PennFuture and CVPA Call on Nippon Steel to Be a Responsible Neighbor Following Third Major Incident at Clairton Coke Works

Pittsburgh, PA-- On Monday, August 11th, 2025, an explosion at U.S. Steel's Clairton Coke Works claimed the lives of two workers and injured ten others, the third major safety or pollution incident at the facility in 2025. PennFuture and Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania extend their deepest condolences to the families, friends, co-workers, and communities mourning this devastating loss. We are also grateful to the emergency responders whose quick actions prevented an even greater tragedy.
 
While Allegheny County Health Department did lift its temporary stay-indoors advisory for those within one mile of the plant later that day, PennFuture and Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania urge Mon Valley residents to continue monitoring air quality updates from Allegheny County Health Department and AirNow.gov. Residents can report any symptoms or smells via the Smell Pittsburgh app, which sends anonymous reports to the Allegheny County Health Department.

While each incident is different, together they demonstrate the unacceptable pattern of risk to both workers and residents in the Mon Valley and across the region. For years, U.S. Steel has not undertaken necessary investments and modernization of its Clairton facility. This inaction has had devastating impacts on the health and safety of its workers and the local community. U.S. Steel continues to be a toxic neighbor. 

However, with the recent acquisition of U.S. Steel, Nippon Steel now has an opportunity to show the community where it stands. In its 2024 Sustainability Report, Nippon Steel committed to put safety, the environment, and disaster prevention first over quality and production, and to disclose environmental information on an “adequate and timely basis”. This is the moment to demonstrate those commitments in action and begin to rebuild trust or risk repeating failures of the past. Now is the time for Nippon Steel to stand up and be a responsible neighbor.

PennFuture and Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania are actively engaging with local leaders, health experts, and residents to ensure that this tragedy is not met with just words, but with concrete action. We will continue to track the investigation, provide updates, and hold U.S. Steel accountable so that workers and communities are not placed in harm's way.