Editor’s Note: This story was updated to include the statement of Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald, as well as updates from the health department and U.S. Steel. The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) announced in a press release Monday afternoon that it had issued an emergency order requiring U.S. Steel to come into compliance with its hydrogen sulfide (H2S) standard and sulfur dioxide (SO2) limits. U.S. Steel must submit a plan within 24 hours to ACHD as to how this will be achieved. The company will then have up to 20 days to achieve compliance. If these requirements are not met, the company will have to cease all coking operations. The complete order can be viewed here. At approximately 4:20 a.m., an electrical equipment fire forced a shutdown of control rooms 2 and 5 at the Clairton Coke Works. These control rooms hold the equipment and controls necessary to clean the coke oven gases, and they are the same two control rooms that were immediately shut down following the December 24, 2018 fire. As these control rooms remain offline, there is no means for desulfurization of the coke oven gas. ACHD staff have notified local and state elected officials and have contacted school nurses and pediatricians in the Mon Valley. Additionally, staff will be monitoring emergency room visits in the Mon Valley. As of 12 p.m. today, there have been no elevated SO2 levels at any of the air quality monitors in the Mon Valley. “It’s important to understand that there is no need for individuals to take specific precautions at this time. Residents should be aware of the potential for elevated SO2 levels,” the department said in the release. In a statement made on the Facebook page for the Office of the Allegheny Chief Executive, Rich Fitzgerald said: “I‘m very disappointed that this is happening again. People in this community need assurance that the pollution control equipment is reliable and usable. Organizations with critical systems like hospitals have to ensure that there are redundancies and back-ups. U.S. Steel shouldn’t be any different.I implore U.S. Steel to use all due speed to get this fixed as soon as possible and to take immediate steps to put in a back-up system for their operations. The health of the people of Clairton and surrounding communities, and the U.S. Steel employees, is too important to do otherwise. I commend Dr. Hacker and the Health Department for taking quick action and issuing an emergency order for U.S. Steel to address this now. I urge them to continue pushing the company to do what is necessary today to protect the health of our residents.” On Monday night, U.S. Steel tweeted that crews had completed repairs following the fire and that “at this time, normal operations have resumed, and we have successfully restored the desulfurization process.” On Tuesday, ACHD announced in a press release that inspectors had been on-site at U.S. Steel and were able to confirm that the desulfurization process was back online. #USSteel #desulfurization #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #ClairtonCokeWorks #airquality

