Northshore Mining was fined $240,175 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency after its taconite processing plant in Silver Bay was cited for 30 air quality violations in 2010 and 2011.
The StarTribune has the story HERE.
The MPCA cited Northshore, which is owned by Cliffs Natural Resources of Cleveland, Ohio, for exceeding permitted levels for fine dust particles. It was the third such fine assessed to the company in the last year and a half.
The dust was created during the movement of stockpiled taconite pellets. Boat owners at the Silver Bay Marina were the first to identify the problem after finding their boats repeatedly covered with fine dust. No violations have occurred since last spring, after the company says it initiated measures to suppress dust.
Additionally, Northshore will also buy seven state-of-the-art air monitors costing $80,000, which will improve the MPCA’s ability to track dust pollution across the state.