largest oil refinery on behalf of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over a period of three years, starting in 2024 and concluding in 2027. ¹⁴

The Council has had a long history with the EPA, receiving a Level I Cooperative Agreement as part of the EPA’s former Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) Program in 2005 and a Level II Cooperative Agreement in 2008. ¹⁵ The Council’s 2005 Level I Cooperative Agreement tasked the Council to “use CARE funding to address the pollution that emanates from the Port of Philadelphia (PhilaPort). It will develop an Environmental Management System (EMS) that will enable Philadelphia’s port facilities to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operating efficiency.” ¹⁶ The Council’s 2008 Level II Cooperative Agreement tasked the Council to “apply citizen-based advocacy and neighborhood partnerships to improve air quality in Southeast Philadelphia.” ¹⁷

The EPA’s guiding statement specifies that “the Council will continue to work with the community on the Port Environmental Task Force. A significant portion of the work plan will include measurable toxic reductions at Packer Terminal and the nearby community in Southeast Philadelphia.” ¹⁸ The EPA mentioned the 2005 Cooperative Agreement, stating, “The Clean Air Council, in partnership with the Southeast Philadelphia community leaders and the port operators, identified idling vehicles as a major concern. Through this project, the Council will build on success of the established partnership by implementing a multi-tiered project that will reduce toxics at the port and its impact on the community.” ¹⁹

Financials

According to the Council’s 2022 tax return, the Council had net assets of $2,636,679 and expenses totaling $2,818,875. ²⁰

In tax year 2019, the Council received $1,133,400 from the William Penn Foundation, $200,000 the Colcom Foundation, $200,000 from the Environmental Defense Fund, and $185,000 from the Energy Foundation. ²¹ In tax year 2017 the Council received $75,000 from the Hewlett Foundation, $920,000 from the Heinz Family Foundation, and $238,500 from the Environmental Defense Fund. ²²

Leadership

As of January 2024, the Council’s board included Steve Preston as its chief program officer. ²³ According to his Council profile, Preston has worked in various roles as a community organizer and on political campaigns, including James Kenney’s 2015 campaign for Mayor of Philadelphia, NextGen Climate’s campaign to support U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) in 2014, Organizing for Action, and the Obama Campaign in 2012. ²⁴

As of January 2024, the Council’s staff included Kimberly Allen as senior development consultant. Allen has previously worked with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and the Ronald McDonald House Charities Philadelphia Chapter. ²⁵ PHS has had ties to the Wyncote Foundation. ²⁶

