Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page A15

WWW.FREEP.COM 15A COVERSTORY ThelevelsofseveralharmfulpollutantsthatthestateDepartmentofEnvironmentalQualitywouldallowtheSeverstalDearbornsteelmilltoreleaseintotheatmos- pherewouldrisesharplyunderaproposedpermitrevision.DEQandSeverstalofficialssaythelevelssetundera2006permitwereinaccurate;therevisionisbasedonthe actualemissionsfromtheplantnow. PM10(fine-particledust) BBlastFurnaceCasthouseBaghouse 2.85lbs/hr. 7.6lbs/hr PM10CBlastFurnaceCasthouseBaghouse5.70lbs/hr.18.24lbs/hr220% PM10 Reladingfugitives 3.22tpy(12-monthrollingaverage) 3.6tpy(12-monthrollingaverage) PM10 Desulfurization-roof 6.88tpy(12-monthrollingaverage) 24.38tpy(12-monthrollingaverage) PM10BOFelectrostaticprecipitator37.7lbs/hr.47.5lbs/hr.26% PM10 BOFfugitives 7.25tpy(12-monthrollingaverage) 28.3tpy(12-monthrollingaverage) PM10 CombinedBandCstoves 14.16lbs/hr. 27.84lbs/hr. PM10BOFbaghouse3.35lbs/hr.17.71lbs/hr.429% CO(Carbonmonoxide) BOFelectrostaticprecipitator VOC 27.0tpy 49.42tpy Lead(Pb) Desulfurization-baghouse 0.000278lbs/hr.

0.0016lbs/hr. Lead(Pb) 0.000223lbs/hr. 0.00753lbs/hr. Manganese(Mn) Desulfurizationbaghouse 0.00064lbs/hr. 0.013lbs/hr.

Manganese(Mn) 0.00385lbs/hr. 0.0597lbs/hr. DEQe-mailsobtained throughthestateFreedomof InformationActshowMEDC becameinvolvedafterSnyder andMEDCpresidentandCEO MichaelFinneyattendedan openingceremonyforre- vampedSeverstalfacilitiesin steelplantCEOSergeiKuznet- sovexpressedhisconcerns aboutpollutionpermitrequire- ments. MEDCbusinessombuds- nentfigureinthee-mailsin- volvingSeverstalandtheDEQ, saidsheandthecorporation werenotlobbyingonSever- portforitsarguments.Oneof businessesnavigateinterac- tionswithstategovernment, shesaid. ofcommunication.Wedon’tad- note-takerorthemove-it-for- wardperson.Iwasthereto makesuretheystayedon-task, thatcommunicationstayed MEDCofficialsnotonlypre- timesappearingtoleadthe dolingouttasksinmeetings thatincludedSeverstaland DEQtakingthelead.

OnetaskgivenSeverstalin aSept.10,2012,e-mailfrom Banningawasaso-called liningwhythecompanyshould avoidcurrentpollutionregula- alterits2006permitandoper- ateundersix-year-oldrules. Severstalwouldseemanun- likelychoicetogetbreakson pollutionrequirements.The withtheworstairqualityin thantwodozentimesbythe DEQandU.S.Environmental ProtectionAgencysince2010 pollutionexceedances. mentalattorneyfromTraverse CitywhoobtainedtheDEQe- actedasmorethanafacilitator. Hequestionedtheappropri- atenessofMEDCintervening withanotherstateexecutive branchagencytaskedwith protectingtheenvironment ularlyforthetypesofconces- sionsSeverstalwasseeking. anotherarmoftheStateof Michiganseemingtostopat nothingtobendtherulesand lastneighborhoodinthestate andthelastfacilityyoushould bebendingrulesfororgiving whorepresentsagroupof SouthEndneighborhoodnear Severstalthathavechallenged therevisedpermit.

Whetheritwaslobbying, worked. theagencyoutlineditscasefor approvalinpublicparticipa- tiondocumentsreleasedin February. DEQofficialswentfrom argumentsforavoidingmod- ernpollutionregulationsal- mostverbatimaboutayearlat- er. Severstalspokeswoman KatyaPruetttoldtheFree Pressrecentlythatbecause modificationstotheplantoc- revisedpermitwouldnot changeanyexistingplantac- rulesthatwereineffectatthe timetheprojectwasconstruct- DEQspokesmanBradWur- inquiriesinthisparticular inputofferedbyenvironmen- talorganizationsonmatters beforetheDEQ. Affectedarearesidents mentaljusticeorganizerfor thenonprofitSierraClub.

governmentalagenciesthat aresetinplacetogiveuspro- tection.Itisn’tworking,andit SnyderspokeswomanSara strivestoensuretheenviron- mentisprotectedwhilefoster- ingjobandeconomicgrowth. Snyderandourteamtakein- crediblyseriously.It’scertain- oneattheexpenseoftheoth- scrutinytoitsproposedpollu- tionpermitgrandfathering. Thefactoryisnearthenotori- dentssurroundedbyfactories andrefineriesbreatheairgiv- enatoxicityscorebytheEPA average. neighborhoodislargelymade upofArabimmigrantswho dustrialplantsandtheMara- thonpetroleumrefinery. manyimmigrantscomehere asafirststop.Sotheyaren’t neighborhoodresident.