UPDATE: U.S. Steel issued a statement Monday night indicating that its desulfurization unit was back online. On Tuesday afternoon, the Allegheny County Health Department announced that inspectors had been on site and verified that the systems were again operational. The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) on Monday advised the public that it should be aware of the potential for elevated sulfur dioxide levels following a fire at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works. “ACHD was notified by U.S Steel at approximately 4:43 a.m. of an electrical equipment fire that occurred at its Clairton Coke Works facility. The fire has been put out,” the department said in a press release on Monday. “Control rooms 1, 2 and 5 were shut down because of the fire. Control 1 is now back to normal operations. Currently, control rooms 2 and 5, which hold the equipment and controls necessary to clean the coke oven gases, remain shut down.” These are the same two control rooms that were immediately shut down following the December 24, 2018 fire. As these control rooms remain offline. This means there is no desulfurization of coke oven gas. Multiple mitigation measures are underway, like those used after the December 24 fire. ACHD confirmed that health department inspectors on-site “have been instructed to observe the damage and will be providing additional information to the department.” Sensitive populations, including those with respiratory conditions, children, and the elderly, should be aware of the potential for elevated levels of SO2. The department stressed there “is no need for residents to take specific precautions at this time.” ACHD will continue to gather additional details to determine the next course of action and will keep the public updated as further information becomes available. In a press release posted on its website Monday morning, U.S. Steel said: “Early this morning, Monday, June 17, a small electrical fire was detected on an electrical breaker panel impacting power to the by-products facility of our Clairton Plant. There were no injuries and the fire was quickly extinguished. Immediately, steps were taken to mitigate environmental impacts. Crews are working to assess the facility and the steps necessary to return the facility to normal operations. At present, the desulfurization process is not operational. We are following mitigation steps to include replacing coke oven gas with natural gas and flaring while we work to repair the damaged equipment. We have notified all appropriate regulatory agencies and will continue to provide updates to the public as more information is available. We will update our Clairton.uss.com website with this information.” In a statement posted on her personal Facebook page Monday, Rep. Summer Lee, whose district includes several Mon Valley communities, said: “Today, we’ve learned there was yet another fire at the Clairton Coke Works, shutting down gas cleaning capabilities in the same 2 control rooms that were damaged in the Christmas Eve fire (currently USS’s announced 1b investment does NOT include upgrades to the coke work’s batteries). Again, residents of the Mon Valley, particularly Clairton residents, are at risk of elevated levels of sulfur dioxide. Again, those who already have respiratory conditions, children and the elderly are vulnerable. Still, Allegheny County and the Mon Valley experience among the worst air quality, and are continously exposed to unhealthy levels of pollution. Again, I’m sure, USS will go on with business as usual and demand the workers and residents to do them same… Yea, enough is quite enough…I DARE all of my colleagues, fellow local electeds AND labor to stand WITH us and join me in offering bold leadership. We’re in environmental crisis! Nothing less will do! So how much longer will we twiddle our thumbs? Asking for the Mon Valley…” Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Erica Stassburger also weighed in on the matter. She shared a Tribune-Review story on Twitter with the following comment: “Something drastic has to change here. The people of Clairton and surrounding communities deserve much better. I don’t want workers to lose their jobs, but we NEED to get a handle on air pollution in the region – for our health, our children’s heath, and for our economy.” Editor’s Note: Below is a screenshot depicting SO2 levels at the Liberty Monitor. Hydrogen Sulfide spiked to 50 ppb early Monday morning there.  It had been at 0 ppb for the previous 20 hours and has averaged 3.8 ppb since the spike. Check back to GASP’s website—we will update this story as further details become available. #USSteel #desulfurization #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #ClairtonCokeWorks #airquality

Editor’s Note: The state Department of Environmental Protection issued another Notice of Violation to Erie Coke Works on June 25 for fugitive emissions. Media Contact: Amanda Gillooly Communications Manager Group Against Smog and Pollution amanda@gasp-pgh.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DEP Issues Four Notices of Violation to Erie Coke Corporation ERIE – So far this month, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has sent four formal Notice of Violation (NOV) letters to Erie Coke Corporation addressing emissions and other issues at its East Avenue facility that stretch back through October of last year. Taken together, the letters address violations dealing with daily oven opacity exceedances, excess fugitive emissions, visible stack emissions, and failing to properly operate a host of air pollution control equipment. DEP has not issued a press release discussing the NOVs or provide further details related to the flurry of activity. Meanwhile, Erie Coke Monday appealed a decision by DEP to place the company on its Compliance Docket, an action that would greatly restrict Erie Coke Corporation’s ability to get any new or expanded state permit. According to DEP’s May 9 letter, the Compliance Docket determination was made due to a list of unresolved violations dating back to June 2017 and “Erie Coke Corporation’s lack of intention or ability” to address them. The Notice of Appeal filed Monday stated that Erie Coke has “already rectified and resolved the regulatory violations listed (in DEP’s May 9 letter) with only minor potential exceptions.” With so much happening this week and nothing official from DEP, there is concern among those keeping an eye on Erie Coke. “While we are glad to see the DEP is paying attention to violations occurring at Erie Coke, the community needs more details about the nature of the violations and what information Erie Coke has provided to the DEP,” said Rachel Filippini, executive director of the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that is assisting local advocacy group Hold Erie Coke Accountable (HECA). ### #DepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection #ErieCoke #noticeofviolation #airpollution #emissions #DEP

Clear your schedules the evening of July 1, because GASP is teaming up with Repair the World Pittsburgh for an event you won’t want to miss. Together we will be hosting an ozone garden event. What’s an ozone garden? You’ll find out—and even get an opportunity to help us plant one—from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. July 1 at Sheridan Avenue Orchard located at 315 Sheridan Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206. For those who might not be aware: Ground-level ozone is one of the most prevalent types of air pollution in our area. It is a harmful air pollutant because of its effects on people and the environment. Heard of smog? Ground-level ozone is its main component. Fortunately, some plants provide a natural indicator for ground-level ozone. Interested in attending? RSVP here. #ozone #airpollution #ozonegarden

