STATE OF INDIANA

COUNTY OF MARION

)
)
)


SS:

BEFORE THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

 

COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT,

Complainant,

v.

BETA STEEL CORPORATION,

Respondent.

)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)






Case No. 2008- 17690-A

                 2008- 18248-A

 

 

AGREED ORDER

 

Complainant and Respondent desire to settle and compromise this action without hearing or adjudication of any issue of fact or law, and consent to the entry of the following Findings of Fact and Order. Pursuant to IC 13-30-3-3, entry into the terms of this Agreed Order does not constitute an admission of any violation contained herein.  Respondent's entry into this Agreed Order shall not constitute a waiver of any defense, legal or equitable, which Respondent may have in any future administrative or judicial proceeding, except a proceeding to enforce this order

 

I.  FINDINGS OF FACT

 

1.                  Complainant is the Commissioner (“Complainant”) of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (“IDEM”), a department of the State of Indiana created by Indiana Code (“IC”) 13-13-1-1.

 

2.                  Respondent is Beta Steel Corporation (“Respondent”), which owns and operates a steel mini mill with I.D. No.127-00036 located at 6500 South Boundary Road in Portage, Porter County, Indiana (the “Site”).

 

3.                  IDEM has jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter of this action.

 

4.                  Pursuant to IC 13-30-3-3, IDEM issued a Notice of Violation (“NOV”) on May 14, 2008 via Certified Mail to:

 

Frederick J. Rocchis, Jr, President

Ellen Birmingham, Resident Agent

Beta Steel Corporation

Beta Steel Corporation

6500 S. Boundary Road

6500 S. Boundary Road

Portage, IN   46368

Portage, IN  46368

 

5.                  Respondent conducted stack tests at its Site on August 29 & 30, 2007.

 

6.                  Pursuant to Condition D.2.4 of Pt. 70 Permit No. T 127-9691-00036, volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the Reheat Furnace shall not exceed 1.7 lb/MMscf of natural gas burned and 0.4 pounds per hour.

 

7.                  During the stack test, VOC emissions from the Reheat Furnace exceeded the  limit and were at 2.2 lbs per MMscf of gas and 0.43 lbs per hour in violation of Condition 2.4 of Pt. 70 Permit No.T 127-9691-00036.

 

8.                  Pursuant to Condition D.2.1(a) of  Pt. 70 Permit No. T 127-9691-00036, Particulate Matter (PM) emissions from the Reheat Furnace shall not exceed 16.3 LB/MMscf of natural gas burned and 4.2 lb/hr.

 

9.                  During the stack test, PM emissions from the Reheat Furnace exceeded the limit and were at 30.4 lb/MMscf of natural gas burned and 5.3 lb/hr.

 

10.             On November 2, 2007 and April 3, 2008 Respondent conducted retests of PM emissions at the Reheat Furnace.

 

11.             During the November 2, 2007 stack test, PM emissions from the Reheat Furnace exceeded the limit and were at 62.2 lb/ MMscf of natural gas burned and 9.9 lb/hr in violation of Condition D.2.4 of Pt 70 Permit No. T 127-9691-00036.

 

12.             On November 2, 2007, Respondent conducted a retest of VOC emissions at the Reheat Furnace. The VOC emissions were zero, once methane and ethane were removed, as allowed. Ethane was not removed from the August 29, 2007 stack test results.

 

13.             On August 19-20, 2008 Respondent performed a stack test for SO2 emissions at its Electric Arc Furnace (EAF).

 

14.             Pursuant to Condition D.1.5 of  Pt. 70 Permit No. T. 127-9691-00036 SO2 emissions from the EAF shall not exceed 49.83 lb/hr.

 

15.             During the stack test, SO2 emissions the Electric Arc Furnace exceeded the limit and were at 51.83 lb/hr in violation of Condition D.1.5 of  Pt. 70 Permit No. 127-9691-00036.

 

16.             Respondent has relocated the main air intakes so they now take in external air that is cleaner than the air previously taken in from inside the building.

 

17.             Respondent has scheduled to clean the reheat furnace at a minimum of once a year.

 

18.             The Respondent waives issuance of a Notice of Violation and to the settlement period of sixty (60) days as provided for by IC 13-30-3-3 with respect to the retest of the Reheat Furnace described in Paragraphs 9 and 10 and the stack test at the Electric Arc Furnace described in Paragraphs 13, 14 & 15 above.