Residentsendurechemical thicksmokethatoftenseems AtnearbySalinaElemen- stacksloomovertheplay- groundnotevenaquarter-mile away.Theschoolislessthana milefromtheSeverstalfac- tory.Fourstudentsparticipat- edinavoluntarypracticefor ly. wereaskedwhetheranyhad theirhands. wasbornandraisedinthearea. couldbeoutsidealldaylong Plantmodifications intheareasofminingandmet- als.ItcreatedSeverstalDear- bornwhenitpurchasedthe nearlycentury-oldRougeSteel plantat4001MillerRoadoutof bankruptcyin2004.Severstal manufacturesflat-rolledcar- bonsteelproductsfortheauto- motiveandotherindustries. TheDEQinJanuary2006 thatincludedinstallationof particle-capturingbaghouses toreduceemissions.ButasSe- verstalofficialsperformedre- quiredsmokestackcompli- ancetestingattheendof2008, itshowedtheplantexceeded allowableemissionslevelsfor manganeseandmercury.The DEQissuedaletterofviolation againstthefacilityinlateFeb- ruary2009.

Severstalthenbeganthe processoftryingtochangeits 2006permittoallowthepollu- tionemissionsastheywereac- tuallyoccurring.InaMarch soughtadeterminationfrom theagencythatitwasseeking ditionalpermittingrequire- notaphysicalmodification, thereforethenewstandardsdo Grandopening MEDCsteppedintothefray weekaftertheEPAhadissued noticesofviolationsfor24dif- ferentdatesofexcessivepollu- samedaythatSnyderandFin- neyattendedthegrandopen- ingofSeverstalfacilitiesin Dearborn. Ane-mailbetweenBannin- gaandMEDCprogramadmin- istratorSusanHolbenwasfor- plication. WhileFinneywasattheSe- gei(Ithinklocalplantman- ager)whoexpressedsomecon- cernsontheairpermitting process. tookdown: Theythinktheyshouldbe grandfathered(soundssimilar toGuardian). costandtime.

helpthemmakethismoreeffi- cient? Canyoukickthetiresover atDEQandseewherethis InanAug.14,2012,e-mailto DEQDeputyDirectorJimSy- cernsofSeverstalattorneys, askinghowDEQwouldreactto recentpollutiontestresults showingtheystillexceeded regulatorylimits. withmanganeseresultsdis- Severstalenvironmentalengi- needtoforcebi-weeklyphone Thatpromptedatersere- sponsefromDEQAirQuality DivisionassistantchiefLynn Fiedlerinane-mailtoVince DEQtwodayslater. FiedlernotedthatsinceJuly zencomplaintsallegingfallout andsmokestackviolations fromvaryingprocessesatSe- tionnoticessenttothecompa- ny. compliancewithallapplicable federalandstateairrequire- sitionhasnotandneverwill change.Thereisnouncertain- BySept.10,2012,MEDCof- ficialsseemedtohavegone fromkickingthetiresatDEQ todrivingthebusonSever- willbemeetingthisFridayto discusstheairpermitting processforSeverstal.Iwould liketosuggestthefollowing ningastatedinane-mailtoSe- verstalattorneysandDEQof- ficialsincludingHellwig.Her suggestedagendaincludeda couldbekeptunder2006rules, butcorrected. tasklistmentionedinthee- mailwassetbySeverstaland theDEQ.

TheDEQgrantedSeverstal moretimetoreviseitspermit submitteditinSeptember 2013.ByFebruary,DEQin- formedthepublicitwascon- sideringapprovalofSever- creaseinannualproduction documentstates. grandfatheringthe2006per- Thepubliccommentperiod isclosedonthepermitconsid- DEQispending. STEEL: Didstateagencylobbytobendrulesonairpollution? FROMPAGE1A SalinaElementarySchooltrackteammembersstretchoutApril23assmokestacksloominthebackground.Theschoolislessthanamile fromtheSeverstalplant.Theplanthasbeencitedmorethantwodozentimessince2010forpollutionviolations. PHOTOSBYJESSICAJ.TREVINO/DFP River Rouge DEARBORN Melvindale Detroit 1mile 94 75 DETAIL Severstal Dearborn plant DETROITFREEPRESS SOURCE: GoogleMaps environmenthereevenfurther,.