Air quality concerns are focus on public hearing in Clairton

CLAIRTON, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Senate and House Policy committees held a joint public hearing in Clairton Thursday on ways to improve air quality, community notification procedures and emergency response.

The hearing was in response to the Dec. 24 fire at the Clairton Coke Works. The fire damaged two gas dispatcher stations and there have since been several exceedances of the federal standards for hourly sulfur dioxide emissions, officials said.

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In late January, the Allegheny County Health Department announced that more sulfur dioxide monitors were being placed in the Mon Valley.

"When we didn't get notification about this for weeks//that shows that you don't value us very much," State Rep. Summer Lee said.

Company representatives, however, said they did what was required.

"We did provide immediate notification//there was no hiding anything," Chris Masciantonio, US Steel Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy, said.

Sulfur dioxide presents a risk to people with asthma, individuals with bronchitis or emphysema, children, and the elderly.

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