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News Examiner-Enterprise: Council Considers Supporting Action Against Nucor for Pollution

By Pam Folse

 

St. James Parish Council Chairman Alvin “Shark” St. Pierre, Jr. said the Council will consider a request by the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic asking the St. James Parish Council to support a letter requesting the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to review the proposed settlement between the LA Dept. of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) and Nucor Steel in Romeville.

The letter is signed by Lauren E. Godshall of Tulane, working on behalf of Romeville residents Myrtle Felton, Barbara Washington, and Gail LeBoeuf, the group Inclusive Louisiana, and the Louisiana Bucket Brigade.

Nucor has self-reported that it has exceeded the amount of allowable toxic air pollutants every year since 2014. Those toxic air pollutants includ sulfuric acid mist (battery acid) and hydrogen sulfide. According to the Tu- lane Environmental Law Clinic, the Louisiana limit for hydrogen sulfide is over 16,000 percent higher than the EPA recommended level. According to Nucor’s most recent data, the facility continues to release illegal amounts of sulfuric acid mist an average of 21 hours per day.

Nucor, by its own ad- mission, shut down its air quality monitoring station for 18 months between January 1, 2017, through June 21, 2018, resulting in 18 months without any monitoring data and a total of 77 permit violations for failure to monitor air quality in a previous settlement. For all these violations, the LDEQ proposes to fine Nucor $89,760.32, less than 23 cents per pound of unpermitted toxic air pollutants.

The letter to the EPA charges that “Since commencing operations in 2013, Nucor has profited without any regard for the surrounding communities, which continue to suffer from the toxic chemicals generated by the facility. The proposed settlement does nothing o deter Nucor from continuing its pattern and practice of permit violations and uncontrolled emissions.”

The petitioners request that the EPA review the June 7, 2021, proposed settlement between the LDEQ and Nucor.

The letter requests that the EPA investigate and assess significant civil penalties against Nucor for violating its air permit and that the penalties are appropriate to ensure that Nucor will abide by permit conditions going forward.

The group also asks that EPA consider and impose all relevant penalties, including requiring additional monitoring, mandating technology upgrades to Nucor’s equipment to prevent future violations, or that Nucor be enjoined from further operations until permit compliance is demonstrably achievable by the company.

Lastly, they request a meeting or hearing before Region 6 and the EPA to address Nucor’s emissions history and to effectively enforce permit limits.

St. Pierre said the matter will come up for further consideration at their next meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 9th, in Convent.

The Tulane Law Clinic was represented at the meeting by Caelyn Radziunas and Kim Terrell.

District 4 Councilman Mason Bland asked that they be placed on the meeting agenda.