Pennsylvania and surrounding areas

Pittsburgh, the Ohio Valley, and surrounding areas

Pollution

Fig. 1. Photographer unknown, circa 1940-1950, from Smoke Control Lantern Slide Collection, ca. 1940-1950, AIS.1978.22, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh, via Bloomberg,^[1] fair use.

Fig. 2. Soot still stains some buildings in Pittsburgh. Saint Paul Cathedral on Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh, photograph by author, March 14, 2023.

Mark Byrnes, “What Pittsburgh Looked Like When It Decided It Had a Pollution Problem,” Bloomberg, June 5, 2012, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-06-05/what-pittsburgh-looked-like-when-it-decided-it-had-a-pollution-problem

Donna Carole Roberts, “Pittsburgh has glaring environmental problems. So why the greenwashing?” Public Source, December 26, 2017, https://www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-has-glaring-environmental-problems-so-why-the-greenwashing/

Kristina Marusic, “Pittsburgh’s air quality continues to decline, new report finds,” Environmental Health News, April 24, 2019, https://www.ehn.org/pittsburghs-air-quality-continues-to-decline-new-report-finds-2635280543.html

Jessi Quinn Alperin, “Clairton, PA, wants to be clear: Residents demand accountability from U.S. Steel,” Environmental Health News, May 13, 2019, https://www.ehn.org/clairton-coke-works-air-pollution-2636784943.html

Kris Maher, “Pittsburgh Breathes Easier After Repairs at U.S. Steel Coke Plant,” Wall Street Journal, May 26, 2019, https://www.wsj.com/articles/pittsburgh-breathes-easier-after-repairs-at-u-s-steel-coke-plant-11558872000

Kris Maher, “U.S. Steel Suffers New Fire Knocking Out Pollution Controls in Plant Near Pittsburgh,” Wall Street Journal, June 17, 2019, https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-steel-suffers-new-fire-knocking-out-pollution-controls-in-plant-near-pittsburgh-11560795102

KDKA, “Allegheny Co. Health Department Joins Federal Suit Against U.S. Steel,” June 18, 2019, https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/06/18/allegheny-county-health-department-suit-against-us-steel/

WTAE, “U.S. Steel, health department have deal to settle 2018 air pollution violations at Clairton Coke Works,” June 28, 2019, https://www.wtae.com/article/us-steel-reaches-agreement-with-health-department-to-resolve-enforcement-orders-at-clairton-coke-works/28221648

Jamie Martines, “U.S. Steel facing a 2nd federal lawsuit tied to December fire at Clairton Plant,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, August 26, 2019, https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/u-s-steel-facing-a-2nd-federal-lawsuit-tied-to-december-fire-at-clairton-plant/

April Johnston, “‘That’s vinegar:’ The Ohio River’s history of contamination and progress made,” Environmental Health News, November 14, 2019, https://www.ehn.org/ohio-river-pollution-cleanup-2641307895.html

Jamie Martines, “Settlement over bad air in Clairton calls for U.S. Steel to cough up $2 million,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, December 11, 2019, https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/settlement-over-bad-air-in-clairton-calls-for-u-s-steel-to-cough-up-2-million/

KDKA-TV, “‘It’s Making Clairton Sick’: Poor Air Quality Impacting Clairton, Liberty Areas,” December 23, 2019, https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/12/23/air-quality-impacting-clairton-liberty-areas/

Teghan Simonton, “Health department: Air pollution in Mon Valley exceeded federal levels over Christmas,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, December 27, 2019, https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/health-department-air-pollution-in-mon-valley-exceeded-federal-levels-over-christmas/

Ollie Gratzinger, “Allegheny County issues another fine to US Steel for air pollution violation,” Pittsburgh City Paper, January 17, 2020, https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/allegheny-county-issues-another-fine-to-us-steel-for-air-pollution-violation/Content?oid=16576925

Jamie Martines, “U.S. Steel to hold info sessions about Clairton, Braddock plant upgrades,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 27, 2020, https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/u-s-steel-to-hold-info-sessions-about-clairton-braddock-plant-upgrades/

