Enviros Still Oppose U.S. Steel’s Draft NPDES Permit

Nov 12: In a release, the Alliance for the Great Lakes announced that the region’s third-largest discharger of arsenic and lead could continue releasing "unlimited amounts of arsenic" and only slightly less lead to Great Lakes waters under a proposed Indiana permit. The Alliance is encouraging the public to demand stricter pollution limits at a hearing on the draft wastewater discharge permit for U.S. Steel’s Gary Works plant, scheduled for 6 PM Wednesday, November 18 in Gary. Those unable to attend the hearing can submit written comments through November 30.

Lyman Welch, the Alliance Water Quality Program manager said, “Strong pollution limits need to be written into the permit now. Or we’ll spend more time and taxpayer dollars getting this pollution out of the water later.” The Alliance said despite numerous permit revisions to resolve objections from EPA as well as comments from their comments and those from other environmental groups, "the revised permit still falls short." Welch said, “While we are pleased with many improvements made in the proposed permit since the last public hearing, Indiana must go further to reduce toxic chemicals dumped into Lake Michigan from storm water runoff.”

On October 15, 2009, U.S. EPA Region 5 withdrew its earlier objections to a 2007 version of Indiana's wastewater discharge permit for U.S. Steel's Gary Works [See WIMS 10/19/09]. EPA said it was withholding final judgment on the new draft permit until Indiana Department of Environmental Management's 45-day comment period, including the November 18 public hearing, is completed and all comments are considered. On October 14, IDEM proposed the revised draft permit for the steel mill that EPA said "addresses objections raised by EPA in October 2007." EPA said, "The new draft permit requires lower discharge levels than currently allowed for a number of pollutants including ammonia, metals, organic compounds and suspended solids. No pollutants can be discharged at a higher rate than the current permit allows."

Access a release from the Alliance with links to additional information including the draft permit (click here). Access more information and background from EPA (click here). Access an IDEM fact sheet (click here).