Counterpoint | Commentary on MPCA ‘double standards’ ignores the suffering of our neighborhoods

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As neighbors of the Northern Iron foundry on the East Side of St. Paul and the Gopher Resource lead-acid battery smelting plant in Eagan, we are infuriated by the recent commentary authored by state Rep. Isaac Schultz of Elmdale Township (“MPCA’s double standards threaten union jobs while ignoring public health,” Aug. 12). The piece, written by a sophomore representative who lives in neither affected community, is riddled with flaws.

We doubt that Rep. Schultz spoke with our impacted families. If he had, he would understand our struggles — including our experiences with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency — are similar.

In both neighborhoods, residents feel they are seeing high rates of illness. In both, the MPCA failed to communicate public health threats. In both, the agency went out of its way to cooperate with each facility. And in both, these facilities continue to operate despite significant, documented legal violations.

Schultz’s attempt to distinguish these facilities reveals that he does not understand the history of Northern Iron’s numerous violations — or the lengths the MPCA has gone to assist Northern Iron in obtaining a proper permit. To the frustration of the surrounding community, the MPCA attempted to fast-track the public comment period for that permit. The neighborhood rejected this approach, demanding full disclosure of all technical studies.

But Northern Iron refused to produce the required information. The permit revocation documents make clear that the MPCA’s hand was forced by Northern Iron’s repeated and longstanding refusal to cooperate after the MPCA’s lengthy attempts to work with the company. Far from a whim, the permit revocation decision was made after the MPCA had tried to negotiate for far too long.

Schultz then betrays his lack of technical expertise by proposing monitors as a solution for both facilities. But according to air quality experts, monitoring is far more complicated than his commentary suggests. Effective monitoring requires careful placement, while a poorly placed monitor may not provide quality data.

We do not need more monitors. We need enforcement of existing laws, based on the abundant technical information already available about these facilities’ emissions.

Our shared experience is that the MPCA is reluctant to disclose information that should be readily provided to us. Similar to the experience of East Siders, Eagan residents have been faced with a lack of transparency from the MPCA and from Gopher Resource. The Eagan community only recently learned of Gopher’s extensive history of air permit violations through investigative reporting. And following several months of delayed notification of elevated lead exposure spanning months, we received pushback when we tried to get more information from the MPCA.

Exposure to lead is equally harmful to children in Eagan and St. Paul. We should not have to spend countless hours, days, weeks and months investigating these facilities located in the heart of our communities. The MPCA should simply provide this information and act upon it.