PITTSBURGH — The state Public Utility Commission approved the sale of a company that controls most of the taxi cabs and shuttle buses in Pittsburgh to the North American division of a French transportation firm.

Under the deal, Pittsburgh Transportation Group will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Veolia Transportation.

Pittsburgh Transportation Group includes Yellow Cab, Checker Cab, and several smaller coach, shuttle and limousine services. It operates more than 600 vehicles, using 450 independent contractors and more than 300 employees.

Veolia Transportation is part of Veolia Transport Worldwide, a more than 150-year-old company based in Paris.

MCKEESPORT — A metals coating plant will close by the end of March, meaning nearly 100 people will lose their jobs.Union officials said about one-third of the workers at Precoat Metals in McKeesport have been there more than 20 years.The company paints and coats metal coils and is one of eight owned by the company nationwide. A company official said tough economic times have hurt the market for the coils and the McKeesport plant is not as efficient or productive as others.

MONACA — The largest zinc producer in the United States is being sued by an environmental group that claims the company has been polluting the Ohio River.Clean Water Action filed a federal lawsuit Monday against Horsehead Holding of Monaca. The lawsuit was filed under the Clean Water Act.Clean Water Action said in a statement the lawsuit is an attempt to "halt the company's long-standing violations of their wastewater discharge permit into the Ohio River in Monaca."Horsehead officials were not immediately available to comment.