EPA Hazardous Air Pollution Rule to Go into Effect The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is allowing the implementation of a 2024 hazardous air pollution rule that imposes new emissions controls and monitoring requirements on facilities like U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works, a few months after seeking to delay and rework it. The hazardous air pollution […]
The Trump Administration is Delaying Mandates Requiring Steelmakers to Reduce Emissions
The Trump Administration is Delaying Mandates Requiring Steelmakers to Reduce Emissions The Trump administration is delaying mandates requiring steelmakers U.S. Steel and Cleveland-Cliffs to cut toxic admissions, drawing praise from the steelmaking industry and dismay from environmentalists. A July 1 order from the Environmental Protection Agency is postponed until April 2027, preventing stricter emissions standards […]
Trump Administration Backs Down from Rewriting Biden-Era Asbestos Ban
Trump Administration Backs Down from Rewriting Biden-Era Asbestos Ban After a wave of criticism from public health advocates, environmental groups, and political leaders, the Trump Administration has reversed its decision to rewrite the Biden-era ban on chrysotile asbestos. This announcement ends weeks of uncertainty over whether the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would weaken or delay […]
Class Action Settlement Benefits Residents Surrounding U.S. Steel Plant
Class Action Settlement Benefits Residents Surrounding U.S. Steel Plant Residents living near U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Steel Works plant in Braddock, Pennsylvania, may soon receive compensation following a class action lawsuit alleging that emissions from the facility created a nuisance and contributed to air pollution. An Allegheny County judge recently granted preliminary approval for the […]
The EPA Set Limits for PFAS in Drinking Water
The EPA Set Limits for PFAS in Drinking Water For the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency established exposure limits for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water. The substances, also known as PFAS, are called forever chemicals because they don’t degrade and are nearly impossible to destroy. This leads to them lingering permanently in […]
Total Asbestos Ban Enacted by the EPA
Total Asbestos Ban Enacted by the EPA The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced a total ban on asbestos. Asbestos is a deadly carcinogen that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year but is still used in different industries. The ban comes after a major expansion of EPA regulation under a landmark 2016 law that […]
Homer City Power Plant is Closing
Homer City Power Plant is Closing The coal power plant in Homer City, Indiana County off Route 22 is closing. It will be shutting down over the next three months. Two other plants will also be closing in Indiana and Armstrong counties. The plant is closing due to the low cost of natural gas, an […]
East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment
East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment On February 3, 50 Norfolk Southern train cars came off the track in East Palestine, Ohio due to a rail car axle having a mechanical issue. Eleven of the cars had harmful chemicals including butyl acrylate and vinyl chloride. Authorities believed the chemicals could create a large explosion, so a […]
Asbestos Dangers & Employer Responsibilities in Pittsburgh
Asbestos Dangers & Employer Responsibilities in Pittsburgh Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was widely used in construction and manufacturing industries for its fire-resistant and insulating properties. However, it has since been discovered that exposure to asbestos fibers can cause serious health problems, including lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Pittsburgh, like many other cities […]
Contractors Fined More Than $1 Million for Illegal Asbestos Disposal
Contractors Fined More Than $1 Million for Illegal Asbestos Disposal A contractor has been fined by the Allegheny County Health Department for almost $1.1 million for the illegal disposing of asbestos at the former Westinghouse headquarters. Ramesh Jain and his son Vikas Jain appealed the fine in 2017, which was later dismissed January 12, giving […]