At GASP, we take a three-fold approach to improving air quality: We educate, we advocate, and we do legal watchdog work to ensure that the regulated community—and the agencies that regulate them—are complying with the law. This week, GASP’s legal staff submitted public comments on two air quality plans of note—Allegheny County Health Department’s (ACHD) Air Monitoring Plan for 2020, as well as Allegheny County’s proposed revisions to the PM2.5 State Implementation Plan. GASP’s Comments on ACHD Air Quality Monitoring Plan for 2020 GASP’s submitted comments on ACHD’s 2020 Air Monitoring Plan mostly centered on transparency and the need for additional air quality monitoring. We argued that ACHD must: Examine the necessity of additional, permanent sulfur dioxide monitoring in the vicinity of Clairton Coke. “Compared to other sources, US Steel’s Clairton Coke facility “contributes overwhelmingly to SO2 pollution” in Allegheny County’s Mon Valley. Accordingly, ACHD’s Liberty monitor is located to measure the maximum ground concentration. However, this monitor location is based on an annual average of atmospheric conditions. Data revealed by ACHD’s additional SO2 monitoring after the Dec. 24, 2018, fire at Clairton Coke suggests a single site might not be sufficient to monitor for maximum concentration. Not use EPA mismanagement as a valid excuse for delaying its photochemical assessment monitoring station (PAMS) implementation. “On May 31, 2019 – just one day before the deadline – EPA published notice of its intent to extend the PAMS implementation until June 1, 2021. While the EPA provided some attempt at an excuse in the aforementioned notice, gross mismanagement of the PAMS program does not excuse ACHD from fulfilling its requirement to protect the health of local citizens. Critical to understanding the potential harm this delay will cause is that the PAMS program had six objectives, some of which went beyond the science of ozone formation.” Undertake additional efforts to provide the public with air quality data and meaningful interpretations thereof. “The public still faces significant hurdles in getting timely, relevant, understandable information about air quality. While leaving the methodology wide open, the air quality monitoring regulations demand more from ACHD in this regard. There is nothing that would attract the public to black and white tables of numbers. Raw data showing hourly measurements of pollutants in micrograms per cubic meter are off-putting and tend to repulse, rather than attract, the general public; some context, analysis, and explanation is necessary. GASP’s Comments on Allegheny County’s Revisions to its State Implementation Program (SIP) By way of background, in 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency revised the primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard for fine particle pollution (PM2.5) In 2015, EPA designated Allegheny County as a moderate nonattainment area of the 2012 PM2.5 Standard. As such, Allegheny County must attain the 2012 PM2.5 standard by Dec. 31, 2021. The SIP outlines how the county will achieve that attainment. GASP’s legal staff pointed out that “the Proposed SIP Revision provides no margin for error in its attainment demonstration. Despite this, no new controls or limits on emissions of PM2.5 or its precursors will be imposed in Allegheny County in connection with the SIP revision.” We went on to say, “Because the Proposed SIP Revision predicts that PM2.5 concentrations at the Liberty monitor will only just barely attain the 2012 PM2.5 Standard by the 2021 attainment date, and because no new controls or limits will be imposed to reduce PM2.5 emissions, the contingency measures in the Proposed SIP Revision may need to be invoked. However, it does not appear that they comply with the requirements of the Clean Air Act.” Additionally, we pointed out, the emissions inventory for the Clairton Plant used in the Proposed SIP Revision’s attainment demonstration should include excess emissions resulting from the Plant’s violations of permit limitations. It is not clear, however, that they do. Not modeling excess emissions from the Clairton Plant would tend to cause the modeled concentrations of PM2.5 at the Liberty monitor to be understated, and would thus result in a false attainment demonstration. Editor’s Note: Check back to the GASP website for updates on both the SIP and air monitoring plans. #PM25 #airpollution #USSteel #PAMS #nonattainment #SIP #particulatematter #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #DEP #ACHD #airquality

