Sierra Club and many others will be submitting comments on two new rules proposed by USEPA regarding Integrated Iron & Steel and Coke Ovens. We have both a highly polluting steel mill and coke oven in our group. The steel mill is now owned by Cleveland-Cliffs and SunCoke owns the coke oven. Both are located near residents in Middletown.
Residents in Middletown face almost daily onslaughts of visible pollution, pieces of metal, dust, soot, coal particles, odors, and even homes shaking from blasts. High levels of PM2.5 (the most dangerous soot particles) are recorded frequently.
Unfortunately, these two rules are not adequate to protect public health and the environment. US EPA and Ohio EPA have not acted to protect the public despite complaints about the soot. The US EPA removed Ohio’s Air Nuisance Rule (ANR) from federal enforcement.
These rules need to be strengthened and the ANR fully restored to the State Implementation Plan. If you haven’t yet had a chance to sign our petition to US EPA to reinstate the ANR, please click on this link and do so! Thank you!
