Contact: Anne Moore, 218-302-6605
St. Paul, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Northshore Mining Company have reached an agreement that resolves the company’s alleged violations of state air quality rules. Northshore Mining will pay an $11,750 civil penalty and complete required corrective actions.
Air quality permit-required performance tests in late 2008 and 2009 showed that the company’s taconite production facility in Silver Bay exceeded air permit emissions limits for particulate matter from two sources: the Furnace 5 discharge scrubber, which is equipment designed to limit and control pollutants on an emissions stack, and, from the vent for coal transfer and storage operations. This fall, the company will re-start the furnace for the first time since 2008 and re-test the discharge scrubber. It is also developing a compliance plan for the coal-operations vent.
A stipulation agreement is one of the tools used 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, visit the agency Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us/newscenter/enforcement.html.
