ST. PAUL, Minn. — Today, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced it has issued a final deadline of May 8 for Northern Iron to provide the information required by law for a permit to operate. If Northern Iron does not comply, the MPCA will begin the process of revoking the permit issued to the foundry. This is a rare action reserved for the worst polluters that fail to comply with regulations to protect local communities.
Senate Environment, Climate and Legacy Chair Senator Foung Hawj (DFL - St. Paul), Representative Liz Lee (DFL - Saint Paul), and House Environment and Natural Resources Co-Chair Representative Peter Fischer (DFL - Maplewood) released the following statement:
“We are happy to see the MPCA take strong action against Northern Iron, which has failed to comply with basic state regulations. The MPCA is using its full authority to guarantee the health and safety of our community. Actions like these are more important than ever, as we witness the dismantling of the EPA by the polluter-friendly Trump administration. While we hope that Northern Iron provides the necessary information to come into full compliance with the MPCA, we are skeptical they will do so, given their history of neglect and failure to meet the needs of our impacted community.”
The full MPCA statement can be found here.