Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh (RP3) is a grassroots organization that focuses on rail-regulation issues. It has also worked on environmental issues. Rail Pollution Protection has supported increased regulations at the federal, state, and local level and tougher rules for trains carrying hazardous materials. Rail Protection Pittsburgh has worked with left-of-center organizations to oppose conventional energy and support environmentalist-aligned investments.

History

Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh was founded by attorney Glenn Olcerst and his wife as a grassroots organization. ¹ While initially focused on stopping new rail tracks in the Pittsburgh area, RP3 increasingly warns about rail safety and derailments. ²

Policies

Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh cites the problems with increased rails include air pollution, noise pollution, public road safety hazards, derailments, and increased use of eminent domain. ³ Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh argues that trains emit pollution and threaten environmental justice areas. ⁴ RP3 argues that the petrochemical companies are using train transportation as to not have to comply with pipeline safety standards. ⁵ The Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh founder has called rail pollution a slow-motion train derailment. ⁶

Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh has called on the U.S. government to end financing all parts of the conventional-fuel supply chain and promote the flow of capital to “climate aligned investments.” ⁷ RP3 has called for more diesel emissions reductions and the funding of new diesel locomotives. ⁸

While purported to be a public safety and anti-pollution group, much of RP3’s early work in 2018-2019 was to attack Norfolk Southern for new proposed railroad lines. ⁹ Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh has used fear tactics, claiming train derailments, or what RP3 calls a “Norfolk Nightmare coming soon to a neighborhood near you,” are common. ¹⁰ RP3 claims derailments are not a matter of if but rather when. ¹¹

Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh has called for corrective actions including a freeze of the Pittsburgh Vertical Clearance Project funding, repairing and not replacing existing bridges in the city, investigating Norfolk Southern’s inspection practices, conducting an environmental impact study on new rail proposals, requiring installation of electronic brakes on trains and black carbon diesel emission scrubbers on locomotives, increasing diesel pollution reduction grants, and enhancing oil spill regulations. It also pushes for requiring train companies to enter into negotiations with neighborhood groups and Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh. ¹²

Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh has also called for regulations to limit the lengths of trains carrying hazardous materials, require that train engineers be tested for sleep apnea, impose strict liability for derailments causing an oil spill or explosion, and allowing states and local communities to impose rules and regulations in addition to federal regulations. ¹³

Partner Organizations

Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh is part of the left-of-center Climate Action Campaign that supports the Green New Deal. ¹⁴ RP3 is a member of the Breathe Collaborative, a Pittsburgh-based coalition of environmental activists, citizens, and groups seeking to improve air quality. ¹⁵ Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh has signed onto a letter from Friends of the Earth to end the use of conventional fuels. ¹⁶

Leadership

Glenn Olcerst is a co-founder of Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh and married to co-founder Barbara Talerico. ¹⁷ Olcerst serves as the organization’s in-house counsel. ¹⁸ Olcerst primarily works as a fine art and commercial photographer and stone artist. ¹⁹ Olcerst has a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. ²⁰

1. Morrison, Oliver. “A Rail Company Claims A Faster Route Through Pittsburgh for Double-Stack Trains Will Reduce Pollution. Here’s Why Some Remain Opposed.” PublicSource. February 20, 2019. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://www.publicsource.org/some-north-siders-fear-pollution-from-proposed-double-stacked-trains-but-could-pollution-drop-overall/.
2. “Rail Pollution Protection in the News.” Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://railpollutionprotectionpittsburgh.com/rail-pollution-protection-in-the-news/.
3. “Reasons for Concern.” Rail Pollution Protection Project Pittsburgh. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://railpollutionprotectionpittsburgh.com/reasons-for-concern/.
4. “Are You At Risk?” Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://railpollutionprotectionpittsburgh.com/are-you-at-risk/.
5. “The Rail Corridor of Pollution.” Rail Pollution Protection Project Pittsburgh. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://railpollutionprotectionpittsburgh.com/are-you-at-risk/.
6. “Presentation to the Health and Environmental Funders Network.” Glenn Olcerst. March 16, 2023. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://railpollutionprotectionpittsburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/expanded-health-and-environmental-funders-network-presentation-march-16-2023.pdf.
7. “Letter to Secretary Yellen.” Signatory Letter by Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh. March 18, 2021. Accessed April 30, 2023. http://priceofoil.org/content/uploads/2021/03/Final-Biden-letter-public-finance-fossil-fuels.pdf.
8. “Presentation to the Health and Environmental Funders Network.” Glenn Olcerst. March 16, 2023. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://railpollutionprotectionpittsburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/expanded-health-and-environmental-funders-network-presentation-march-16-2023.pdf.
9. “Who We Are.” Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://railpollutionprotectionpittsburgh.com; “Rail Pollution Protection in the News.” Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://railpollutionprotectionpittsburgh.com/rail-pollution-protection-in-the-news/.
10. “Presentation to the Health and Environmental Funders Network.” Glenn Olcerst. March 16, 2023. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://railpollutionprotectionpittsburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/expanded-health-and-environmental-funders-network-presentation-march-16-2023.pdf.
11. Raziq, David and Amy Hudak. “A Prediction of Disaster: Experts Say It’s ‘When, Not If’ For a Pittsburgh Toxic Train Wreck.” WPXI-TV. April 27, 2023. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/prediction-disaster-experts-say-its-when-not-if-pittsburgh-toxic-train-wreck/5MSRIUDE3BDSRLI6GMJOFUHQBQ/.
12. “Take Action!” Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://railpollutionprotectionpittsburgh.com/take-action/.
13. “Presentation to the Health and Environmental Funders Network.” Glenn Olcerst. March 16, 2023. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://railpollutionprotectionpittsburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/state-and-federal-action-items-and-rail-safety-improvement-act-march-16-2023.pdf.
14. “Solutions for Pollution.” Climate Action Campaign. April 30, 2023. https://www.actonclimate.com/solutions-groups.
15. “Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh.” Breathe Collaborative. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://breatheproject.org/collaborative-member/rail-pollution-protection-pittsburgh/; “About.” Breathe Collaborative. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://breatheproject.org/about/.
16. “End U.S. Public Finance of Fossil Fuels.” Friends of the Earth. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://foe.org/end-u-s-public-finance-of-fossil-fuels/.
17. Morrison, Oliver. “A Rail Company Claims A Faster Route Through Pittsburgh for Double-Stack Trains Will Reduce Pollution. Here’s Why Some Remain Opposed.” PublicSource. February 20, 2019. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://www.publicsource.org/some-north-siders-fear-pollution-from-proposed-double-stacked-trains-but-could-pollution-drop-overall/
18. Morrison, Oliver. “A Rail Company Claims A Faster Route Through Pittsburgh for Double-Stack Trains Will Reduce Pollution. Here’s Why Some Remain Opposed.” PublicSource. February 20, 2019. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://www.publicsource.org/some-north-siders-fear-pollution-from-proposed-double-stacked-trains-but-could-pollution-drop-overall/; Notice of Appearance by Glenn Olcerst. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. February 21, 2019. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://railpollutionprotectionpittsburgh.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/notice-of-appearance-of-g-olcerst-rail-pollution-prevention-pittsburgh.pdf.
19. “Glenn Olcerst.” LinkedIn. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenn-olcerst-412a54162/.
20. “Glenn Olcerst.” LinkedIn. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenn-olcerst-412a54162/.