June 17 Fire at Clairton Coke Works Presents Continuing Threat of Exposure to Sulfur Dioxide
JUNE 18, 2019 | POSTED BY CAC USER
[Image Courtesy of the Breathe Project, June 17, 2019 at 04:22:55 (around the time of the fire, which is not necessarily shown in this image)]
[This webpage contains an inventory of resources regarding the fire at the Clairton Coke Works around 4:30 am on June 17, 2019 -- the second fire to knock out the desulfurization plant in six months, and at least the third fire to do so in ten years]
Clairton, Pa. -- In the early morning of June 17, 2019, a fire occurred at the Clairton Coke Works that has rendered the desulfurization plant not operational. Previous fires occurred on December 24, 2018 (knocking out the desulfurization plant for three months) and on September 3, 2009 (knocking out the desulfurization plant for four months).
This has caused an ongoing release of air emissions from the burning of coke oven gas into the outside air, without proper sulfur controls. The primary air pollutant of concern is SO2 (sulfur dioxide), which can affect breathing and may aggravate existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease.
1. U.S. Steel Statement Regarding Fire (June 17, 2019)
SUMMARY: U.S. Steel issues a statement regarding the fire.
"Early this morning, Monday, June 17, a small electrical fire was detected on an electrical breaker panel impacting power to the by-products facility of our Clairton Plant. There were no injuries and the fire was quickly extinguished. Immediately, steps were taken to mitigate environmental impacts. Crews are working to assess the facility and the steps necessary to return the facility to normal operations.
At present, the desulfurization process is not operational. We are following mitigation steps to include replacing coke oven gas with natural gas and flaring while we work to repair the damaged equipment.
We have notified all appropriate regulatory agencies and will continue to provide updates to the public as more information is available. We will update our Clairton.uss.com website with this information."
2. Allegheny County Health Department: Air Dispersion Conditions & Outlook (June 17, 2019)
SUMMARY: Allegheny County issues a daily report containing information regarding meteorological conditions and the potential for atmospheric inversions, which can keep air pollution low in the air, particular in the early morning hours.
3. Allegheny County Health Department: Daily Air Summary (June 17, 2019)
SUMMARY: Health Department issues a daily air summary of sulfur dioxide levels at local monitoring stations, which may be compared with the 1-hour national ambient air quality standard (75 parts per billion (ppb)).
For the day of the incident, the following are the maximum 1-hour levels at the local monitors:
16 ppb (Liberty monitor),
4 ppb (West Mifflin monitor),
2 ppb (North Braddock monitor), and
1 ppb (Clairton monitor).
Source: https://alleghenycounty.us/hd/DailySummary.PDF
4. Breathe Project Press Statement: U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works Fire (June 17, 2019)
SUMMARY: Breathe Project issues a press statement regarding the news of the fire.
“Today’s sulfur dioxide release is not the first one to have occurred since U.S. Steel reportedly repaired the plant on April 4,” said Matt Mehalik, executive director of the Breathe Project.
“According to the National Response Center, U.S. Steel released 525,000 cubic feet of coke oven gas on May 17, 2019. Today’s incident is the second time in less than 10 weeks in which a major release has occurred.”
....
“There is clear evidence that this plant cannot operate under control and these problems have not been resolved,” Mehalik added. “What makes it worse is U.S. Steel’s plans for a $1 billion reinvestment don’t address the ongoing pollution problem that exist at the Clairton Coke Works.”
....
5. Allegheny County Health Department Press Release: Health Department Issues Emergency Order Against U.S. Steel (June 17, 2019)
SUMMARY: Health Department issues an emergency order requiring U.S. Steel to come into compliance with its hydrogen sulfide (H2S) standard and sulfur dioxide (SO2) limits, within 21 days.
"U.S. Steel must submit a plan within 24 hours to ACHD as to how this will be achieved. The company will then have up to 20 days to achieve compliance. If these requirements are not met, the company will have to cease all coking operations.
....
At approximately 4:20 a.m., an electrical equipment fire forced a shutdown of control rooms 2 and 5 at the Clairton Coke Works. These control rooms hold the equipment and controls necessary to clean the coke oven gases, and they are the same two control rooms that were immediately shut down following the December 24, 2018 fire. As these control rooms remain offline, there is no means for desulfurization of the coke oven gas.
ACHD staff have notified local and state elected officials and have contacted school nurses and pediatricians in the Mon Valley. Additionally, staff will be monitoring emergency room visits in the Mon Valley. As of 12 p.m. today, there have been no elevated SO2 levels at any of the monitors in the Mon Valley.
It’s important to understand that there is no need for individuals to take specific precautions at this time. Residents should be aware of the potential for elevated SO2 levels."
....
6. Allegheny County Health Department: Emergency Enforcement Order (June 17, 2019)
SUMMARY: Health Department issues an emergency enforcement order requiring a written plan from U.S. Steel within 24 hours, and compliance with its air permit within 21 days.
"U.S. Steel shall provide a written plan within 24 hours of the issuance of this Emergency Order that will demonstrate how it will bring its Clairton, Edgar Thomson and Irvin facilities within their permit and regulatory limits for H2S grain loading and SO2, no more than 21 days after the issuance of this Emergency Order." page 5, paragraph 1.
7. U.S. Steel, Form 10-Q filing with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (April 27, 2010)
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1163302/000119312510094744/d10q.htm
SUMMARY: A 10-Q filing by U.S. Steel describes a third failure of its desulfurization plant ten years ago, following another fire. In that case, there was an ongoing release of air emissions without the use of the desulfurization plant for a period of four months.
"On September 3, 2009, U. S. Steel’s Mon Valley Clairton Plant incurred a catastrophic failure of its Desulfurization Plant. Because of this event, the Clairton, Edgar Thomson, and Irvin plants have exceeded their sulfur limit for air emissions when burning coke oven gas. The Desulfurization Plant was inoperable from September 3, 2009 through early January 2010. On March 25, 2010, the ACHD issued an NOV and a Settlement Offer for the Statement of Violation for the Clairton plant for the last three quarters of 2009, which included alleged violations attributable to the outage of the Desulfurization Plant. The settlement included a penalty offer of $61,725, which does not include opacity violations that are subject to stipulated penalties pursuant to existing consent agreements with ACHD."