Repository: ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title: Michelle Madoff Papers
Creator: Madoff, Michelle
Collection Number: AIS.1978.03
Extent: 7.17 Linear Feet (6 record center boxes, 1 flat box)
Date: 1969-2013
Abstract: Michelle Madoff, an active community volunteer and politician beginning in the 1960s, was concerned primarily with the reduction of air pollution. Her papers consist mostly of published materials relating to environmental topics and related information about citizens' groups created to combat pollution in Pittsburgh. Also included are materials related to her tenure as a member of the Pittsburgh City Council from 1978 to 1993 and her continued environmental activism after retiring from politics.
Language: English .
Author: Marissa Billowitz and Amy Brunner.
Publisher: ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Biography

Born Pauline Radzinsky in Ontario, Canada, on August 2, 1928, Michelle Madoff was an environmental activist and Politian in Pittsburgh, PA and Arizona. Prior to emigrating to the United States, she changed her name to Michelle Rodin. In 1961, Madoff moved with her husband, Dr. Henry Madoff, and their daughter from Stuyvesant Town, New York City to the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. There, she became an active community volunteer and primarily devoted her time to protecting and improving the environment, reducing and monitoring air pollution, and reducing the consumption of energy. In 1969, Madoff founded the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP). Later she founded and served as president of Enviro-S.O.S., an environmental group that produced reports on energy concerns and pollution control. Madoff was also involved in determining the future of Jones and Laughlin Steelworks to keep jobs for steel workers in Pittsburgh. She also served as a member of the Pittsburgh City Council from 1978 to 1993 and was active in local and state politics. Madoff later moved to South Carolina and Nevada before settling in Arizona. While living in Nevada, she married Mr. Fred Scheske. She remained active in environmental issues for the remainder of her life. She died on October 12, 2013, at the age of 85 and was survived by Mr. Scheske and a daughter, Karenlin Madoff.

Scope and Content Notes

The Michelle Madoff Papers document her activities as an environmental activist, member of the Pittsburgh City Council, and consultant. Madoff was a member of citizen environmentalist groups in addition to serving in public roles, which is reflected in the overlap of her earlier involvement with Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), "Citizens" Environmental Task Force/Enviro-S.O.S., and the Allegheny County Bureau of Air Pollution Control. Madoff's efforts to curb U.S. Steel pollution were a project that transcended her affiliations and were arranged separately. In the mid-1970s, Madoff sought elected office and served four terms in the Pittsburgh City Council. Records from her tenure in City Council mainly comprise of news clippings and her correspondence. The collection also contains many publications about environmental issues of the 1970s, including reports created by her organizations and source materials used in reports and speeches.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Michelle Madoff in 1978. Additional materials were donated by Madoff's husband, Fred Scheske, in 2014.

Preferred Citation

Michelle Madoff Papers, 1969-2013, AIS.1978.03, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Previous Citation

Michelle Madoff Papers, 1970-1977, AIS.1978.03, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Madoff, Michelle. Papers, 1970-1977, AIS 78:3, Archives of Industrial Society, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into the following series:

I. Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP)

II. "Citizens" Environmental Task Force and Enviro-S.O.S.

III. Allegheny County, PA, Bureau of Air Pollution Control

IV. Political Campaigns

V. U.S. Steel

VI. Energy Outlook 1978

VII. Pittsburgh City Council

VIII. GASP-AZ

IX. Personal

X. Photographs

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Marissa Billowitz in May 1997.

Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Amy Shaffer in May 2004. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Voyager ID number: 1408087

This collection was reprocessed with an accrual in November 2017 by Amy Brunner. The entire collection was rehoused and rearranged into series, which include the additional records.

Related Material

Allegheny County Air Pollution Advisory Committee Records, AIS.1992.03, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Allegheny County, Pa. Health Department. Bureau of Air Pollution Control Records, 1941-1978, AIS.1980.04, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Allegheny County Health Department's EPA/SIP Air Quality Program Records, 1968-1985, AIS.1997.30, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) Records, 1968-2002, AIS.1979.21, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Peter Safar Papers, 1950-2003, UA.90.F102, University Archives, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Maurice A. Shapiro Environmental Health Collection, 1919-2001, UA.90.F65, University Archives, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Copyright

Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Subjects

Personal Names

Madoff, Michelle

Geographic Names

Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- Politics and government

Other Subjects

Environment
Environmentalism -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
City council members -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
Personal papers

Container List

Series I. Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), 1969-2011

Scope and Contents

Madoff was a founding member of GASP in October 1969 after Pittsburgh's air quality caused asthma attacks severe enough to hospitalize her. The group became a powerful lobby at the state, county, and city levels. This series consists of publications created by GASP and those used for research, correspondence, speeches and testimonies, and ephemera distributed by the group. The series also contains a significant number of news clippings.

