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Elk, PA

Moderate Risk (52/100)

Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology.

Environmental data for Elk in Pennsylvania · Population: 30,703

TRI sites such as Domtar - Johnsonburg Mill; Mersen USA Gs Corp. - St Marys; Modern Industries Kersey Div; SDWIS systems such as ST MARYS AREA WATER AUTH; RIDGWAY BOROUGH WATER SYSTEM; JOHNSONBURG MUNICIPAL AUTH anchor Elk, PA's EPA extract. Derived burden score 52/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Elk include ST MARYS AREA WATER AUTH; RIDGWAY BOROUGH WATER SYSTEM; JOHNSONBURG MUNICIPAL AUTH, while Domtar - Johnsonburg Mill leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 34 / peak 67 in 2024.

Burden score 52/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Elk -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.

Release-over-release change

What changed for Elk, PA: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

-100.0%

24 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

-0.1%

322.2 thousand lb → 322.0 thousand lb, every facility that filed

Between the two reporting years, 1 facility filed for the first time and 1 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.

  • Elk, PA's land releases fell from 6.6 thousand lb in 2022 to 0 lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Elk, PA's water releases rose from 40.8 thousand lb in 2022 to 46.4 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Elk, PA's off-site transfers fell from 18.4 thousand lb in 2022 to 16.9 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Elk, PA's chemicals reported rose from 27 in 2022 to 28 in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
30,703
TRI Facilities
28
Water Systems
8
Superfund Sites
0
Total Releases
1.5M lbs

Air Quality History (2020–2024)

EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy (SG) Max AQI
2024 343 (96%) 15 0 67
2023 343 (94%) 20 0 100
2022 353 (97%) 9 1 101
2021 340 (95%) 18 0 87
2020 356 (99%) 2 0 67
2024 Good Air Quality: 96% of days
Median AQI: 34

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)

For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Pennsylvania, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.

Water Systems (8)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
ST MARYS AREA WATER AUTH 19,588 1
RIDGWAY BOROUGH WATER SYSTEM 4,700 2
JOHNSONBURG MUNICIPAL AUTH 2,413 30
RIDGWAY TWP WATER AUTH 1,763 5
JAY TWP WATER AUTHORITY 1,131 10
TOBY WATER 440 6
JONES TWP MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY 396 0
HIGHLAND TWP MUNICIPAL AUTH 286 1

TRI Facilities (28)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Domtar - Johnsonburg Mill 1.4M lbs
2 Mersen USA Gs Corp. - St Marys 42.2K lbs
3 Modern Industries Kersey Div 28.1K lbs
4 Speer Carbon Co LLC 27.5K lbs
5 Metaldyne Sintered Components Ridgway 16.0K lbs
6 Morgan Advanced Materials St Marys Site 13.8K lbs
7 Keystone Powdered Metal Co 10.5K lbs
8 St. Marys Carbon Co Inc 5.4K lbs
9 Hoeganaes Corp 5.4K lbs
10 Alpha Precision Group Sintered Metals 4.3K lbs
11 Allegheny Coatings 3.8K lbs
12 Sgl Carbon LLC 2.6K lbs
13 Metaldyne Sintered Stmarys 2.2K lbs
14 Sinterite Products Div of Gpi 2.1K lbs
15 Graftech USA LLC 761 lbs
16 Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems 513 lbs
17 Amphenol Thermometrics Inc 165 lbs
18 Advantage Metal Powders Inc. 88 lbs
19 Rebco Inc 55 lbs
20 Contact Technologies Inc 26 lbs
21 Ledvance LLC 0 lbs
22 Elco Sintered Alloys Co Inc 0 lbs
23 St Marys Pressed Metals Inc 0 lbs
24 Mpp - Ford Rd Div 0 lbs
25 Gkn Sinter Metals - St. Marys 0 lbs
26 Metco Industries Inc 0 lbs
27 Mpp - Washington St Div 0 lbs
28 Eastern Sintered Alloys Inc 0 lbs

Cities in Elk (7)

Saint Marys
17 facilities · 1 water
Ridgway
6 facilities · 2 water
Kersey
4 facilities · 1 water
Johnsonburg
1 facilities · 1 water
James City
0 facilities · 1 water
Weedville
0 facilities · 1 water
Wilcox
0 facilities · 1 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Elk, Pennsylvania? ▼
Elk, PA has an environmental risk score of 52/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 28 TRI facilities, 0 Superfund sites, and 8 water systems on record. 7 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Elk? ▼
No Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) sites are currently registered in Elk, PA in the EPA database.
How many toxic release facilities are in Elk? ▼
Elk, PA has 28 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 1.5M lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Elk? ▼
In 2024, Elk, PA recorded a median AQI of 34 and a peak AQI of 67. 96% of monitored days had "Good" air quality (AQI 0–50). Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County.
Is the drinking water safe in Elk? ▼
Elk, PA has 8 EPA-regulated water systems. 7 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Elk? ▼
Environmental compliance in Elk, Pennsylvania is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the Pennsylvania state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

What does this county environmental profile show?

This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.

Related Guides

Understanding EPA Data
How EPA collects and publishes environmental data
Environmental Justice
Who lives near polluters and environmental hazards
How to Check Environmental Quality
Step-by-step guide to checking your local environment

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro