We encourage you to contact your elected officials and urge them to take action on issues that impact our scenic resources.
Local Issues
Scenic Pittsburgh works on a range of local issues, including:Funding and support of the CleanPGH Resolution. This is Scenic Pittsburgh’s plan for addressing Litter, illegal dumping, waste/recycling, visual blight, and vacant properties in the City of Pittsburgh. Scenic Pittsburgh advocates for the use of the proceeds of the Billboard Tax to fully fund the CleanPGH Resolution. Learn more about the Resolution.
Collection of the Billboard Tax. The billboard tax was passed in 2013, but due to a lawsuit by the billboard company, it remains in legal limbo. We continue to call for them to meet with the City, end the legal stonewall, and pay their fair share of taxes.
What you can do to help:
If you’re a City resident, talk to your council person. Note the Billboard Tax is still tied up in litigation 8 years after it was passed, and that you support the CleanPGH Resolution.
Contact the office of the Mayor, encouraging settlement of the Billboard Tax litigation and advocating for the CleanPGH Resolution.
If you use social media, re-post our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts on the topic and spread the word that some of Pittsburgh’s worst problems have answers – and if the billboard companies do what’s right, they’ll be fully funded
Mount Washington Billboard. We have long advocated for the billboard company who owns the sign to settle on an agreement to transfer that property to the city to be restored as greenspace. We continue to explore legal strategies around this goal and should have an announcement to that effect in 2020.
Preservation of historic buildings. Historic architecture is part of what makes communities unique and worth saving. We advocate for preserving and reusing this region’s historic buildings whenever possible.
National Issues
The Land and Water Conservation Fund
Thankfully, this critically important piece of legislation was permanently reauthorized in 2018 with overwhelming bipartisan support. But it is yet to be fully funded. Learn more about why this is the most important piece of land conservation legislation we have. Then send a message to your elected officials saying you support full funding for the LWCF.