35th Anniversary, 2006

Containers: box 1, folder 1

Air Pollution Laws, 1969-1975

Containers: box 1, folder 2

Allegheny County Conference on Environmental Systems and Service, 1973

Containers: box 1, folder 3

Earth Week, 1970-1971

Containers: box 1, folder 4

Federal Communications Commission, 1971

Containers: box 1, folder 5

GASP, Brochures, c1970-1971

Containers: box 1, folder 6

GASP, Bumper Stickers, undated

Containers: box 1, folder 7

GASP, Buttons, undated

Containers: box 1, folder 8

GASP, Correspondence, 1969-1973

Containers: box 1, folder 9-11

GASP, First Letter, 1969

Containers: box 1, folder 12

GASP, General, 1970-1977

Containers: box 1, folder 13

GASP, Hotline, 1970-2004

Containers: box 1, folder 14

GASP, Mailings, 1969-1970

Containers: box 1, folder 15

GASP, Red Flag Letter, 1971

Containers: box 1, folder 16

"Important Speeches & Letters", 1971-1972

Containers: box 1, folder 17

Law Suits - Possible Class Actions, 1972

Containers: box 1, folder 18

League of Conservation Voters, 1970-1972

Containers: box 1, folder 19

Environmental Testing Information, 1971-1974

Containers: box 1, folder 20

News Clippings, 1969-2011

Containers: box 1, folder 21-23

Nuclear Energy, 1970-1976

Containers: box 1, folder 24-25

Proposals and Grants for GASP, 1970-1971

Containers: box 1, folder 26

Second Session of the Conference in the Matter of the Interstate Waters of the Monongahela River and its Tributaries (Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland), 1971

Containers: box 1, folder 27

Speeches and Testimonies, 1969-1974

Containers: box 1, folder 28-29

Series II. Citizens Environmental Task Force and Enviro-S.O.S., 1971-1978

Scope and Contents

Madoff founded these groups after stepping down as president of GASP but was still involved with GASP as Advisor on Governmental Affairs. CETF was the parent organization that focused on technical reports on pollution control. Enviro-S.O.S. grew out of CETF to appeal to members of the public with an interest in air quality. This series consists of publications created by CETF and Enviro-S.O.S. and those used for research, correspondence, speeches, and testimonies distributed by the group.

Christmas Seal League, 1965-1977

Containers: box 2, folder 1

Clean Air Act, Testimony, 1974

Containers: box 2, folder 2

Coal Data, 1970-1975

Containers: box 2, folder 3-4

Coke Ovens, 1971-1976

Containers: box 2, folder 5-7

Committee of Pennsylvania Environmental Groups, 1976-1977

Containers: box 2, folder 8

Copyrights, 1973

Containers: box 2, folder 9

Correspondence and Letters to the Editor, 1971-1977

Containers: box 2, folder 10-13

Council on Municipal Performance, Report, 1975

Containers: box 2, folder 14

CETF Reports Numbers 1-14, 1973-1974

Containers: box 2, folder 15-17

Energy Costs, 1971-1977

Containers: box 2, folder 18-20

Energy Crisis Position Paper, c 1973

Containers: box 2, folder 21

EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), 1972-1977

Containers: box 2, folder 22

High Density Population Survey, 1975

Containers: box 2, folder 23

Jones and Laughlin Steel Company, Clippings, 1970-1977

Containers: box 2, folder 24

Jones and Laughlin Steel Company, Material and Correspondence Related to Environmental Control, 1971-1977

