Pennsylvania Coke Manufacturer Settles with EPA

Shenango Inc., a Pennsylvania coke manufacturer, has settled alleged air and water pollution violations with EPA, state and local environmental agencies.  The consent decree requires the company to pay $1.75 million in civil penalties and to make significant upgrades to the plant, which is located approximately five miles north of downtown Pittsburgh.

According to EPA, the facility had a history of non-compliance with federal, state and county environmental and public health regulations.  Federal consent orders entered into with previous owners in 1980, 1993 and 2000 required the facility to come into compliance, but violations continued.  DTE Energy Services purchased the facility in 2008.  Gary Gross, DTE vice president, said "When we acquired the facility, we were well aware of its history. We would not have proceeded with the purchase unless we had confidence that we could dramatically improve performance and establish Shenango as a good neighbor and a valuable asset to the community."  In the first seven months of 2011, Shenango had 114 air quality violations and paid a $114,000 fine to the health department

As part of the settlement, the company must take actions to reduce visible particular emissions to meet Clean Air Act standards by making repairs to the plant's coke ovens.  The company also has to bring the plant into compliance with the Clean Water Act by building a new wastewater treatment plant, upgrading its current treatment processes, and constructing a coal pile runoff management system.

The civil penalties include $1.25 million to be divided equally between the United States and Allegheny County for the facility's Clean Air Act violations, as well as $500,000 in Clean Water Act penalties to be divided between the United States and Pennsylvania.  As with all environmental consent decrees, it is subject to federal court approval following a 30-day public comment period.

The Shenango coke facility opened in 1962, employs about 150 workers and operates one coke oven battery with 56 ovens that produce approximately 380,000 tons of metallurgical coke a year.

Read more at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette here.

Shenango coke plant, Neville Island, PA.