Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services will hold two free, informational clinics this week for residents of Clairton and surrounding communities involved in a recently settled class action lawsuit against U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works.
The clinics provide an opportunity for members of the class to ask legal questions about the settlement, and will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, both at Clairton City Hall, 551 Ravensburg Blvd., Clairton, PA 15025.
Under the settlement agreement, which was preliminarily approved in mid-December by Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge Philip A. Ignelzi, the Pittsburgh-based steelmaker is required to spend at least $6.5 million at its coke making facility to reduce emissions of noxious odors and soot that prompted the 2017 lawsuit. It also agreed to pay $2 million — minus almost $1 million attorney’s fees — that would be split among approximately 5,600 residents of Clairton, Elizabeth, Glassport, Liberty and Lincoln.
Fair Shake, a nonprofit law firm specializing in environmental cases, is not involved in the settlement, but will make its attorneys available for individual, confidential consultations of up to 20 minutes with members of the class.
“We want to make sure people have information about the settlement,” said Josh Eisenfeld, of Fair Shake. “We know this is a confusing agreement and that in situations like this people don’t have a lot of support. We are trying to provide that support.”
Emily Collins, Fair Shake executive director and managing attorney, said in a release that under terms of the settlement members of the class could each receive approximately $300 to $400, but noted that if as few as 20 people decide to opt out of the agreement it could fall apart.
The the Detroit law firm of Liddle & Dubin, which specializes in class action litigation, represented Cindy Ross and Cheryl Hurt, both of Clairton, who brought the case, and will each receive $5,000, in addition to their share.
According to Fair Shake, residents have until Jan. 20 to opt out of the settlement agreement and until Feb. 4, to mail in their claim form for settlement payment. If residents want to object to or support the settlement they must do so in writing by Jan. 20, and only can do so if they have not opted out of the settlement.
“With only days to make an important decision, residents should seek this impartial source of legal advice prior to responding to the letter regarding this class action lawsuit,” said Myron Arnowitt, state director of Clean Water Action.
Objections, if there are any, will be heard at a Fairness Hearing at 10 a.m., Feb. 24 at the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Courtroom 820, City-County Building, 414 Grant St., Downtown.
Following that hearing, the court could approve the settlement, and residents would be mailed a check from the settlement fund approximately 30 days later.
Documents pertaining to the settlement agreement are available at the Liddle & Dubin, P.C. website.
Don Hopey: dhopey@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1983. Twitter: @donhopey.
First Published: January 7, 2020, 11:56 p.m.