 

19.             The results of the April 3, 2008 retest revealed that PM emissions at the Reheat Furnace were in compliance with the limit in Condition D.2.4 of Pt. 70 Permit No. T 127-9691-0036.

 

20.             In recognition of the settlement reached, Respondent waives any right to administrative and judicial review of this Agreed Order.

 

II.  ORDER

 

1.                  This Agreed Order shall be effective (“Effective Date”) when it is approved by Complainant or Complainant’s delegate, and has been received by Respondent. This Agreed Order shall have no force or effect until the Effective Date.

 

2.         Respondent shall comply with Conditions D.1.5, D.2.4 and D.2.1(a) of Pt. 70 Permit No. T 127-9691-0036.

 

3.                  All submittals required by this Agreed Order, unless Respondent is notified otherwise in writing by IDEM, shall be sent to:

 

Craig Henry, Section Chief

Office of Air Quality – Mail Code 61-53

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251

 

4.                  Respondent is assessed a civil penalty of Twenty Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($27,500). Said penalty amount shall be due and payable to the Environmental Management Special Fund within forty-five (45) days of the Effective Date.  In the event that the civil penalty is not paid within forty-five (45) days of the Effective Date, Respondent shall pay interest on the unpaid balance at the rate established by IC 24-4.6-1-101.  The interest shall continue to accrue until the civil penalty is paid in full.

 

5.                  Civil penalties are payable by check to the “Environmental Management Special Fund.” Checks shall include the Case Number of this action and shall be mailed to:

 

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

Cashier – Mail Code 50-10C

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251

 

6.                  This Agreed Order shall apply to and be binding upon Respondent and its successors and assigns.  Respondent’s signatories to this Agreed Order certify that they are fully authorized to execute this Agreed Order and legally bind the party they represent.  No change in ownership, corporate, or partnership status of Respondent shall in any way alter its status or responsibilities under this Agreed Order.

 

7.                  In the event that any terms of this Agreed Order are found to be invalid, the remaining terms shall remain in full force and effect and shall be construed and enforced as if this Agreed Order did not contain the invalid terms.

 

8.                  Respondent shall provide a copy of this Agreed Order, if in force, to any subsequent owners or successors before ownership rights are transferred.   Respondent shall ensure that all contractors, firms and other persons performing work under this Agreed Order comply with the terms of this Agreed Order.

 

9.                  This Agreed Order is not and shall not be interpreted to be a permit or a modification of an existing permit.  This Agreed Order, and IDEM’s review or approval of any submittal made by Respondent pursuant to this Agreed Order, shall not in any way relieve Respondent of its obligation to comply with the requirements of its applicable permit or any applicable Federal or State law or regulation.

 

10.             Complainant does not, by its approval of this Agreed Order, warrant or aver in any manner that Respondent’s compliance with any aspect of this Agreed Order will result in compliance with the provisions of any permit, order, or any applicable Federal or State law or regulation.  Additionally, IDEM or anyone acting on its behalf shall not be held liable for any costs or penalties Respondent may incur as a result of Respondent’s efforts to comply with this Agreed Order.

 

11.             Nothing in this Agreed Order shall prevent or limit IDEM’s rights to obtain penalties or injunctive relief under any applicable Federal or State law or regulation, except that IDEM may not, and hereby waives its right to, seek additional civil penalties for the same violations specified in the NOV.

 

12.             Nothing in this Agreed Order shall prevent IDEM [or anyone acting on its behalf] from communicating with the EPA or any other agency or entity about any matters relating to this enforcement action.  IDEM or anyone acting on its behalf shall not be held liable for any costs or penalties Respondent may incur as a result of such communications with the EPA or any other agency or entity.

 

13.             This Agreed Order shall remain in effect until IDEM issues a Resolution of Case letter to Respondent.

 

 

TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATION:

 

RESPONDENT:

Department of Environmental Management

 

BETA Steel Corporation

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

 

Craig Henry, Chief

 

Printed:

 

 

Compliance and Enforcement Section 4

 

Title:

 

 

Office of Air Quality

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COUNSEL FOR COMPLAINANT:

 

COUNSEL FOR RESPONDENT:

For the Department of Environmental Management

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

 

Deputy Attorney General

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT THIS

 

DAY OF

 

, 2009.

 

 

For the Commissioner:

 

 

 

Signed on September 2, 2009

 

Daniel Murray

 

Assistant Commissioner

 

Office of Air Quality