Jamie Martines, “U.S. Steel, Allegheny County finalize Clairton Coke Works emissions settlement,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, February 10, 2020, https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/u-s-steel-and-allegheny-county-finalize-clairton-coke-works-emissions-settlement/

James Bruggers, “A Decade Into the Fracking Boom, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia Haven’t Gained Much, a Study Says,” Inside Climate News, February 11, 2021, https://insideclimatenews.org/news/11022021/fracking-boom-natural-gas-report/

Andy Sheehan, “Air Quality In Mon Valley Once Again Hits Unhealthy Levels,” KDKA, February 24, 2020, https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020/02/24/mon-valley-air-quality-unhealthy-levels/

WTAE, “Allegheny Co. Health Department announces fines against U.S. Steel for violations at Clairton Coke Works,” May 28, 2020, https://www.wtae.com/article/allegheny-co-health-department-announces-fines-against-us-steel-for-violations-at-clairton-coke-works/32702736

Michael Sainato, “The collapse of coal: pandemic accelerates Appalachia job losses,” Guardian, May 29, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/29/coal-miners-coronavirus-job-losses

Kristina Marusic, “Pittsburgh’s air was unsafe to breathe for 3 months in 2018,” Environmental Health News, January 28, 2020, https://www.ehn.org/pittsburgh-air-pollution-unsafe-2644931105.html

Kate Aronoff, “Fossil Fuel Companies Are Job Killers,” New Republic, April 5, 2021, https://newrepublic.com/article/161937/fossil-fuel-companies-job-killers

Hannah Lynn, “Report: Pittsburgh ranked 8th worst for air pollution among US cities,” Pittsburgh City Paper, April 22, 2020, https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/report-pittsburgh-ranked-8th-worst-for-air-pollution-among-us-cities/Content?oid=17179037

Kristina Marusic, “Environmental injustice in Pittsburgh: Poor, minority neighborhoods see higher rates of deaths from air pollution,” Environmental Health News, June 12, 2020, https://www.ehn.org/environmental-injustice-pittsburgh-air-pollution-2646169635.html

Kate Aronoff, “Fossil Fuel Companies Are Job Killers,” New Republic, April 5, 2021, https://newrepublic.com/article/161937/fossil-fuel-companies-job-killers

Oliver Morrison, “Mon Valley air was the healthiest it’s ever been in 2020; region still receives an ‘F’ grade,” Public Source, April 21, 2021, https://www.publicsource.org/2020-pittsburgh-air-pollution-allegheny-county-clairton-steel/

Lee Epstein, “I grew up in Pennsylvania coal country. It wasn’t pretty and it’s time to move on,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 26, 2021, https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/coal-mining-pennsylvania-environment-united-mine-workers-20210426.html

Oliver Morrison, “‘Today is a difficult day.’ U.S. Steel announces closure of several of Clairton’s ‘dirtiest’ coke oven batteries,” Public Source, April 30, 2021, https://www.publicsource.org/mon-valley-clairton-us-steel-coke-works-pollution-f-grade-air-quality/

Kristina Marusic, “U.S. Steel abandons clean tech plans in Pittsburgh region following damning health study,” Environmental Health News, May 6, 2021, https://www.ehn.org/us-steel-pittsburgh-pollution-asthma-2652882219/residents-at-risk-and-in-the-dark

Oliver Morrison and Jamie Wiggan, “A thousand little cuts: Locals say a fire on Neville Island shows the pollution didn’t stop after Shenango Coke Works closed,” Public Source, June 23, 2021, https://www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-allegheny-neville-air-pollution-metalico-accan-shenango/

Ryan Deto, “Two large air pollution sources will soon be offline. Will Allegheny County’s air quality future be as clean as it can be?” Pittsburgh City Paper, June 23, 2021, https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/two-large-air-pollution-sources-will-soon-be-offline-will-allegheny-countys-air-quality-future-be-as-clean-as-it-can-be/Content?oid=19710475

Geoff Dembicki, “Joe Manchin Makes $500K a Year From One of the Dirtiest Coal Plants in West Virginia,” Vice, July 28, 2021, https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3x8bw/joe-manchin-senator-millions-coal-grant-town-west-virginia

