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Jul 14, 2021

Board of Health Green Lights Episodic Weather Regulations for Mon Valley, Next Stop Allegheny County

Preceding the BOH vote was a special meeting of the Allegheny County Air Advisory Committee earlier this week, where minor language tweaks were presented and Air Quality Chief Jayme Graham told members: The Mon Valley Episodic Weather regulation garnered more than 400 comments – all but two of which were in favor of the new rules. The committee – which includes GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini – voted unanimously to recommend approval of the new rules. The regulation

Jun 7, 2021

More Unhealthy Air Quality, Exceedances Pervade Mon Valley – Update on H2S Problem Needed

The colorless gas is most commonly recognized by its “rotten egg” odor and concentrations exceeded the Pennsylvania 24-hour average standard of 0.005 ppm on both Saturday (0.007 ppm) and Sunday (0.009 ppm) at Allegheny County Health Department’s air quality monitor in Liberty borough. “There have been 24 H2S exceedances so far this year at Liberty. That’s only one less than in all of 2020, but it’s also worth noting that the first exceedance in 2021 at that monitor didn’t occ

Jun 3, 2021

What You Need to Know About Allegheny County’s Draft Episodic Weather Regulations & How to Make

Editor’s Note: The public comment period for Allegheny County’s draft episodic weather regulations is now closed. Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit comments! We will continue to follow the issue – check back for updates. A proposed change to Allegheny County’s Air Pollution Control Regulations aims to reduce particulate matter pollution in the Mon Valley during periods of stagnant weather patterns often a factor in poor air quality as well as exceedances of st

May 19, 2021

Liberty-Clairton Area Dealt More Unhealthy Air Quality, More H2S Exceedances

AQI soared into the red, unhealthy-for-everybody range this morning, peaking at 163. An air dispersion report issued Wednesday by the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) noted a strong surface inversion occurred today. The forecast, sourced from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said: Fine particulate levels will be at their highest between 4 and 10 a.m. this morning, then the breaking inversion along with a southeast wind will send overall averages

May 4, 2021

Let’s Talk About U.S. Steel’s Decision Not to Invest In the Mon Valley Works

In an “Open Letter to our Pittsburgh Family” company President and Chief Executive Officer David B. Burritt wrote: “U. S. Steel is setting aside this project as we step forward to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world. In this world – a world that still needs steel – we need to find aggressive decarbonization solutions. The project we had planned in 2019 would have decreased our carbon footprint, but we must now move farther and faster. Just as steel transformed the worl

May 4, 2021

Study Confirms What Many Long Suspected: Clairton Coke Works Fire Sickened Mon Valley Residents

A new study co-authored by one of GASP’s board of directors confirms what many in the Mon Valley have long suspected: That a 2018 fire that knocked out air pollution controls at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works for more than three months sickened local residents. The collaborative study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, showed asthma exacerbations rose following the catastrophic Christmas Eve fire. “In addition to verifying that people living withi

Apr 5, 2021

UPDATED: Several More H2S Exceedances for Mon Valley as Poor Air Quality Lingers

Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 3:51 p.m. Monday to include today’s exceedances at the Liberty and North Braddock air quality monitors. High concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the Mon Valley led to exceedances of the state standard on Saturday and Monday at the Allegheny County Health Department’s air quality monitoring sites in Liberty and North Braddock. For the uninitiated: Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas most commonly recognized by its “rotten egg” s

Apr 1, 2021

Health Department Issues Notice Of Violation to U.S. Steel Over Hydrogen-Sulfide Exceedances

The Allegheny County Health Department on April 1 issued a Notice of Violation against U.S. Steel for hydrogen sulfide exceedances that occurred at the Liberty monitor. The NOV covers 25 exceedances, which occurred in 2020 and seven to date in 2021. The notice is the first step for any enforcement action, including civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation per day, for sources. Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas most commonly recognized by its “rotten egg” smell. U.S. S

Mar 16, 2021

More Air Quality Violations at Clairton Coke Works Leads to $383K Demand for Stipulated Penalties

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) issued the demand for stipulated penalties on March 12. The associated violations are from the second, third, and fourth quarters of 2020 (April 1, 2020 – Dec. 31, 2020). How did ACHD come up with the penalty amount? The high-profile settlement agreement between the department and U.S. Steel in 2019. According to the demand, 90 percent of the penalties – $345,105 – will go toward the Community Benefit Trust established as part of

Mar 9, 2021

U.S. Steel Fined Nearly $13K for (Again) Violating Air Quality Regs

Allegheny County Health Department has issued two enforcement orders against U.S. Steel for violating local air pollution regulations – violations that led to ACHD assessing nearly $13,000 in civil penalties. A Jan. 25 enforcement order posted to the ACHD website Tuesday evening detailed a failed Oct. 19, 2019 stack test at Clairton Coke Works’ C Battery where emissions for filterable particulate matter exceeded the limit established in U.S. Steel’s installation permit. The e

