Allegheny County Health Department Finalizes Settlement with U.S. Steel, Minimal Improvements in Air Quality Expected

PITTSBURGH, PA (February 10, 2020)  Monday, U.S. Steel and the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) finalized a settlement over enforcement actions and penalties it issued against U.S. Steel in 2018-2019 for air quality violations at its Clairton Coke Works. The final order includes a requirement for forming a Community Benefit Trust and a Community Advisory Panel. Community members will be chosen to serve on the advisory panel and meet with U.S. Steel representatives to discuss ongoing concerns. In addition, the order requires U.S. Steel to make plant improvements, which will marginally reduce emissions. 

Joseph Otis Minott, Clean Air Council Executive Director and Chief Counsel, issued the following statement:

“This agreement ignores air quality and health concerns of Clairton residents. It lacks requirements for serious equipment upgrades to reduce pollution, self-imposes limits on how strongly ACHD can regulate coke oven emissions, and doesn’t require that community trust money be used to clean the air.”