David Moore, “Manchin Bailed Out a Power Plant That Helps His Family Profit From Coal Waste,” Truthout, August 7, 2021, https://truthout.org/articles/manchin-bailed-out-a-power-plant-that-helps-his-family-profit-from-coal-waste/

WTAE, “Strong odor reported in Pittsburgh area reportedly coming from chemical company on Neville Island,” September 2, 2021, https://www.wtae.com/article/strong-odor-in-multiple-downtown-communities-being-investigated/37461467

Daniel Boguslaw, “Joe Manchin’s Dirty Empire,” Intercept, September 3, 2021, https://theintercept.com/2021/09/03/joe-manchin-coal-fossil-fuels-pollution/

Ryan Deto, “Majority of voters want fracking in Pennsylvania to end, says poll,” Pittsburgh City Paper, September 8, 2021, https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/majority-of-voters-want-fracking-in-pennsylvania-to-end-says-poll/Content?oid=20153766

Colin Jerolmack, “They Couldn’t Drink Their Water. And Still, They Stayed Quiet,” New York Times, September 17, 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/17/opinion/sunday/fracking-pennsylvania-water-contamination.html

Ryan Deto, “U.S. Steel is challenging an Allegheny County proposed air quality regulation,” Pittsburgh City Paper, September 22, 2021, https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/us-steel-is-challenging-an-allegheny-county-proposed-air-quality-regulation/Content?oid=20236775

WTAE, “Enforcement order issued after strong odor reported in some Pittsburgh communities,” October 5, 2021, https://www.wtae.com/article/strong-odor-in-pittsburgh-neville-chemical-company/37872848

Ryan Deto, “Proposed natural-gas power plant near Pittsburgh cancels plans,” Pittsburgh City Paper, October 6, 2021, https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/proposed-natural-gas-power-plant-near-pittsburgh-cancels-plans/Content?oid=20323716

Kristina Marusic, “Pittsburgh’s air was unhealthy to breathe for 57 days in 2020,” Daily Climate, October 6, 2021, https://www.dailyclimate.org/pittsburgh-air-pollution-2655223412.html

Kristina Marusic, “Should oil and gas companies be exempt from Pennsylvania’s hazardous waste laws?” Environmental Health News, October 7, 2021, https://www.ehn.org/radioactive-waste-oil-and-gas-2655217995.html

Joe Napsha, “Report: Drilling spills ruined wells and polluted streams in Westmoreland, across Pennsylvania,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, October 9, 2021, https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/report-drilling-spills-ruined-wells-and-polluted-streams-in-westmoreland-across-pennsylvania/

Paul J. Gough, “Pittsburgh-based natural gas driller files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection,” WPXI, November 9, 2021, https://www.wpxi.com/news/business/pittsburgh-based-natural-gas-driller-files-chapter-11-bankruptcy-protection/OYCCHFZKTNCOTNAQ3PDMKCH4OQ/

Oliver Morrison, “U.S. Steel faces lawsuit alleging that Clairton Coke Works ‘decrepit’ condition continues to endanger Mon Valley residents,” Public Source, November 19, 2021, https://www.publicsource.org/clairton-steel-coke-health-department-lawsuit-irvin-works-fire-pollution/

Michael Kranish and Anna Phillips, “Manchin cites a blind trust to justify climate votes. But much income from his family’s coal company isn’t covered,” Washington Post, December 13, 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/12/13/manchin-blind-trust-enersystems-stock-climate-change/

Audrey Carleton, “With billions in federal cash, will Pennsylvania finally cap its abandoned, polluting oil wells?” Pittsburgh City Paper, December 21, 2021, https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/with-billions-in-federal-cash-will-pennsylvania-finally-cap-its-abandoned-polluting-oil-wells/Content?oid=20779716

Anya Litvak, “Alliance wants to make Western Pa. a hub for hydrogen production and carbon storage,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 3, 2022, https://www.post-gazette.com/business/powersource/2022/02/03/Western-Pennsylvania-international-industrial-power-energy-alliance-hydrogen-carbon-storage-hub-IN-2-Market/stories/202202030120

