HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced a series of major enforcement actions, grants, and regulatory updates last Tuesday, aimed at curbing pollution, strengthening coastal protections, and reducing diesel emissions across the Commonwealth — moves that collectively signal one of the agency’s most aggressive environmental protection pushes in years.
DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley said the actions reflect a commitment to safeguarding waterways, air quality, and coastal ecosystems amid rising public complaints, aging infrastructure, and industrial pressures.
DEP Orders U.S. Steel to Fix Repeated Oil Sheens on the Monongahela
DEP has entered into a Consent Order and Agreement with U.S. Steel to stop repeated oil sheen discharges from the company’s Mon Valley Works Irvin Plant in West Mifflin, following at least seven documented incidents between August 2022 and April 2025.
“Protecting the waters of the Commonwealth is one of DEP’s core responsibilities,” Shirley said. “This agreement ensures that U.S. Steel takes concrete, enforceable steps to prevent further pollution of the Monongahela River.”
Under the agreement, U.S. Steel will pay a $135,000 civil penalty and undertake extensive corrective actions, including a long-term outfall monitoring program, a facility-wide oil and grease investigation, new containment systems, and daily inspections using live-feed cameras. The company must also submit quarterly compliance reports and may face fines of up to $7,500 per day for future sheens.
DEP inspections confirmed repeated unauthorized discharges from Outfalls 001 and 003, in some cases producing visible oil sheens stretching more than a mile downstream. An earlier Compliance Order in 2023 required containment booms and absorbent materials, but discharges continued through 2024 and 2025.
The Monongahela River — a warm-water fishery important for recreation and aquatic life — has been the focus of multiple citizen complaints, prompting DEP’s expanded enforcement.
Over $580,000 Awarded to Protect Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone
In a separate announcement, DEP awarded more than $580,000 in 2025 Coastal Zone Grants to 11 Philadelphia-region projects working to protect the Delaware Estuary.
“The Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone is a vital resource that supplies communities with drinking water, recreational activities, economic benefits, wildlife habitat, and provides a natural barrier to reduce flooding,” Shirley said.
The grants will fund trail engineering, waterfront access improvements, habitat preservation efforts, community cleanups, shoreline resilience planning, public education programs, and recreational projects like learn-to-paddle trips. The 112-mile estuary — spanning Bucks, Delaware, and Philadelphia counties — is home to one of the world’s largest freshwater ports and supports critical wildlife and coastal infrastructure.
New Grants Target Lake Erie Coastal Zone Restoration
DEP also awarded more than $168,000 to support four projects in the Lake Erie Coastal Zone, one of Pennsylvania’s most environmentally sensitive and economically significant regions.
“The Lake Erie Coastal Zone is the treasure of the Erie community,” Shirley said, noting pressure from development, pollution, and climate change.
Projects include support for algae bloom monitoring and data analysis, bluff recession prevention work, community litter cleanup initiatives, and songbird migration research at Presque Isle State Park.
The 77-mile coastal zone extends from Erie’s shoreline into the lake and encompasses major tributaries, public lands, and key wildlife corridors.
Freight Pollution Grant Deadline Extended; $23 Million Available
DEP is also extending the application deadline for its PA Freight Innovations in Transportation (PA-FIT) Grant to December 19, offering more than $23 million to reduce diesel emissions in communities disproportionately affected by freight-related pollution.
“Reducing emissions from diesel engines is one of the biggest air quality opportunities facing Pennsylvania,” Shirley said. “This program is a great addition to the Shapiro Administration’s Driving PA Forward initiative.”
Eligible projects include engine upgrades, vehicle replacements, idle-reduction technology, aerodynamic retrofits, truck stop electrification, and electrified parking systems. Funding applies to multiple sectors — trucks, buses, non-road construction equipment, cargo handling machinery, agricultural equipment, marine engines, switcher locomotives, and more.
The program allows a single proposal to cover multiple fleets or emissions-reduction strategies, making it one of the state’s most flexible clean-air funding tools.
Full program guidelines and application instructions are available on the Driving PA Forward website.
A Coordinated Push for Cleaner Water, Stronger Coasts, and Safer Air
From enforcement actions against one of Pennsylvania’s largest industrial operators to direct investment in coastal restoration, diesel reduction, and community environmental resilience, DEP’s latest announcements underscore a broad strategy: protect public waterways, bolster natural defenses, and target emissions in areas most heavily burdened by pollution.
The U.S. Steel agreement will remain in effect until the company completes all required corrective actions and DEP confirms full compliance with state law.
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