Containers: box 2, folder 25-30

National Clean Air Coalition, 1976-1977

Containers: box 2, folder 31

National Organizations, 1976

Containers: box 2, folder 32

News Clippings, 1972-1977

Containers: box 2, folder 33

Publications, 1967-1977

Containers: box 3, folder 1-5

Oil Energy, 1973-1977

Containers: box 3, folder 6

OMB (Office of Management and Budget), 1974

Containers: box 3, folder 7

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), 1966-1976

Containers: box 3, folder 8

Pennsylvania Conference on Steel, 1977

Containers: box 3, folder 9

Pennsylvania Environmental Council, 1975-1976

Containers: box 3, folder 10

Pennsylvania H.B. 1425, 1426, 1427 - Bethlehem Steel, 1973-1975

Containers: box 3, folder 11

Scrubbers vs. High Stacks, 1970-1977

Containers: box 3, folder 12

Slag Quenching, 1972-1975

Containers: box 3, folder 13

SOCTAP (Sulfur Oxide Control Technology Assessment Panel), 1973

Containers: box 3, folder 14

Sulphates, 1975-1976

Containers: box 3, folder 15

Transportation, 1972-1977

Containers: box 3, folder 16-18

Utilities, 1971-1975

Containers: box 3, folder 19

Water Pollution, 1970-1976

Containers: box 3, folder 20-22

West Penn Power Company, 1972-1975

Containers: box 3, folder 23

Series III. Allegheny County, PA, Bureau of Air Pollution Control, 1970-1977

Scope and Contents

Madoff served as a citizen member of the County's Bureau of Air Pollution Control. The series primarily consists of publications and other sources Madoff used for research purposes during her tenure.

Advisory Committee on Air Pollution Control, 1971-1977

Containers: box 3, folder 24-27

Advisory Committee on Air Pollution Control, Subcommittee on SO2, 1971-1973

Containers: box 4, folder 1

Air Pollution Control, Allegheny County, 1969-1977

Containers: box 4, folder 2

Air Pollution Control, Enforcement, Policing, and Surveillance, 1970-1976

Containers: box 4, folder 3

Air Pollution Control, Illinois, 1973

Containers: box 4, folder 4

Air Pollution Control, Indiana, 1971-1974

Containers: box 4, folder 5

Air Pollution Control, Pennsylvania, 1972

Containers: box 4, folder 6

Air Pollution Emergency Episode Systems, 1971-1976

Containers: box 4, folder 7-8

Air Pollution Index, Allegheny County, 1970-1976

Containers: box 4, folder 9

Air Pollution Laws in Allegheny County, 1960-1970

Containers: box 4, folder 10

Air Quality Trends - Local, National, Comparative, 1969-1977

Containers: box 4, folder 11

Allegheny County, PA, Air Pollution Variance Board, 1970-1974

Containers: box 4, folder 12-12a

Allegheny County, PA, Bureau of Air Pollution Control, 1970-1977

Containers: box 4, folder 13

Allegheny County, PA, Bureau of Air Pollution Control, Article XVIII, 1972-1976

Containers: box 4, folder 14

Americans for Energy Independence, 1977

Containers: box 4, folder 15

Blast Furnace Slips, 1971-1974

Containers: box 4, folder 16

Clean Air Act, 1969-1976

Containers: box 4, folder 17

Clean Air Act, Efforts to Soften, 1972-1973

Containers: box 4, folder 18

Duquesne Light, 1970-1977

Containers: box 4, folder 19-21

Fugitive Dust Emissions, 1972-1974

Containers: box 4, folder 22

Health Effects of Environmental Air Pollutants, Advisory Committee to Study, 1970-1974

Containers: box 4, folder 23

Jobs From Pollution Control, 1970-1976

Containers: box 4, folder 24

Monitoring, 1974-1976

Containers: box 4, folder 25

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, 1975

Containers: box 4, folder 26

Pennsylvania H.B. 1333 - Amendment to Air Pollution Control Act, 1971-1972

Containers: box 4, folder 27

Source Testing, 1975-1976

Containers: box 4, folder 28

United States Department of the Interior, 1974

Containers: box 4, folder 29

Vulcan Materials Company, 1973

Containers: box 4, folder 30

Series IV. Political Campaigns, 1973-1975

Scope and Contents

Madoff unsuccessfully ran for County Commissioner in the mid-1970s. This series documents her first attempt at public office and contains correspondence and campaign materials.

Biographical Information and Campaign Material, 1972-1975

Containers: box 5, folder 1

News Clippings, 1973-1975

Containers: box 5, folder 2

United Steel Workers of America, 1973-1977

Containers: box 5, folder 3

Series V. U.S. Steel, 1957-1977

Scope and Contents

Madoff's work regarding U.S. Steel pollution in western Pennsylvania spanned several of the groups in which she was involved. For that reason, records about her U.S. Steel campaigns are arranged in their own series. This series contains documents by and about U.S. Steel's activities regarding air pollution.