Mar 5, 2021

U.S. Steel Projects Emissions Increases Following Pollution Reduction Project at Clairton Coke Works

Editor’s Note: The deadline to submit public comments regarding the U.S. Steel permits was 11:59 p.m. March 15. Right now, the Allegheny County Health Department is seeking public comment on a draft installation permit for an upgraded Pushing Emissions Control (PEC) Baghouse at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works – and we need YOUR help to ensure it does what it is intended to do: Reduce emissions coming from the Mon Valley-based facility. The deadline to submit formal comments

Mar 4, 2021

Same Old Story: More Rotten (Egg) Air Quality, Exceedances, in the Mon Valley

Ambient air concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) exceeded Pennsylvania’s 24-hour standard in North Braddock and Liberty on Wednesday according to Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) air quality monitoring data. Concentrations of H2S were so high in North Braddock that by 4:00 a.m. yesterday it was mathematically impossible *not* to exceed the 0.005 ppm standard, a figure that is averaged over an entire day. Although concentrations were down to 0.000 ppm for most of

Feb 2, 2021

Allegheny County Health Department Seeks Public Comment on U.S. Steel, Other Air Quality Permits

Allegheny County Health Department is now seeking public comment on several air quality permits. Two notices were published in late January with comments being accepted for the first batch of permits through Feb. 22. Another set of air quality permits will be out for public comment through March 15. Of particular interest are permits for U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works facilities. The installation permit for the proposed Co-Generation Plant at the Clairton Coke Works is among t

Jan 20, 2021

Residents to Allegheny County Health Department: Better Protect Us With Strong Coke Oven Regs

Editor’s Note: The public comment period for Allegheny County’s coke oven regulations closed as of 4 p.m. Jan. 21. Residents talked about having to shut their windows on nice days to keep out noxious odors emanating from the Clairton Coke Works. They spoke about asthma attacks, about suffering itchy eyes and throats, about dust that cakes their windows and kills their outdoor plants. Some talked about fears that persistent poor air quality would ultimately force them to uproo

Jan 19, 2021

Deadline to Speak Out on Proposed Coke Oven Regulations Quickly Approaching

Editor’s Note: The public comment period for Allegheny County’s draft coke oven regulations closed as of 4 p.m. Jan. 21. Time is running out to weigh in on proposed revisions to Allegheny County’s coke oven regulations – rules the health department hopes will reduce certain air pollutants emanating from U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works as well as clarify inspection procedures. As Mon Valley residents know all too well, emissions from coke ovens have been a primary source of o

Jul 15, 2020

Concerns About Air Quality Dominate Public Comment at Allegheny County Board of Health Meeting

Concerns over poor air quality and recent emissions issues at U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works facilities dominated the public comments period of the Allegheny County Board of Health meeting Wednesday afternoon. Nearly 20 people submitted comments sharing their worry over poor air quality, including GASP Executive Director Rachel Filippini, who expressed concern over a lack of transparency regarding recent emissions issues at the Edgar Thomson plant. She again called on Alleghen

Jun 11, 2020

GASP Weighs in on Allegheny County Health Department’s Draft Air Quality Monitoring Network Plan

The Group Against Smog and Pollution on Wednesday submitted comments on the Allegheny County Health Department’s (ACHD’s) draft 2021 air monitoring network. Here are some of the highlights: GASP supports the establishment of a National Air Toxics Trends Station in Lawrenceville but noted that ACHD must address ancillary issues regarding the move. GASP expressed concern over access to data and noted that there should be an analysis of the need for continued air toxics monitori

May 28, 2020

Allegheny Co. Health Dept. Announces $361K in Fines Against U.S. Steel's Clairton Coke Works

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) in a press release Thursday announced that it has issued $361,400 worth of stipulated penalties against U.S. Steel for Article XXI Air Pollution Control violations and permit violations that occurred at the Clairton Coke Works during the fourth quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020. Pursuant to the Department’s agreement that was reached with U.S. Steel in June of 2019, ninety percent (90 percent) of penalties ($325,260) w

May 4, 2020

Watchdog Report: Has U.S. Steel Kept the Promises It Made in Latest Settlement Agreement with ACHD?

Editor’s Note: A U.S. Steel representative on May 13 provided an update to the Allegheny County Board of Health during the public comment portion of its meeting. His comments, which were submitted and read into the record instead of presented live because of COVID-19 restrictions, indicated that all of the upgrades specified in the agreement with ACHD have been met. The representative also indicated that the company was on target to meet upcoming deadlines. A lot has happened

Mar 9, 2020

U.S. Steel Fined $13K for Emissions Violation at Clairton Coke Works Facility

The Feb. 21 enforcement order, which was posted to the Allegheny County Health Department website Friday, indicates that U.S. Steel failed its emissions tests conducted on Oct. 8-11 and on Oct. 14, 2019 for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at Clairton Coke Works C Battery. According to the order, U.S. Steel was pumping out 12.3 pounds of pm2.5 an hour on average during that period in October. Its installation permit limits the company from emitting more than 3.4 pounds per hou

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