U.S. Steel appeals $337,670 fine from Allegheny County Health Department

U.S. Steel is appealing a May enforcement order issued by the Allegheny County Health Department related to emissions at the Clairton Coke Works during the first quarter of 2019.

The order, which carries a $337,670 fine, was not related to the Dec. 24 fire at the facility, according to a May statement from the health department.

U.S. Steel argued that the facility did not violate its permit, according to an appeal letter submitted June 4.

In addition, U.S. Steel argues that “inspectors have failed to conduct proper, fair and unbiased evaluations of the facility,” and that the “unnecessarily punitive” order relies on inaccurate data to support alleged permit violations, the letter said.

The facility is already working to fix the problem outlined in the May order by responding to a separate order issued in January, the letter said.

The Allegheny County Health Department in May also issued a $5,750 penalty for a failed stack test that occurred in 2017 but was resolved in late 2018.

Since June 2018, the health department has levied fines totaling more than $2.3 million against U.S. Steel related to air quality issues at the Clairton Coke Works, according to a statement from the health department.

Those penalties — issued in June 2018, October 2018 and April 2019 — are also in the appeals process.