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General Iron’s parent company will pay the federal government $ 500,000 in a deal to resolve charges that the now-closed Lincoln Park operation violated the Clean Air Act, said Wednesday officials from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Seller Industries, formerly known as General Iron Industries, Inc., and GII, LLC, did not have the proper operating license for the facility and the shredded metal without the required equipment to capture and control the emissions of volatile organic compounds under Clean Air Act regulations, according to a statement from EPA spokesperson Rachel Bassler.
The facility located at 1909 W. Clifton Ave. Complied with the Clean Air Act by installing a Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer and passing a performance test on November 18, 2019, and submitting a permit application to the Illinois EPA on February 18, 2020.
The Lincoln Park facility closed on December 31, 2020.
Randall Samborn, spokesperson for the company that wants to operate a new metal shredding and recycling operation in southeast Chicago, said the deal “fully resolves three-year-old allegations that have been settled there two years ago when installing a regenerative thermal oxidizer. (RTO) at the now defunct General Iron on the North Side of Chicago.
The new facility meets all the requirements set by the EPA, Samborn said.
In May 2020, two explosions at the Lincoln Park facility rocked the north side and prompted Chicago Department of Health officials to fine General Iron $ 6,000 for violating pollution standards at the state. In November 2020, General Iron officials agreed to pay a total of $ 18,000 in fines after being hit with a dozen citations from city inspectors in connection with the blasts as well as dozens of complaints and complaints. quotes.
In May 2021, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency said plans for General Iron’s parent company, Reserve Management Group, to operate a new facility at 11600 S. Burley Ave. raises “significant civil rights concerns”.
This prompted Mayor Lori Lightfoot to perform additional environmental scan as recommended by EPA officials and indefinitely delay action on the final permit that the reserve management group needs to operate a shredding operation and recycling center on the south-east side.
The company challenged the mayor’s decision in court.
Since January, the EPA has been investigating whether the Illinois EPA discriminated against the “LatinX and African American” communities of Southeast Chicago on the basis of race and national origin when it issued a permit. the company to relocate, according to EPA officials.
As required by federal law, discussions over an informal resolution agreement began between the Illinois EPA and federal officials on Feb.11, EPA officials said. The investigation will be suspended for the duration of the informal resolution agreement process, as required, officials added.
Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]
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