After Christmas Eve Coke Plant Fire, 22 Allegheny Co Communities Still Under Air Quality Warning

A Dec. 24 fire at U.S. Steel Corp.’s Clairton Coke Works, which significantly damaged its coke gas feed operations, produced high levels of air pollution and Wednesday led the Allegheny County Health Department to issue an air quality advisory for 22 Mon Valley communities.

Since the fire, sulfur dioxide pollution standards have been violated six times, including twice on Jan. 8, triggering the advisory urging Mon Valley residents with pre-existing respiratory and heart conditions, along with children and the elderly, to limit outdoor activity.

Jim Kelly, the county health department’s deputy director for environmental health, told the Allegheny County Board of Health at its regular monthly meeting Wednesday that the advisory will continue indefinitely. “The health advisory will remain until the plant is fixed,” Mr. Kelly said. “U.S. Steel has done a lot to abate the situation, but there were still air violations Tuesday so I don’t have a lot of confidence in it right now.”

It comes as U.S. Steel appeals a $1 million fine issued by the health department in June. - Ed. Emphasis added - and of course . . . .

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https://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2019/01/09/Mon-Valley-air-quality-warning-US-Steel-Clairton-coke-works-Allegheny-County-pollution/stories/201901090084