Feb 5, 2010
State subpoenas Sparrows Point records in probe of furnace “belches”
by MARK REUTTER
The Maryland Department of the Environment has stepped up pressure on Severstal North America, subpoenaing records dating back to January 2008 regarding the release of pollutants by the Sparrows Point blast furnace.
The agency’s action, described yesterday by MDE officials as “extremely unusual,” comes after Severstal refused to voluntarily submit information to the agency. And, in a twist that’s equally unusual, the Baltimore Brew’s name comes up prominently in the dispute.
MDE made a request for information after an article in the Brew disclosed that a large number of furnace slips and “belches” have taken place since a September explosion showered the steel mill with fist-sized flaming debris.
Sources say the mammoth 300-foot-high “L” furnace continues to operate poorly, causing hot gases and particulate matter to escape from “dirty-bleeder” valves in alleged violation of air quality standards.
The furnace began malfunctioning after the Russian owners of Sparrows Point shut down a key processing plant, known as a sintering mill, and shifted the furnace to an “all-pellet” diet.
Russian engineers now monitoring the plant, sources say, insist that the malfunctions – which have caused delays in production as well as costly damage to equipment – are the result of improper furnace practices by Sparrows Point personnel.
Severstal argued in a January 8 letter that answering the agency’s request for information “would be wholly inappropriate, as it is based on a false premise… Severstal Sparrows disagrees that furnace slips are causing frequent and substantial releases of uncontrolled excess emissions.”
Severstal further complained that MDE misidentified the name of the Baltimore Brew. “In its opening sentence, the letter references a publication entitled ‘the Daily Brew.’ We are not aware of any publication by that name. We assume that you may be referencing the Baltimore Brew, a local internet-based blog.
”However, your letter does not identify by date, or by author, or by website link, the article to which you refer.” The letter referred to the Brew as a website containing “hearsay, rumors and accusation.”
Michael F. Strande, assistant attorney general for MDE, issued a three-page subpoena to the company last week, demanding an information report of pollutants released by the dirty-bleeder valves at the L furnace between January 1, 2008 and the present.
The subpoena also requests documents relating to changes made in the furnace’s raw-material feed, copies of the plant newsletter and “any records referring or relating to any malfunction occurring between January 1, 2009 and the present.”
Scott R. Dismukes, a Severstal lawyer in Pittsburgh, acknowledged receipt of the subpoena, which calls on the steelmaker to produce the documents by mid-February.
FOR BACKGROUND INFORMATION
“Fire and debris erupt from Sparrows Point” (Sept. 30, 2009)
“Sparrows Point furnace fire more serious than publicly reported” (Nov. 3, 2009)
“Sparrows Point furnace ‘belches’ continue: worried workers blame company cost-cutting” (Dec. 15, 2009)
Mark,
This is interesting reading. Please keep up the good work, as the people in the SE area of Baltimore county need to know just what is happening around them. Jobs, but at what costs? More cancer, and other diseases associated with poor quality of AIR or working conditions are not the answers. How many more children will suffer due to hazardous polutants we breathe and are not aware of it?!!
Someone or sombodies must be held accountable for their actions and lack of responsibility for this community. CANCERS, DEATHS from CANCER have affected the area like a ‘PLAGUE’
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? I suggest a SURVEY or STUDY of cancer and respiratory illness’ of the Dundalk, Turner Station, Edgemere, Sparrows Point communities. And, not to omit anyone.
Kudos to MDE and the O’Malley administration. It’s about time our environmental regulators grew a backbone when it comes to cracking down on industrial polluters.
As an eye witness to one “uncontrolled emission” and an “ear witness” to blasts on multiple nights, I can tell you things have occurred at the Sparrows Point plant under Severstal’s ownership that didn’t occur over the past 15 years under three previous owners.
We need strong action to protect our air quality now!
Rebecca Kolberg
Pasadena
Thank you Mark I do thank God that we have some one that protect the resident of Sparrows point,
You are correct, we need the dep. of epidemeology and onncology from hopkins to do a large scale test on blood disorder and other desises. sorry gramar errors. Guido