The study found that Allegheny County would be the third biggest beneficiary in the country, with an estimated 87 fewer deaths per year by 2030. Pennsylvania would have 580 fewer deaths.
The coal-fired power plant is one of Allegheny County's top 10 single sources of air pollution. The company cited higher costs of environmental compliance and "unfavorable economic conditions."
When U.S. Steel announced it was canceling $1 billion in upgrades in the Mon Valley, it also pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050. So what does this mean for the region?
A 2018 Christmas Eve fire at the Clairton Coke Works knocked out pollution controls for three months, resulting in large releases of sulfur dioxide, a lung irritant.
Exemptions in the law and permissions from owners put hundreds of wells closer to homes, schools and churches than the 500-foot setback meant to protect public health.
The company said they've seen the future of steelmaking: "When facts change, we must change.” Elected officials, regulators, environmentalists, and unions weigh in.
Reid R. Frazier covers energy for The Allegheny Front. His work has taken him as far away as Texas and Louisiana to report on the petrochemical industry and as close to home as Greene County, Pennsylvania to cover the shale gas boom. His award-winning work has also aired on NPR, Marketplace and other outlets. Reid recently received a fellowship from MIT's Environmental Solutions Initiative.
