Pittsburgh Review

The Allegheny County Health Department has announced that it is fining the U.S. Steel Corporation’s Clairton Coke Plant $4,570,500 for a total of 831 uncontrolled push violations between Jan. 1, 2020 and March 15, 2022.

According to the Clean Air Council, coke is a fuel used in steelmaking that is created by heating coal without air. Pushing was described in the county’s release as unloading finished coke from the oven into a traveling hot car to be transported while cooling. The release said that in order to contain emissions, a travel hood is put over the vehicle outside the coke oven door while coke is pushed into the car. The hood then forces emissions to go through filters and vents the emissions with a pushing emission control system (PEC). An uncontrolled push is when emissions that would go through hate PEC do not, and this creates emissions not captured that are released into the air.

“We are committed to protecting residents’ health and holding sources of pollution accountable,” said Dr. Debra Bogen, director of the Health Department. “The Health Department expects 100% compliance, and this latest enforcement action further demonstrates our commitment to protecting air quality for all. I thank my staff for their continued hard work and vigilance.” 

The plant is now required to submit a monthly report to the Health Department, which is due to a previous enforcement order dating back to July 23, 1990. The release added that other pollution sources in the county need to submit process reports semi-annually or quarterly. Air Quality staff reviewed the reports dating back to 2020, along with other breakdown reports that determined the violations of the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Plant. 

This is all part of a recent effort by the Health Department to protect air quality. On Oct. 5, 2021, the Health Department issued an enforcement order against Neville Chemical Company for an emissions limit violation. Also, the department is working on launching the Mon Valley Episode Rule which is designed to improve air quality. It was signed into law in September 2021 and on Feb 3 the department announced it finalized a review of mitigation plans with 10 approved. 

On March 3, the department announced a fine of $869,300 against U.S. Steal for pollution violations and permit violations at the Clairton Coke Plant in the third and fourth quarters of last year. Then on March 7 the department announced a $1.8 million penalty against U.S. Steel for 153 Hydrogen Sulfide violations at Liberty Monitor from Jan. 1, 2020 to March 1, 2022.

The most recent enforcement order at the Clairton Coke Plant found that the uncontrolled pushes were at eight of the plant’s 10 coke batteries. 

U.S. Steel has 30 days to appeal or pay the penalty.