Minnesota Mine Expansion Encounters Opposition

Duluth News Tribune reports that environmental groups in Minnesota are questioning whether the state can approve an expansion to U.S. Steel’s Minntac taconite mine while the facility has outstanding permit violations.

As quoted in the market news:

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in recent days issued a “draft certification” letter for the Minntac project expansion saying there is “reasonable assurance that the activity will be conducted in a manner that will not violate applicable water quality standards provided that USS complies with all the conditions described below.”

But the group Water Legacy on Thursday countered that the federal Clean Water Act, as well as Minnesota state rules, prohibit the state or federal government from approving projects if there will be any increase in emissions that already are in violation.

Read the full article in Duluth News Tribune