Clean air activists, political leaders, steelworkers and community members gathered in the Clairton Municipal Building to voice their opinions on the updating of pollution rules for U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works Wednesday night.

The hearing was an opportunity for elected officials and residents of the city and surrounding communities to have an audience with the Allegheny County Health Department before the department solidifies its proposed modifications. About 60 people attended.

These updates include more intensive regulations and detailed inspection procedures for the coke ovens.

Earlier this year in March, the Health Department announced it was fining U.S. Steel $1.8 million for excess hydrogen sulfide emissions at its Clairton Coke Works, the largest coke manufacturing facility in the United States.

The plant has received a number of fines in the past, but this is the first issued against a single source over hydrogen sulfide emissions. 

That same month, a different penalty of $4.5 million was handed to U.S. Steel from the department. This fine is for 831 uncontrolled pushing violations between Jan. 1, 2020, and March of this year. These violations accuse U.S. Steel of not ensuring that polluting emissions were passed through a filter during the unloading of coke onto trucks. 

U.S. Steel said it will appeal the first penalty received this year from the Health Department, a fine of $860,000 for the alleged air quality violations last year. The company states that the department did not adhere to inspection methods agreed upon in a June 2019 settlement.

The Pittsburgh tri-state area was ranked 14th worst for long-term or year-round particle pollution in the American Lung Association’s latest “State of the Air” report. This is an improvement from its previous ninth worst standing. 

Yet, the county has met federal air quality standards for fine particle matter pollution for the second time, according to the Health Department. 

During the hearing, many attending gave personal testimonies on how the air quality has greatly improved over the past decades. Dean DeLuca, air quality program manager, was present to listen and represent the Health Department.

Joseph “JoJo” Burgess, a steelworker, said that workers take pride in meeting our environmental practices and standards at U.S. Steel.

“One thing you have to realize is we have a 99% compliance rate with the emissions down there, and we're being told that's not good enough on the strictest emissions standards in the world,” Mr. Burgess said. “Let's just say what it is. We have people coming in to tell people in their own house how they feel.”

Mr. Burgess said he remembers driving to Kennywood as a kid and seeing “haze and darkness” from the mills, a contrast to the green hills of the Mon Valley of today.

“For the Allegheny County Health Department to continue to put the restrictions on this plan that is only going to drive businesses out of here, and if this place fails, it does not only fail the city of Clairton, it fails the whole southwest region.”

Clairton Mayor Richard Lattanzi and Lincoln Mayor James Beisler echoed Mr. Burgess’ comments.

Also in attendance was an activist group, Valley Clean Air Now, a group of Mon Valley residents, which held a small rally outside of the building prior to the hearing, urging the Health Department to take steps to end pollution from the coke ovens.

“So let's be real for a second,” said Qiyam Ansari of West Mifflin. “This means that U.S. Steel is making a profit of $9.8 million every day it operates on average. That means that they can afford to not clean up their act, they can afford to push the Allegheny County Health Department around, and they continue to disregard our elected officials, our voices, and continue to do business as usual.

“This is why we are asking for these new regulations so that they can change their business practices. So we can make it too expensive to operate as business as usual.”

Mr. DeLuca said the Health Department will take the testimonies and any written comments submitted by 4 p.m. Tuesday into consideration prior to its final action updating its rules and regulations.

The county Health Department is also requesting comments on its draft of the 2023 Air Monitoring Network Plan, a report that provides details of how and where air pollution is monitored in the county. Written public comments will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on June 9.

Hannah Wyman: hwyman@post-gazette.com and Twitter @Hannah_SWyman.

First Published: May 12, 2022, 4:01 a.m.