Tyler Madden, “Follansbee leaders ponder next steps after learning of coke plant closure,” WTOV, February 14, 2022, https://wtov9.com/news/local/follansbee-leaders-ponder-next-steps-after-learning-of-coke-plant-closure

Reid Frazier, “Drilling legacy left Pa. full of possibly harmful old oil and gas wells. There’s new hope for cleanup to get a jump-start,” National Public Radio, February 17, 2022, https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2022/02/17/drilling-legacy-left-pa-full-of-possibly-harmful-old-oil-and-gas-wells-theres-new-hope-a-solution-is-in-sight/

Megan Guza, “U.S. Steel hit with $859K in fines by Allegheny County Health Department,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 3, 2022, https://triblive.com/local/u-s-steel-hit-with-859k-in-fines-by-allegheny-county-health-department/

Reid Frazier, “U.S. Steel fined $1.8 million for ‘rotten egg’-gas pollution near Pittsburgh,” WESA, March 7, 2022, https://www.wesa.fm/environment-energy/2022-03-07/us-steel-fined-1-8-million-for-rotten-egg-gas-pollution-near-pittsburgh

Darryl Fears, “Redlining means 45 million Americans are breathing dirtier air, 50 years after it ended,” Washington Post, March 9, 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/03/09/redlining-pollution-environmental-justice/

Bob Mayo, “US Steel fined nearly $4.6 million for violations connected with Clairton Coke Works,” WTAE, March 25, 2022, https://www.wtae.com/article/clairton-coke-works-us-steel-fined-nearly-dollar5-million/39531399

Tanisha Thomas, “Springdale power plant shuts down, demolition work to begin,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, April 1, 2022, https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/springdale-power-plant-shuts-down-demolition-work-to-begin/

Emily Mullin, “Pittsburgh’s air quality is improving but still among worst in country,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 21, 2022, https://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2022/04/21/pittsburgh-air-quality-2020-american-lung-association-report-particle-pollution-ozone/stories/202204210075

Stephen Caruso, “Pennsylvania officially enacts carbon pricing for power plants,” Pennsylvania Capital-Star, April 22, 2022, https://www.penncapital-star.com/blog/pennsylvania-officially-enacts-carbon-pricing-for-power-plants/

Anya Litvak, “Pa. landowners have dealt with coal, oil and gas rights. Now, there are pore rights,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 25, 2022, https://www.post-gazette.com/business/powersource/2022/04/25/pennsylvania-hydrogen-carbon-sequestration-storage-hub-title-search-pores-energy-production-landowners-landmen/stories/202204250014

Joey Klender, “Sen. Joe Manchin blasts EV tax credit expansion, calls for hydrogen development,” Teslarati, April 29, 2022, https://www.teslarati.com/sen-joe-manchin-blasts-ev-tax-credit-expansion-calls-for-hydrogen-development/

Ryan Deto, “What the Supreme Court’s EPA ruling means for carbon emissions in Pittsburgh and the state,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, June 30, 2022, https://triblive.com/local/regional/what-the-supreme-courts-epa-ruling-means-for-carbon-emissions-in-pittsburgh-and-pa/

Laura Legere, “Judge halts Pa. power plant carbon dioxide rule,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 8, 2022, https://www.post-gazette.com/business/powersource/2022/07/08/judge-halts-pennsylvania-rggi-power-plant-carbon-rule-commonwealth-court/stories/202207080115

Ryan Deto, “Allegheny County Council overrides Fitzgerald’s veto, bans new fracking in county parks,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, July 19, 2022, https://triblive.com/local/allegheny-county-council-overrides-fitzgeralds-veto-bans-new-fracking-in-county-parks/

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “High levels of hydrogen sulfide in Mon Valley spark advocates’ frustration,” October 15, 2022, https://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2022/10/15/mon-valley-hydrogen-sulfide-levels-air-quality/stories/202210140123

Maddie Aiken, “U.S. Steel hit with $458K fine for air pollution violations,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, December 3, 2022, https://triblive.com/local/u-s-steel-hit-with-458k-fine-for-air-pollution-violations/

KDKA-TV, “DEP issues notice of violation to Shell cracker plant over emissions,” December 14, 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/dep-notice-of-violation-shell-cracker-plant-emissions/