1. ^[1] “Clean Air Council ” History.” Clean Air Council. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://cleanair.org/history/.
2. “Clean Air Council ” Mission and Vision.” Clean Air Council. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://cleanair.org/mission-and-vision/.
3. Williams, Stephen. “Advocates Call on Philly’s next Mayor to Commit to Zero-Waste Plan – Pennsylvania Capital.” Pennsylvania Capital-Star, February 4, 2023. https://www.penncapital-star.com/blog/advocates-call-on-phillys-next-mayor-to-commit-to-zero-waste-plan/.
4. “Clean Air Council ‘ Zero Waste’ .” Clean Air Council. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://cleanair.org/tag/zero-waste/#:~:text=Clean%20Air%20Council%20»%20zero%20waste&text=Plastics%20are%20slowly%20killing%20life,can%20dispose%20of%20them%20safely.
5. “2023 Better Mobility Platform For Philadelphia’s 100th Mayor.” Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://cdn-5d792904f911c90950a587a6.closte.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Development-Director_Feb-2023.pdf.
6. ^[1]“Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Clean Air Council (a Former EPA Care Project).” EPA, April 4, 2019. https://archive.epa.gov/epa/c-ferst/pennsylvania-philadelphia-clean-air-council-former-epa-care-project.html.
7. The Clean Air Council, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, (Form 990), 2017, Schedule B, 2. https://cleanair.org/wp-content/uploads/2018-Form-990.pdf
8. Maykuth, Andrew. “Next Arriving at Amtrak’s 30th Street Station: A PGW Natural Gas Controversy.” https://www.inquirer.com, March 27, 2022. https://www.inquirer.com/business/energy/amtrak-30th-street-station-fossil-fuel-gas-climate-pgw-20220324.html#:~:text=The%20Clean%20Air%20Council%2C%20an,a%20transition%20to%20clean%20energy.
9. Bruggers, James. “Shell Agrees to Pay $10 Million after Permit Violations at Its Giant New Plastics Plant in Pennsylvania.” Inside Climate News, May 25, 2023. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/25052023/shell-agrees-to-pay-10-million-after-permit-violations-at-its-giant-new-plastics-plant-in-pennsylvania/.
10. Williams, Stephen. “Advocates Call on Philly’s next Mayor to Commit to Zero-Waste Plan – Pennsylvania Capital.” Pennsylvania Capital-Star, February 4, 2023. https://www.penncapital-star.com/blog/advocates-call-on-phillys-next-mayor-to-commit-to-zero-waste-plan/.
11. Williams, Stephen. “Advocates Call on Philly’s next Mayor to Commit to Zero-Waste Plan – Pennsylvania Capital.” Pennsylvania Capital-Star, February 4, 2023. https://www.penncapital-star.com/blog/advocates-call-on-phillys-next-mayor-to-commit-to-zero-waste-plan/.
12. Schmidt, Sophia. “Kenney’s Budget Plan Won’t Fix Illegal Dumping in Philly, Advocates Say.” WHYY, March 9, 2023. https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-kenney-budget-proposal-illegal-dumping/.
13. “2023 Better Mobility Platform For Philadelphia’s 100th Mayor.” Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://cdn-5d792904f911c90950a587a6.closte.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Development-Director_Feb-2023.pdf.
14.  McVety, Molly. “Clean Air Council Gets Federal Funds to Track Delaware City Refinery.” Delaware Online. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/11/08/clean-air-council-federal-funds-track-delaware-city-refinery/71409600007/.
15. “Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Clean Air Council (a Former EPA Care Project).” EPA, April 4, 2019. https://archive.epa.gov/epa/c-ferst/pennsylvania-philadelphia-clean-air-council-former-epa-care-project.html.
16. “Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Clean Air Council (a Former EPA Care Project).” EPA, April 4, 2019. https://archive.epa.gov/epa/c-ferst/pennsylvania-philadelphia-clean-air-council-former-epa-care-project.html.
17.  “Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Clean Air Council (a Former EPA Care Project).” EPA, April 4, 2019. https://archive.epa.gov/epa/c-ferst/pennsylvania-philadelphia-clean-air-council-former-epa-care-project.html.
18. “Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Clean Air Council (a Former EPA Care Project).” EPA, April 4, 2019. https://archive.epa.gov/epa/c-ferst/pennsylvania-philadelphia-clean-air-council-former-epa-care-project.html.
19. “Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Clean Air Council (a Former EPA Care Project).” EPA, April 4, 2019. https://archive.epa.gov/epa/c-ferst/pennsylvania-philadelphia-clean-air-council-former-epa-care-project.html.
20.  The Clean Air Council, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2022, Part I Summary lines 12, 19, 22. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/231683461/202321359349308702/full
21. The Clean Air Council, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Schedule B, 1-2. https://cleanair.org/wp-content/uploads/2019-Form-990.pdf
22. The Clean Air Council, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, (Form 990), 2017, Schedule B, 2. https://cleanair.org/wp-content/uploads/2018-Form-990.pdf
23. “Clean Air Council ” Clean Air Council Board.” Clean Air Council. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://cleanair.org/clean-air-council-board/.
24. “Clean Air Council ” Clean Air Council Board.” Clean Air Council. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://cleanair.org/clean-air-council-board/.
25. “Kimberly Allen – Principal – Resources for Good.” LinkedIn. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/login/.
26. “Grant Making Areas.” Wyncote Foundation. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://www.wyncotefoundation.org/.