Steel Mills

ArcelorMittal USA Agrees to $5 million Pollution Fine

May 16, 2019

ArcelorMittal USA has agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to pay $5 million in fines for emissions violations in Northwest Indiana and Cleveland, Ohio.

“We have been working collaboratively with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Indiana Department of Environmental Management and Ohio EPA to reach a comprehensive settlement agreement, or consent decree, and resolve Title V air permit issues reflected in Notices of Violations issued in 2011 and 2019,” said Bill Steers, general manager of corporate responsibility and communications for ArcelorMittal, in a statement for the company.

“The consent decree resolves Title V air permit issues – the majority of which were self-reported – that occurred at five of our U.S. facilities – Burns Harbor, Cleveland, Indiana Harbor East and West, and the former Indiana Harbor Long Carbon operation. The issues are primarily related to regulated process deviations and sporadic, intermittent permit exceedances. They are not indicative of any systemic issues with our operations.”

The government alleges that facilities in East Chicago, Burns Harbor and Cleveland have emitted toxic gases, such as sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter exceeding permissible levels over a several year period.

ArcelorMittal has spent more than $22.5 million in the past 12 years making repairs at the facilities to bring them into compliance with state and federal air regulations. Further repairs are currently under way at the No. 2 coke battery at Burns Harbor that supplies metallurgical coke to ArcelorMittal USA steel mills. The $19.25 million project will upgrade the 45-year-old coke ovens while keeping the facility at full production until the project is completed in 2022.

The $5 million fine will be divided three ways – $2.5 million to the federal government, $2 million to Indiana and $371,000 to Ohio.

“We believe this settlement is a good settlement for all parties involved,” said Steers. “It will resolve past non-compliance and allow us to move forward with a series of compliance demonstrations, as well as payment of a financial penalty, on the path of continuous improvement.”