Settlement of Clairton Coke Works suit results in Mon Valley windfall

The settlement Monday of an $8.5 million class action lawsuit alleging U.S. Steel Corp. was negligent in allowing air pollutants from its Clairton Coke Works to inundate nearby communities will bring some 1,600 households a more welcome kind of windfall.

Nicholas Coulson, an attorney with the Detroit law firm of Liddle & Dubin, which specializes in class action litigation, said he expects each of the households to receive in excess of $700.

The settlement, approved by Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge Philip A. Ignelzi, also requires the company to spend at least $6.5 million to reduce emissions of noxious odors and soot at its cokemaking facility on the Monongahela River 20 miles south of Pittsburgh.

“The settlement met the criteria of fair, reasonable and adequate, and the best the plaintiffs could have

hoped for,” Mr. Coulson said.

The law firm represented Cindy Ross and Cheryl Hurt, both of Clairton, who brought the case in 2017, and who will each receive $5,000, in addition to their share.

Under terms of the settlement, area residents will split $2 million, minus about $925,000 in attorneys fees and costs. The law firm must document and verify each claim before it can calculate the amount each household will receive.

Qualifying residents will be mailed a check from the settlement fund approximately 30 days after the court’s final approval, according to the lawsuit claim form.

Amanda Malkowski, a U.S. Steel spokeswoman, issued a statement saying the settlement allows the company and communities to move forward.

“Environmental stewardship and safety remain core values at U.S. Steel,” the release states, “and we are committed to investing in our operations and processes to continue to improve air quality at both Clairton and throughout the Mon Valley.”

U.S. Steel has plans to spend more than $1 billion for new sustainable steel technology and a cogeneration facility that it claims will improve environmental performance and energy conservation at its three Mon Valley Works facilities in Clairton, Braddock and West Mifflin.

The company is facing additional lawsuits related to pollution emissions from its Clairton coking operations.

“The settlement met the criteria of fair, reasonable and adequate, and the best the plaintiffs could have hoped for.”

— Nicholas Coulson