Community Calling for Hot Idle at U.S. Steel Clairton

U.S. Steel has launched a dedicated website to keep residents near its Clairton Coke Plant advised of repair updates following a fire at the plant Dec. 24 that released harmful air emissions, but residents and environmentalists are calling for the idling of the plant until repairs are completed.

A fire caused significant damage to the equipment for desulfurization of coke oven gases leading to high sulfur dioxide levels in the Mon Valley area. Sulfur dioxide levels spiked above the accepted federal health standard six times between the day of the fire and Jan. 9 when the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) issued an advisory to the community. Residents with respiratory and heart conditions, along with the elderly and children, were warned to limit outdoor activities due to the high levels of SO2.