Clairton Coke Works, GASP Task Force Report, 1972

Containers: box 5, folder 4

Clairton Coke Works, Material and Correspondence Relating to Environmental Control, 1957-1977

Containers: box 5, folder 5-13

Clairton Coke Works, News Clippings, 1971-1977

Containers: box 5, folder 14-16

Clairton Works Agreement, April 1974

Containers: box 5, folder 17

Consent Agreement, 1973-1976

Containers: box 5, folder 18

Edward Furia, 1971-1973

Containers: box 5, folder 19

Full Page Ads, 1976

Containers: box 5, folder 20

Hearing, 1976

Containers: box 5, folder 21

Related Notes, 1968-1974

Containers: box 5, folder 22

Mortality Study, June 1976

Containers: box 5, folder 23

Series VI. Energy Outlook, 1976-1978

Scope and Contents

Energy Outlook 1978 was a reaction to the Energy Crisis. Sponsored by the Allegheny County Bureau of Air Pollution Control, it focused on determining and providing sustainable and renewable energy sources for homes in Greater Pittsburgh. This series contains memoranda and research materials created and used by Madoff.

Energy Outlook, 1978

Containers: box 5, folder 24-25

"Energy Strategy: The Road Not Taken" by Amory B. Lovins, 1976-1977

Containers: box 5, folder 26

ERDA (Energy Research and Development Administration), 1976-1977

Containers: box 5, folder 27

National Energy Plan, 1976-1977

Containers: box 5, folder 28

Series VI. Pittsburgh City Council, 1977-2001

Scope and Contents

Madoff served on Pittsburgh City Council from 1978 until 1993. This series contains newspaper clippings, correspondence, proposed ordinances, and campaign materials from Madoff's career as a Council member.

Campaign Materials, 1977-1993

Containers: box 5, folder 29

Correspondence, general, 1978-1993

Containers: box 5, folder 30

Correspondence, W. G. Diller, 1992

Containers: box 5, folder 31

Municipal Record, May 30, 1978

Containers: box 5, folder 32

Ordinances, 1980-1988

Containers: box 5, folder 33

News Clippings, 1978-2001

Containers: box 6, folder 1-13

Press Releases, 1981-1986

Containers: box 6, folder 14

Solid Waste Management, 1979

Containers: box 6, folder 15

Treasurer Sales, 1978-1979

Containers: box 6, folder 16

Series VIII. GASP-AZ, 2004-2011

Scope and Contents

After relocating to Arizona, Madoff resumed her community activism against air polluters. This series documents those efforts and contains newspaper clippings, correspondence, and research materials.

"Air Quality and Air Monitoring", 2004-2011

Containers: box 6, folder 17

"Environmental Research", 2001-2007

Containers: box 6, folder 18

"GASP-AZ", 2007

Containers: box 6, folder 19

"Gravel Pits", 2007

Containers: box 6, folder 20

News Clippings, 2007

Containers: box 6, folder 21

Promotional Materials, 2007

Containers: box 6, folder 22

Series X. Photographs, 1967-2013

Scope and Contents

This series documents Madoff's activities throughout her career.

Allegheny County Bureau of Air Pollution Control, 1968-c1973

Containers: box 7, folder 1

Allegheny County Hearings, c1967-1975

Containers: box 7, folder 2

Democratic Committee, c1970

Containers: box 7, folder 3

GASP Meetings, 1969-1973

Containers: box 7, folder 4

GASP Promotional, 1969-1972

Containers: box 7, folder 5

Personal, 1967-2013

Containers: box 7, folder 6

"Pittsburgh at Night", c1970

Containers: box 7, folder 7

"PIttsburgh at Night (smoggy)", c1970

Containers: box 7, folder 8

Pittsburgh City Council, candids, 1978-1993

Containers: box 7, folder 9

Pittsburgh City Council, promotional, 1977-1993

Containers: box 7, folder 10

Political Campaigns, 1973-1975

Containers: box 7, folder 11

Series IX. Personal, 1969-2013

Scope and Contents

This series contains personal correspondence and documents related to Madoff's projects outside of her activist or government activities.

Comprehensive Health Planning Association of Western Pennsylvania, 1973-1976

Containers: box 6, folder 23-25

Consulting, 1973-1985

Containers: box 6, folder 26

Dance Studio, 1958

Containers: box 6, folder 27

KDKA-AM, contracts, 1985

Containers: box 6, folder 28

KDKA-AM, news clippings, 1985

Containers: box 6, folder 29

Personal Correspondence and Clippings, c1958-2011

Containers: box 6, folder 30

Transportation, Squirrel Hill Tunnel, 1968-1973

Containers: box 6, folder 31-32

Guide to the Papers of Michelle Madoff, 1969-2013 AIS.1978.03

Arrangement

Biography

Scope and Content Notes

Access Restrictions

Acquisition Information

Preferred Citation

Previous Citation

Arrangement

Processing Information

Related Material

Copyright

Subjects

Personal Names

Geographic Names

Other Subjects

Container List

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents