Residents of Clairton, Pennsylvania, have filed a class-action lawsuit against US Steel. The suit claims that the company’s Clairton Coke Works, a coke plant, has lowered property values in the region through its air pollution byproduct. The basis is a tangible claim that ties in health concerns. While data suggests that there is a high correlation between the regions’ mounting cancer rates and the emissions coming from US Steel’s plant, it can be difficult to prove. The Allegheny County Health Department staff points to other potential contributors, especially, in low-income areas.
The suit claims the mill violated its air permit 6,700 times between 2012 and 2015, and despite a county decree to reduce pollution, the Mon Valley area continues to fail federal air quality standards for sulfur dioxide and fine particulates which can cause health problems in residents.
While air quality has improved, Clairton’s cancer rates are some of the highest in the county. Alarmingly, the mill’s emissions also blow toward nearby Braddock, a community with a separate US Steel plant, which has cancer rates twice as high as any other region in the county.