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Three Rivers Waterkeeper Calls For Stronger Environmental Oversight Of U.S. Steel Irvin Plant Discharges Into Monongahela River In Allegheny County

On November 11, the Three Rivers Waterkeeper called on the Department of Environmental Protection to implement stronger measures in their water discharge permit to address the recurring releases of oil from the U.S. Steel Irvin Plant into the Monongahela River.

The Waterkeeper made the recommendations in comments submitted on the renewal of the DEP NPDES Water Quality Permit for the facility.

Despite numerous reports of oil discharges reaching miles long from the vicinity of the facility, the DEP has not yet imposed any required remediation efforts nor any financial penalties for the federal Clean Water Act violations of Pennsylvania’s Clean Streams Law.

The Irvin Plant, located in West Mifflin, Allegheny County has been the site of numerous oil discharge events formally documented by the Three Rivers Waterkeeper since May 2022.

3RWK reported the violations with the help of local community members. In addition, the community members have anecdotal documentation from community members for decades.

These discharges—some covering stretches of the Monongahela River up to 18 miles long—pose significant risks to aquatic life, public health, and the region’s drinking water supply.

The draft water discharge permit for the plant’s wastewater discharge was publicly released on October 10, 2024.

The permit shows DEP requested U.S. Steel install monitoring systems at Outfall 003, where many of these oil discharges have been traced.

3RWK agrees with this request and commends the DEP for its proactive approach. However, we believe that continuous sensor-based monitoring of both Outfalls 003 and 001 is necessary due to the continued releases of oil and types of industrial water released at both these locations.

“We became involved with this issue in 2022 when locals reached out to us because they’ve had to keep their kids from swimming and fishing in the Monongahela due to oil slicks that could last for days. The community had given up complaining to regulators after years of fruitless reporting because nothing had changed, so they reached out to us for help ” said Captain Evan Clark, Three Rivers Waterkeeper.

“It breaks my heart to see these rivers continue to be polluted. Every time I investigate and report a new spill, I see people doggedly fishing through the oil, duck hunting, kayaking, and even tubing. We have strong laws already in place that should be protecting these people and their river, they just need a willful enforcement application.”

The Monongahela River, a tributary of the Ohio River, is a critical source of drinking water for the region, and its protection is vital for public health and safety.

The ongoing oil discharges in the U.S. Steel Irvin Works Plant further jeopardizes this critical resource.

Oil pollution can harm fish and wildlife, damage ecosystems, and threaten drinking water supplies. Exposure to oil can lead to toxic contamination, reproductive problems, and death for many aquatic species, including birds, fish, and mammals.

Additionally, the discharge of oil directly threatens the public health and economic stability of the region.

As these releases have occurred near drinking water intakes, they could make the water unsuitable for treatment and increase the cost of water purification for utilities serving communities throughout southwestern Pennsylvania.

Three Rivers Waterkeeper is also concerned that U.S. Steel has failed to take proactive measures to prevent these discharges that are in violation of the state Clean Streams Law and the federal Clean Water Act.

“We call on the DEP to require continuous sensor-based monitoring of both Outfall 003 and Outfall 001, impose appropriate fines for past violations, and take immediate action to hold U.S. Steel accountable for its potential future failures to comply with environmental regulations.”

Three Rivers Waterkeeper is committed to protecting the health and safety of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers and ensuring that these waterways remain safe for all who depend on them.

Click Here for a copy of the comments submitted on the facility’s NPDES Water Quality Permit renewal.

Visit the Three Rivers Waterkeeper website for more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and how you can become involved.

Resource Links:

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Three Rivers WaterKeeper Wants Stricter Water Permit For US Steel Irvin Plant To Stop Oily Releases Into Monongahela River In Allegheny County

-- KDKA: PA DEP Investigating Oil On Monongahela River Near McKeesport [10.27.23]

-- Environmental Health News: Numerous Miles-Long Oil Spills Reported On Monongahela River [11.7.23]

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