The Jefferson Regional Foundation has scheduled three October listening sessions as it prepares to launch the Mon Valley Clear Air Fund that will be available to nonprofit organizations affected by a U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant December 2018 fire.
The fire led to a 4,500% increase in sulfur air pollution from the plant and affected 22 Mon Valley communities, according to information provided to Jefferson Community Collaborative members, a networking organization of community-serving organizations affiliated with the foundation, and the foundation’s website. A court settlement resulted in U.S. Steel paying $5 million. The Allegheny County Health Department asked the foundation to distribute $2.25 million via grantmaking. Funds will be released in equal amounts from U.S. Steel to the foundation, which was not part of the litigation, over five years.
Affected communities within the foundation’s service area are Clairton, Dravosburg, Duquesne, Elizabeth Borough, Elizabeth Township, Forward, Glassport, Jefferson Hills, Liberty, Lincoln, McKeesport, Pleasant Hills, Port Vue, Versailles, West Elizabeth and West Mifflin. The additional six communities eligible are Braddock, East McKeesport, East Pittsburgh, North Braddock, North Versailles and Wall.
Grant applications will be available in January, according to the website. Foundation staff are available to schedule appointments with interested organizations beginning this fall. Organizations can contact Kelleigh Boland, director of grantmaking and strategy, at Kelleigh.boland@jeffersonrf.org for more information.
With the three listening sessions, the foundation seeks to facilitate better health outcomes by assuring that community voices are part of the process, the collaborative information stated.
The sessions are scheduled for Wednesdays:
- Oct. 9 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Noah’s Ark Community Center, 200 Sixth St., McKeesport.
- Oct. 16 from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom, with registration required.
- Oct. 23 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Woodland Hills School District administrative offices, 531 Jones Ave., Braddock.
Registration for all three sessions is available at https://jeffersonrf.org/grantmaking/mon-valley-clean-air-fund/
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