Lauren Cross and Joseph S. Pete, Times of Northwest Indiana
SunCoke Energy, which runs Indiana Harbor Coke Co. in East Chicago, and Cokeenergy reached a settlement with state and federal authorities to reduce air pollution, clean up lead in the community and pay a $5 million fine.
Its coke plant, which supplies the ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor steel mill with the coal that's burned in blast furnaces to make iron, could shut down the worst performing coke battery as it addresses oven leaks to reduce annual emissions of hazardous air pollutants by 2,075 tons a year. That includes 1,895 tons of Sulfur dioxide, 680 tons of lead, 125 tons of particulate matter and 55 tons of volatile organic compounds.
“This settlement will result in significant reductions in harmful air pollution and is welcome news for East Chicago, an area which is currently not meeting national air quality standards for ozone,” assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood said in the release. “The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division is proud to have partnered with the EPA, the state of Indiana, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in achieving these results. Today’s action reflects our commitment to working together to enforce environmental laws.”
The coke plant operators agreed to a consent decree with the DOJ, EPA, Indiana AG and IDEM that will require it to pay a $5 million fine that will be split between the state and federal governments. The companies also will have to spend $250,000 to abate lead in East Chicago, including by reducing lead hazards in schools, day care centers and "other buildings with priority given to young children and pregnant women."
“Today’s settlement is one example of how EPA is committed to reducing exposure to lead and other contaminants in communities across the country,” EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said in the release. “Lead exposure is a serious problem and reducing it is a priority for EPA.”
The Southeast Environmental Task Force in Chicago had threatened to sue the EPA during the coke plant's air permit renewal since the federal agency has cited the ArcelorMittal supplier seven times since 2010 for violations such as releasing 160 excess tons of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere.
The Consent Decree, which will be made available to the public at East Chicago Libraries, will require increased monitoring and air quality, more preventative maintenance to cut down on excess emissions and comprehensive coke over rebuilds to put a stop to the leaks, which environmental activists said had been ongoing for years.
“We fight every day to protect the safety of Hoosiers and their families,” state Attorney General Curtis Hill said. “This agreement goes a long way to protect Hoosiers and their families in Northwest Indiana and the East Chicago community.”
Sun Coke Energy, Indiana Harbor Coke Co., and Cokeenergy were accused of violating Clean Air Act requirements by releasing more SO2, particulate matter and lead than allowed by their permit. The hazardous pollutants have been tied to a wide range of environmental and health problems, including acid rain, increased respiratory illness, decreased lung function, aggravated asthma, conjunctivitis, severe dermatitis, lesions, and heart and lung disease that can lead to death.
“This settlement provides a long-term solution to protect air quality and control emissions,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana Thomas L. Kirsch II said in the release. “We will continue to work with other agencies to protect Indiana families from environmental harm.”