U.S. Steel reaches agreement for Clairton Plant incidents

United States Steel Corporation signed a Consent Decree with the Allegheny County Health Department, Clean Air Council, and PennEnvironment to address the Clairton Plant fire in 2018, and power outages at the Plant in 2019 and 2022. We regret that these accidental incidents occurred and believe this Consent Decree greatly benefits Mon Valley communities. Under the Consent Decree, U. S. Steel agrees to: Contribute $4.5 million to projects supporting public health and welfare and/or air quality improvement in the Mon Valley. Project funds will be managed and distributed by the Jefferson Regional Foundation and Allegheny County Department of Economic Development; Invest approximately $19.5 million in upgrades to coke oven gas cleaning facilities; Cover part of the litigation costs for PennEnvironment and Clean Air Council; Pay $500,000 to the Allegheny County Clean Air Fund; Permanently idle Battery #15 at Mon Valley Works – Clairton Plant, which has been on hot idle. The permanent idle will take place without job reductions. This permanent idling may lead to additional emissions reductions. U. S. Steel also agreed to a lower hydrogen sulfide limit in coke oven gas and other environmentally beneficial changes to facilities at the Clairton Plant. “At U. S. Steel, there are more than 3,000 hardworking men and women in the Mon Valley who strive every day to make essential steel in a way that complies with all environmental regulations. When we miss that mark, we will make changes so we can do better,” said Kurt Barshick, Mon Valley Works Vice President. “We’re glad that a significant amount of funds from this agreement will make their way back into the communities where we live and work.”