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Armstrong County, Pennsylvania: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Armstrong County is 160.2 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Kidney & renal pelvis deaths at 1.9 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.2 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 478 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (197), Air permit holder (minor source) (79), Rail grade crossing (63). EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 30 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 40.844, -79.4535.

How this county ranks in Pennsylvania

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Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Armstrong County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	6.3	3.4	1.85xSignificant	4.2 to 9.2	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	5.3	3.7	1.43x	3.5 to 7.8	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	6.2	4.6	1.35x	4.2 to 9	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	8.2	6.2	1.32x	5.4 to 12	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	24.4	18.7	1.3xSignificant	20.4 to 29.2	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	37.5	30.2	1.24xSignificant	32.5 to 43.2	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	61.5	51.8	1.19xSignificant	54.9 to 68.7	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	7.7	6.6	1.17x	5.3 to 11.1	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	16.9	14.5	1.17x	13.1 to 21.6	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	14.9	13	1.15x	11 to 19.7	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	12.9	11.3	1.14x	9.9 to 16.7	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	26.9	23.8	1.13x	22 to 32.6	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	160.2	143.2	1.12xSignificant	149.3 to 171.8	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	5.3	4.8	1.1x	3.5 to 7.9	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	470.2	453.4	1.04x	450.3 to 490.8	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	13.6	13.9	0.98x	10.5 to 17.6	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	16.9	17.9	0.94x	13.3 to 21.3	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.1	4.4	0.93x	2.4 to 6.6	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	17.1	18.5	0.92x	13.6 to 21.5	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	6.1	6.6	0.92x	4.3 to 8.7	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	5	5.7	0.88x	3.2 to 7.6	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	7.2	8.7	0.83x	4.9 to 10.3	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	2.8	4.1	0.68x	1.6 to 4.8	2020-2024

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Armstrong County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	9,779.3	9,842.6	-1%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	75.3	75.3	+0%	years
Child mortality	50.3	59.8	-16%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	5.4	6.2	-14%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	119.4	96.9	+23%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	45.9	28.6	+60%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 30 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde16.51 per million
Benzene3.13 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.91 per million
Acetaldehyde1.67 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 363 days: 256 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 41, peak 96.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

478 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit197
Air permit holder (minor source)79
Rail grade crossing63
Small hazardous waste generator31
Gas station (mapped facility)28
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)9
TRI reporting facility7
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)7
Landfill (mapped facility)6
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)6
Major air pollution source5
Public airport5
Large greenhouse gas emitter5
Large hazardous waste generator5
Hydroelectric plant5
Scrapyard (mapped facility)5
Hazardous waste transporter3
Heliport3
Airfield2
Brownfield property2
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)2
EPA air quality monitor1
Coal power plant1
Gas power plant1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Keystone Power Plant, Shelocta
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Manganese And Manganese Compounds, Barium And Barium Compounds, Manganese compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 4,721,250 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 15774KYSTNRTE21 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.6
Leading Technologies Inc, Leechburg
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $106,440.
EPA FRS registry ID 110021359974 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.4
Vs Rubber, Lebanon
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $4,650.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000538525 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.8
Keystone, Shelocta
Coal power plant.
Record ID 3136 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Severity 7.7
Pulflex Technologies Llc, Ford City
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 8,535 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 1622WPLFLX76ELJ (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.5
Leading Technologies Inc, Leechburg
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $106,440.
EPA FRS registry ID 110021359974 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Pulflex Technologies Llc, Ford City
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071192876 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.1
West Hills Area Wpca Stp, Kittanning
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010965599 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Darmac No. 2 Mine, Shelocta
Large greenhouse gas emitter.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070051925 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Armsdale Stp, Kittanning
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $1,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010976952 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Leading Technologies Inc, Leechburg
Air permit holder (minor source). Penalties $106,440.
EPA FRS registry ID 110021359974 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Kittanning, Kittanning
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 420050001 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 5
Bpi Inc-Schenley Pa Plant, Schenley
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel compounds, Nickel And Nickel Compounds, Vanadium compounds. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 1568WBPNCS162IB (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Vs Rubber, Lebanon
Major air pollution source. Penalties $4,650.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000538525 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Natures Blend Wood Prod/Ford City, Ford City
Small hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001045789 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Manor Twp Jt Muni Auth-Treatment Plant, Ford City
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010149712 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Kittanning Suburban Joint Water Auth Stp, Kittanning
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010216916 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Hawthorn Redbank Redbank Mun Auth Wwtp, Hawthorn
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110046339681 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Kimmel School Rd Srstp, Shelocta
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110055369934 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Buffalo Twp Mun Auth Npdes, Freeport
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110060130843 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Sintermet Llc, Kittanning
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Cobalt. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 16201SNTRMNPARK (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Dynamic Manufacturing Inc., Freeport
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 1622WDYNMC156AR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Allegheny Energy Supply - Armstrong Power Station, Adrian
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000583618 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Kittanning Boro Stp, Kittanning
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001062974 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Freeport Boro Stp, Freeport
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001063063 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

No correctional facility with an EPA record is located in this county.

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Armstrong County

Pennsylvania state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Armstrong County, and their findings.
Pennsylvania vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
Pennsylvania health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
Pennsylvania environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
Pennsylvania drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

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