U.S. Steel has permanently shut down Battery 15 and applied for tighter limits on pollution linked to asthma
PITTSBURGH (June 4, 2024) – U.S. Steel has permanently shut down coke Battery 15, one of the oldest and most-polluting parts of the Clairton Coke Works, and has formally applied to the Allegheny County Health Department to remove the battery from its Clean Air Act permits. The closure of Battery 15, which had previously been temporarily idled, will permanently ratchet down emissions of harmful emissions such as sulfur compounds (linked to asthma and respiratory problems), benzene (linked to cancer), and fine particulates (linked to cardiovascular and other health problems). At the time of its closure, Battery 15 contained more than 10% of the remaining coke ovens at Clairton Works. The closure was confirmed in a filing with the Allegheny County Health Department on May 30, 2024.
That filing also includes an application by U.S. Steel to tighten the limit on emissions of hydrogen sulfide (a respiratory irritant), reducing the allowable limit nearly 30% from 35 to 25 grains per cubic foot of gas facility-wide.
Both of these changes were required under the terms of the historic settlement of federal Clean Air Act litigation by PennEnvironment, the Clean Air Council and Allegheny County. The lawsuit was filed in response to thousands of violations of air pollution limits after the massive fire at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works on Christmas Eve, 2018.
Zachary Barber, the Clean Air Advocate with PennEnvironment, issued the following statement:
“Pittsburghers can breathe a little easier with the news that Allegheny County’s most-toxic polluter, the Clairton Coke Works, has permanently reduced its emissions of harmful air pollutants. Tightening pollution limits for hydrogen sulfide gas and requiring the permanent closure of one of the dirtiest parts of the Clairton Coke Works will pay public health dividends to local residents for years to come.”
Alex Bomstein, the Executive Director of Clean Air Council, issued the following statement:
“When we sued U.S. Steel, our number one priority was protecting the health of residents in the Mon Valley. The closure of Battery 15 was one of the most important steps toward that goal that we achieved in our historic legal victory over U.S. Steel. While nothing can undo the damage caused by U.S. Steel’s previous emissions, these reductions will reduce future harm and move the region toward the cleaner, more wholesome air it deserves.”
PENNSYLVANIA (March 26, 2024) Today, federal Judge Hardy signed the proposed consent agreement between Clean Air Council, PennEnvironment, and U.S. Steel. This is the final step in finalizing this historic consent decree and citizen suit penalty against U.S. Steel for their ongoing air pollution violations due to power outages at the Clairton Coke Works. The agreement mandates that U.S. Steel will pay a $5 million penalty — by far the largest in a Clean Air Act citizen enforcement suit in Pennsylvania history, and one of the three largest ever nationally. Most of the penalty money ($4.5 million) will fund public health projects directly benefiting Mon Valley communities suffering from poor air quality near the three U.S. Steel plants.
Clean Air Council Executive Director Alex Bomstein issued the following statement:
“Today marks a historic step forward in protecting Mon Valley residents from harmful pollution. It is a huge win that Judge Hardy has approved this settlement without changes and that it now has the power of the court behind it. This landmark agreement will go a long way in funding much-needed public health projects and holding U.S. Steel accountable for their operations.”
Read the original blog post when we proposed this historic consent agreement settlement.
Clean Air Council’s successful community organizing campaign Neighbors for Clean Air trains residents with little background in advocacy to become environmental watchdogs in their community and region. The Neighbors for Clean Air campaign began in southwestern Pennsylvania to promote increased public engagement and help residents be directly involved in the decisions that impact health and quality of life in their communities. These new community based groups successfully advocated for local governments to be more responsive to their environmental and quality of life concerns.
Today, Clean Air Council community organizers have trained 70 leaders to start groups composed of up to ten of their neighbors. These groups of resident watchdogs help to reduce air pollution from the largest polluter of air toxics and greenhouse gases in the region – the Clairton Coke Works. The Council also trained the Allison Park Neighbors group and helped them successfully push their local officials to improve oil and gas siting restrictions in Franklin Park, PA.
The Neighbors for Clean Air campaign is critical for building robust and sustained grassroots power to participate in state and local permitting decisions. The Council continues to help residents across Southwestern Pennsylvania to improve local and regional air quality, slow the effects of climate change, and assist with other environmental issues through training and education.
If you are interested in learning more about the Council’s Neighbors for Clean Air program email Jay at jwalker@cleanair.org
