Advocacy groups for national parks have asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to object to a recently issued state pollution permit for the United Taconite processing facility near Eveleth.
The petition claims the permit, approved by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, allows United Taconite to avoid pollution reduction requirements for plant modifications. It also claims the new permit allows the taconite plant to operate with inadequate pollution controls and harmful emissions.
The petition was filed by the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Voyageurs National Park Association, the National Parks Conservation Association and Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. The groups have been working to tighten air pollution rules in Minnesota to reduce the amount of haze and visible air pollution that waft over the BWCAW, Voyagers National Park and Isle Royale.
The petition also claims the PCA issued the permit without adequately responding to comments, including those from both the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service, and that it failed to properly account for a pollution source within the facility that was inactive for many years.
The groups claim United Taconite emits the most sulfur dioxide pollution among iron ore refiners in Minnesota, six times more than the plant average, and has repeatedly faced state fines for air quality violations.
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EPA and PCA officials could not be reached late Monday for comment.