Jessica Guay, “Two environmental groups file notice of intent to file a lawsuit against Shell cracker plant,” KDKA TV, February 3, 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/two-environmental-groups-file-notice-of-intent-to-file-a-lawsuit-against-shell-cracker-plant/

Jordan Anderson, Hallie Lauer, and Anya Litvak, “Beaver County residents on alert as state leaders stress the dangers of toxic chemicals from Ohio train derailment,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 7, 2023, https://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2023/02/06/ohio-train-derailment-updates-latest-norfolk-southern-east-palestine/stories/202302060058

Jordan Anderson, “Most East Palestine residents are home. But what does the future hold after the train derailment and fire?” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 11, 2023, https://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2023/02/11/east-palestine-residents-home-train-derailment-fire/stories/202302100096

Tom Perkins, “Ohio catastrophe is ‘wake-up call’ to dangers of deadly train derailments,” Guardian, February 11, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/11/ohio-train-derailment-wake-up-call

Bernd Debusmann, Jr., “Ohio train derailment: Rail firm pulls out of meeting with residents,” British Broadcasting Corporation, February 16, 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64659795

John Seewer, Michael Rubinkam, and Geoff Mulvihill, “Crew of train was alerted of overheated axle just before Ohio derailment, report says,” Los Angeles Times, February 23, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-02-23/east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment-ntsb-report-buttigieg

Justin Vellucci, “Brockovich steals show at train derailment seminar in Ohio,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, February 24, 2023, https://triblive.com/local/regional/brockovich-steals-show-at-train-derailment-seminar-in-ohio/

Scott Dance, “EPA orders testing for highly toxic dioxins at Ohio derailment site,” Washington Post, March 2, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/03/02/east-palestine-ohio-derailment-dioxins/

Quinn Glabicki, “Rule to protect public health during Mon Valley inversions is not working, Allegheny County Council hears,” Public Source, March 3, 2023, https://www.publicsource.org/mon-valley-rule-pollution-emissions-inversion-allegheny-county-council-hearing/

Jon Hurdle, “‘Green Steel’ would curb carbon emissions, spur economic revival in Southwest Pennsylvania, study says,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 18, 2023, https://www.post-gazette.com/business/powersource/2023/04/18/green-steel-curb-carbon-emissions-renewables/stories/202304170092

Joe Napsha, “Coal-fired Homer City power plant closing; future dim for 2 other regional facilities,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, April 18, 2023, https://triblive.com/local/regional/coal-fired-homer-city-power-plant-closing-future-dim-for-2-other-regional-facilities/

Julia Felton, “Operations on hold at Shell plant in Monaca,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, April 26, 2023, https://triblive.com/local/regional/operations-on-hold-at-shell-plant-in-monaca/

Anya Litvak, “Shell tries to quash air quality fears as bad smells and elevated benzene counts emanate from Beaver County chemical plant,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 26, 2023, https://www.post-gazette.com/business/powersource/2023/04/26/shell-cracker-plant-smell-benzene-air-quality/stories/202304260075

Nick Ripatrazone, “Donora’s Suffocation,” Belt, May 3, 2023, https://beltmag.com/donoras-suffocation/

Kate Huangpu, “Federal money won’t be enough to solve Pa.’s abandoned oil and gas well problem, advocates say,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, May 11, 2023, https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/federal-money-wont-be-enough-to-solve-pa-s-abandoned-oil-and-gas-well-problem-advocates-say/

Patrick Varine, “Shell Appalachia fined $10 million for air quality violations from Beaver County ‘cracker’ plant,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, May 24, 2023, https://triblive.com/local/regional/shell-appalachia-fined-10-million-for-air-quality-violations-from-beaver-county-cracker-plant/

^[1]Mark Byrnes, “What Pittsburgh Looked Like When It Decided It Had a Pollution Problem,” Bloomberg, June 5, 2012, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-06-05/what-pittsburgh-looked-like-when-it-decided-it-had-a-pollution-problem ↩

Irregular Bullshit

Pennsylvania and surrounding areas · Pittsburgh, the Ohio Valley, and surrounding areas · Pollution