Contact: Anne Perry Moore, 218-302-6605
Duluth, Minn. -- ArcelorMittal Mine Inc. recently agreed to pay a $19,000 civil penalty for alleged air quality violations and will be required to complete corrective actions to bring the facility back into compliance within 45 days, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced today.
The company owns and operates a taconite production facility in Virginia, Minn. The facility processes taconite ore and produces pellets for iron-making.
ArcelorMittal’s air quality permit, issued in 2007, regulates equipment emissions and sets allowable operating ranges for air pollution control devices at several stages of the production process. Company monitoring reports submitted between the second half of 2006 and the second half of 2009 documented a number of deviations from air pollution control equipment permit requirements and allowable operating parameters.
To resolve these violations, the company has agreed to a number of requirements including submission of a plan to ensure compliance with applicable limits.
Stipulation agreements are one of the tools used by the MPCA to achieve compliance with environmental laws. When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account how seriously the violation affected the environment, whether it is a first time or repeat violation and how promptly the violation was reported to appropriate authorities. It also attempts to recover the calculated economic benefit gained by failure to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner.
For a comprehensive list of enforcement actions by the MPCA, go to the agency Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us/newscenter/enforcement.html.
Minnesota law requires owners and operators of facilities with the potential to release air pollutants to have MPCA permits. They must also carefully monitor and maintain equipment because emissions exceeding state standards can degrade air quality.
The MPCA offers outreach and training to help facilities meet their permit requirements. For more information on air quality permits and emission standards, visit the agency’s Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us or call Steven Palzkill, MPCA air quality inspector, at 218-302-6653. All MPCA staff can also be reached toll-free at 1-800-657-3864.
