EPA, taconite industry spar over air pollution regulation
A plan to reduce pollution from taconite plants in northern Minnesota has industry officials up in arms. The Environmental Protection Agency has stepped in to regulate sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emmissions, a job state agencies have not been able to enforce. Taconite industry officials say the tougher regulations are unavailable and too-expensive.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stepped in to enforce regulation of Minnesota's taconite industry due to major air pollution in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park, MPR News reports. The federal government is bound by a court agreement to approve a plan to reduce the haze by Nov. 15.
Taconite industry officials say the EPA wants them to adopt unavailable, untested and too-expensive technology, according to the Star Tribune.
U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack tells the Associated Press that the EPA's tough standards could devastate Minnesota's mining industry and cost jobs. The EPA will hold a public meeting on the matter Aug. 29 in St. Paul.
