EPA v. INDIANA HARBOR COKE AT ARCELORMITTAL

Case summary

SunCoke Energy Inc., its subsidiary Indiana Harbor Coke Company (IHCC), and Cokenergy have agreed to pay $5 million to resolve alleged Clean Air Act violations relating to excess emissions of coke oven gases from their coke plant in East Chicago, Indiana. Cokenergy will also spend $250,000 on a lead abatement project in the East Chicago area to reduce lead hazards in schools, day-care centers, and other buildings with priority given to young children and pregnant women. Under the settlement, the companies have agreed to reduce the amount of time that pollution controls are bypassed. IHCC will also rebuild coke ovens in all four coke batteries at the facility to reduce leakage. If rebuilding the ovens fails to reduce leaks to the required level, IHCC will shut down individual leaking ovens or, at the worst-performing battery, potentially shut down the entire battery. The companies have further agreed to enhanced monitoring and testing requirements, including solar occultation flux testing to measure fugitive emissions following oven rebuilds and two stack tests each to measure volatile organic compounds and lead emissions. The settlement also requires two mitigation measures to improve existing pollution controls at quench towers and the flue gas desulfurization system (FGD). Implementation of the consent decree's requirements will result in estimated emissions reductions of 2,075 tons per year of coke oven emissions, which are a hazardous air pollutant (HAP), of which 1894 tons are SO2, 125 tons are particulate matter, 55 tons are volatile organic compounds, and 680 pounds are lead.

Defendants (1)

• SUNCOKE/INDIANA HARBOR COKE @ ARCELORMITTALNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (9)

• INDIANA HARBOR COKE COMPANY LP CONTRACTOR OF CLEVELAND-CLIFF

  3210 WATLING ST, EAST CHICAGO, IN, 46312-1716

  Registry ID: 110066942526

• INDIANA HARBOR COKE COMPANY LP CONTRACTOR OF CLEVELAND-CLIFF

  3210 WATLING ST, EAST CHICAGO, IN, 46312-1716

  Registry ID: 110066942526

• INDIANA HARBOR COKE COMPANY LP CONTRACTOR OF CLEVELAND-CLIFF

  3210 WATLING ST, EAST CHICAGO, IN, 46312-1716

  Registry ID: 110066942526

• INDIANA HARBOR COKE COMPANY LP CONTRACTOR OF CLEVELAND-CLIFF

  3210 WATLING ST, EAST CHICAGO, IN, 46312-1716

  Registry ID: 110066942526

• INDIANA HARBOR COKE COMPANY LP CONTRACTOR OF CLEVELAND-CLIFF

  3210 WATLING ST, EAST CHICAGO, IN, 46312-1716

  Registry ID: 110066942526

• INDIANA HARBOR COKE COMPANY LP CONTRACTOR OF CLEVELAND-CLIFF

  3210 WATLING ST, EAST CHICAGO, IN, 46312-1716

  Registry ID: 110066942526

• INDIANA HARBOR COKE COMPANY LP CONTRACTOR OF CLEVELAND-CLIFF

  3210 WATLING ST, EAST CHICAGO, IN, 46312-1716

  Registry ID: 110066942526

• INDIANA HARBOR COKE COMPANY LP CONTRACTOR OF CLEVELAND-CLIFF

  3210 WATLING ST, EAST CHICAGO, IN, 46312-1716

  Registry ID: 110066942526

• INDIANA HARBOR COKE COMPANY LP CONTRACTOR OF CLEVELAND-CLIFF

  3210 WATLING ST, EAST CHICAGO, IN, 46312-1716

  Registry ID: 110066942526

Statutes cited

• CAA 112 — Hazardous Air Pollutants
• CAA 502 — Operating Permits (Title V)
• CAA 110 — Implementation Plan for National Primary and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards

Enforcement conclusions (2)

• INDIANA HARBOR COKE AT ARCELORMITTALentered 2018-10-26

  Primary law: CAA

  Federal penalty: $2,500,000 · State/local: $2,500,000 · SEP: $250,000

• INDIANA HARBOR COKE AT ARCELORMITTALentered 2020-10-13

  Primary law: CAA

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 2010-09-28Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2010-10-08Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2012-09-16Supplemental Referral-Adding parties, counts
• 2013-12-20Supplemental Referral-Adding parties, counts
• 2016-06-30Supplemental Referral-Adding parties, counts
• 2018-01-25Complaint Filed With Court
• 2018-10-25Final Order Lodged
• 2020-10-13Final Order Entered