The Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Health Department ordered US Steel to end “repeated and ongoing violations” of federal sulfur dioxide standards at its three Mon Valley Works plants, after a Dec. 24, 2018 fire disabled pollution controls at the Clairton Coke Works.
According to local news, the health department order requires the company to submit a plan within five days that will reduce those emissions and the use of coke oven gases that cause them. The order covers the Clairton Coke Works, the Edgar Thomson steel mill, and the Irvin mill.
The order suggested several options for reducing the excessive sulfur dioxide emissions, including extending coking times, reducing the amount of coal in each oven and idling some of its most polluting coke batteries. US Steel will also be required to provide weekly data demonstrating compliance.
According to the health department, civil penalties will be levied against US Steel for the permit and federal pollution violations related to the December fire and its aftermath, once repair work is completed at the Clairton Coke Works.