Saint Paul, MN – On Thursday, July 11, 2024, the Ramsey County District Court issued an order affecting Northern Iron's operations. This order allows the company to increase production and removes limitations previously imposed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to ensure compliance with national ambient air quality standards.
Saint Paul’s Eastside delegation, Representatives Liz Lee (DFL-Saint Paul), Jay Xiong (DFL-Saint Paul), and Senate Chair of Environment, Climate and Legacy Sen. Foung Hawj (DFL-Saint Paul) and the Chair of the Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee, Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-Saint Paul) released the following statement:
“The court's unprecedented decision deeply disappoints us. We are concerned about its potential impact on air quality in the East Side of Saint Paul and surrounding communities. This concern is particularly heightened due to the potential impact on the health of BIPOC and vulnerable communities, which are already disproportionately burdened by pollution.
“The MPCA's previous limitations were established to safeguard public health. We remain apprehensive that increased production could lead to higher levels of harmful air pollutants. This relaxation of environmental standards could put the health of residents, especially children, at further risk.
We are calling on MPCA to appeal this unprecedented decision, and we are dedicated to ensuring that corporate interests are not prioritized over environmental protections and our resident’s health and safety.”
The court’s order requires Northern Iron to:
- Monitor its own emissions and reduce its operations if the monitors show emissions in excess of the national ambient air quality standards.
- Replace or supplement existing PurpleAir community air quality sensors with approved devices for permitting or regulatory monitoring.
- Install new emissions control equipment on an expedited basis to ensure compliance with Minnesota and national standards.
- Submit a revised permit application by September 13, 2024, that includes modeling that shows the company can operate without exceeding national standards for lead and particulate matter.
As Northern Iron ramps up operations, we understand the MPCA will continue to monitor emissions of lead and particulate matter in the air surrounding the facility while we also evaluate the court order and next steps. Should pollution from the facility exceed regulations, we trust MPCA will take swift action to hold the Northern Iron accountable to protect the health of Payne-Phalen residents and company employees.
The next court date is scheduled for August 22, 2024, to address MPCA’s motion to reinstate the administrative order and protect Eastsiders.
In the past two years, the Minnesota Legislature has passed significant legislation focusing on protecting air quality through tougher fines for repeat polluters, defining environmental justice areas, and addressing the cumulative impacts of pollution on residents’ health and safety.
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