Cliffs Natural Resources has agreed to pay a $242,973 civil penalty to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and make improvements to the coal ash landfill at Northshore Mining plant in Silver Bay, the Duluth News Tribune reports. The company will also contribute $75,000 toward an expansion of the household hazardous waste reuse center in Duluth.
The settlement is in response to the improper monitoring and handling of leachate at the taconite facility. Last year, leachate was mistakenly transported to the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District wastewater treatment plant in Duluth.
The Northland's NewsCenter has a list of the proposed improvements (read below) to Northshore Mining’s landfill management system:
* Improved operating procedures and employee awareness training for leachate handling and management.
* Installation of continuous measurement instruments to conduct pH sampling of all leachate prior to transportation.
* Installation of a carbon dioxide aeration system to control leachate pH levels.
* Development of a plan of action if leachate exceeds mandated pH levels.