Time is running out for residents to submit comments on the Title V permit fee schedule changes proposed in April by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Comments are due June 17. Care about environmental issues and want to ensure your voice is heard, but just not sure what a Title V permit is or what all is changing about DEP’s fee schedule? We get it. And we’re here to help! About those Title V permits… Title V of the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires “Major Sources” of air pollution to obtain operating permits from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or a state or local agency that EPA has authorized to issue these permits, in this case, the PA DEP. By way of background: A Major Source of air pollution has the potential to: emit at least 100 tons per year of any air pollutant 10 tons per year of any single hazardous air pollutant or 25 tons per year of any combination of hazardous air pollutants To put it simply, a Title V Operating Permit is like a snapshot that gives a picture of all emissions limits and standards to which a source is subject, as well as all operating, monitoring, and reporting requirements that apply at the time of a permit’s issuance. By including all requirements in one document, these permits help air pollution source operators comply with those regulations. They also help regulators and members of the public enforce them–all with the ultimate goal of reducing air pollution. So, what’s up with the fee schedule? DEP’s existing fee schedule sets the fees that applicants pay to DEP for processing applications for plan approvals for: new sources of air pollution operating permits for existing sources of air pollution administering operating permits The fee schedule also imposes a per-ton fee on emissions of pollutants regulated by Title V sources. Together, these fees fund the operation of DEP’s Air Quality Program, which works to protect public health and Pennsylvania’s environment by administering and enforcing air pollution laws. So, what are the proposed changes? The proposed fee schedule changes would essentially do three things: increase the fees for submitting many types of plan approvals beginning in 2020, with further increases to those fees set for 2026 and 2031; increase Title V and non-Title V operating permit application fees and annual administration fees, also beginning in 2020 with further increases set for 2026 and 2031; and impose fees for certain determinations and assessments that DEP regularly performs for regulated sources, including plant-wide applicability limit determinations, requests for determination, confidential business information determinations, risk assessments, and evaluations of asbestos removal notification forms. Uh, can you help put that in context? Glad to—happy you asked! Here’s what the changes boil down to: The proposed amendments to the fee schedule would increase application fees for plan approvals, operation permits, and the annual administration fees charged to operating permit holders that were based on a schedule set all the way back in the 1990s (and last increased 14 years ago). Another thing to consider: If approved, the proposed amendments would, for the first time, impose fees on regulated sources of air pollution for certain determinations and assessments that DEP regularly performs for them, including: requests for determination risk assessments confidential business information determination Here at GASP, we believe that it is absolutely appropriate for the regulated community to pay for these types of determinations and assessments. Why? Because they ultimately benefit from them, and because preparing all those determinations and assessments burns up a significant portion of the Air Quality Program staff’s time. OK, now that I understand, what should I say? And how do I say it? While GASP submitted formal comments (you can read them here), we put together some sample language for likeminded folks who’d like to echo them: “My name is __________________ and I am writing in support of the PA DEP’s proposed Title V permit fee schedule changes because: The Air Quality Program’s expenses now exceed its revenue, which means the money being generated by the existing fee schedule is not adequate to fund the program. That revenue gap has resulted in a reduction in Air Quality Program staffing, which negatively affects the turnaround time for issuance of plan approvals and operating permits. It also impacts the program’s ability to effectively conduct inspections, respond to complaints, and pursue enforcement actions, when necessary. The potential negative impacts to the environment—and public health—are obvious. Not as obvious are potential impacts to our state economy by slowing or altogether preventing businesses from investing in new facilities and modernizing existing ones. Sincerely, Your Signature" Written comments regarding the proposed amendments will be accepted by the Environmental Quality Board by email through June 17, 2019, addressed to RegComments@pa.gov, and may also be submitted to the board using DEP’s eComment webpage. #TitleVoperatingpermit #airpollution #EnvironmentalQualityBoard #TitleV #emissions #DEP #airquality

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) announced Tuesday that U.S. Steel has appealed the most recent civil penalty. The $337,670 penalty was issued by ACHD on May 10 for continued emissions problems at the Clairton Coke Works facility for the first quarter of 2019. In the appeal, U.S. Steel alleges—among other things—that ACHD inspectors “failed to conduct proper, fair, and unbiased evaluations.” Further, lawyers for U.S. Steel alleged that “inaccurate data misrepresented the…compliance status and results in an unjustifiable penalty assessment.” In the release, ACHD said it is reviewing the appeal to determine the next course of action and will notify the public as additional information becomes available. GASP is disappointed but not surprised by the appeal. “Again, it looks like U.S. Steel would rather pay to fight the health department and tie things up in court than take responsibility for the air pollution they create and work diligently to reduce their impact on the community,” Executive Director Rachel Filippini said. #airpollution #USSteel #emissions #AlleghenyCountyHealthDepartment #ACHD #ClairtonCokeWorks

