EPA v. GERDAU AMERISTEEL SAINT PAUL MILL - ACO

Case summary

Gerdau owns and operates a steel mini-mill in St. Paul, Minnesota. The mill receives recycled automobile bodies, tin cans from refuse-derived fuel recycling operations, recycled white goods, and other grades of scrap steel. The automobile bodies, tin cans, and white goods are shredded in an auto shredder. A wet scrubber and cyclone control particulate matter (PM) and PM less than 10 microns (PM10) emissions from the auto shredder. Per the Minnesota SIP and the facility's Title V Permit, the facility is required to limit emissions from its auto shredder to less than 20 percent (%) opacity. Additionally, the Minnesota SIP and the facility's Title V Permit require the facility to maintain its auto shredder emission unit and associated controls in proper operating condition to ensure proper control of PM/PM10 emissions. Specifically, Gerdau failed to: (1) limit emissions from its auto shredding operations to less than 20% opacity on August 30, 2016, on September 1, 2016, and on November 4, 2016; (2) maintain the auto shredding emission unit and associated controls in proper operating condition for several days in 2016 and 2017; (3) operate the control equipment in such a manner as to achieve and maintain compliance with the PM10 emission limit at its auto shredding emission unit for several days in 2016 and 2017; and (4) properly monitor and maintain operating records of the auto shredding emission unit and associated controls for several days during the period from January 1, 2014 through September 30, 2016. This ACO requires Gerdau to comply with all applicable requirements of the Minnesota SIP and its Title V Permit. Specifically, the ACO requires that Gerdau: (1) update its Pollution Prevention Plan to prohibit placing into the shredder any vehicle that has not had all liquids removed to the extent practicable; (2) modify its non-expiring, federally enforceable permit to permanently require that its Pollution Prevention Plan include this prohibition; (3) perform visible emission observations at the auto shredder on a regular schedule for a period of one year; (4) take a federally enforceable limit in its non-expiring, federally enforceable permit on the number of cars processed through the shredder per hour; (5) implement a preventative maintenance and operation plan; (6) submit quarterly reports; and (7) submit revised permit applications to the State of Minnesota.

Defendants (1)

• GERDAU AMERISTEEL - SAINT PAUL MILL - ACONamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (2)

• GERDAU - SAINT PAUL MILL

  1678 RED ROCK RD, SAINT PAUL, MN, 551196013

  Registry ID: 110000424452

• GERDAU - SAINT PAUL MILL

  1678 RED ROCK RD, SAINT PAUL, MN, 551196013

  Registry ID: 110000424452

Statutes cited

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

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• GERDAU AMERISTEEL SAINT PAUL MILL - ACOentered 2018-09-27

  Primary law: CAA

Timeline (4 milestones)

• 2018-09-27Final Order Issued
• 2018-10-01Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2020-04-01Air Resolved
• 2020-04-01Enforcement Action Closed