The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday published a notice that it would like to delay the start of the PhotoChemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (PAMS) by two years. The announcement comes just one day before the requirement was scheduled to go into effect. “This proposed revision would extend the start date from June 1, 2019, to June 1, 2021,” the notice reads. “The proposed revision would give states two additional years to acquire the necessary equipment and expertise needed to successfully make the required PAMS measurements by the start of the 2021 PAMS season.” By way of background, the Clean Air Act Amendments required the EPA to expand rules for the enhanced air quality monitoring of ozone, oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds to obtain more comprehensive and representative data on ozone air pollution. Immediately following the promulgation of those rules, the affected states were to begin adopting and implementing a program to improve ambient air quality monitoring activities, as well as the monitoring of NOx and VOCs. Each State Implementation Plan – known as a SIP – must contain measures to implement the ambient air quality monitoring of those air pollutants. Federal regulations also required states to establish PAMS as part of their SIP monitoring networks in ozone non-attainment areas that are classified as either serious, severe, or extreme. As a result of the delay, ACHD will not begin making PAMS measurements at the Lawrenceville (air quality monitoring site) in 2019 and will work with the EPA to begin measurements on or before the final revised start date for this network. Long-term exposure to ozone is linked to the aggravation of asthma and is likely to be one of many causes of asthma development. Long-term exposures to higher concentrations of ozone may also be linked to permanent lung damage, such as abnormal lung development in children. The reasons behind the PAMS requirement? The lack of attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone nationwide, as well as a need for a more comprehensive air quality database for ozone and its precursors. GASP’s take on the proposed delay of implementing the PAMS rule? This is essentially the equivalent of the EPA showing up the day the assignment was due and asking for a two-year extension. We are dismayed by the delay and late notice. Editor’s Note: More information on PAMS can be found on the EPA website here. #NationalAmbientAirQualityStandard #PAMS #SIP #CleanAirAct #ambientairmonitoring #ACHD #airquality

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board will convene from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. June 5 and then again from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the next day, according to the Federal Register. Suspiciously missing from the notice is that the agenda for the meetings includes a “Discussion of EPA’s Proposed Science and Transparency Rule.” This omission from the notice is troubling. Here’s why: The proposed “Science and Transparency” rule was introduced in April 2018 and was controversial from the outset. An article in The Atlantic warned that adopting this rule “would essentially bar the EPA from consulting most large-scale medical studies when creating rules about air pollution, toxic chemicals, and water contaminants.” The proposal could also force the agency to revoke decades of clean-air protections. SAB has already registered concerns with the rule: In a June 2018 letter to the EPA, the board wrote, “[a]lthough the proposed rule cites several valuable publications that support enhanced transparency, the precise design of the proposed rule appears to have been developed without a public process for soliciting input specifically from the scientific community.” You can read the SAB letter to the EPA and the EPA’s response online here. If you are able to submit testimony for—or at least listen in on—the June 5-6 meetings, it could potentially make a huge difference in the future of clean-air and other environmental regulations. Those interested in finding out more may view the webcast or call in to listen to the meeting can do so online or via teleconference. Those interested in submitting testimony should follow the guidance provided by the SAB for “Public Involvement in Advisory Activities.” #cleanairregulations #SAB #ScienceandTransparencyRule

Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Erika Strassburger this week announced that she will be hosting a “Community Listening Session on Air Quality” at 6 p.m. June 26—and you’re invited. The event will be held at Repair the World Pittsburgh, which is located at 6022 Broad Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Residents are invited to speak at the event, which will give them the opportunity to give input and share their personal experiences with Pittsburgh’s air quality. GASP will be there—and we hope affected residents are, too. Signing up to make remarks at the listening session is simple. Just fill out this online form. Strassburger represents District 8, which is composed of several East Pittsburgh communities, including Oakland, Point Breeze, Shadyside, and Squirrel Hill. #airquality #ErikaStrassberger