Page 2 - Smith Foundry News Today

Hennepin County’s incinerator underscores a fight for environmental justice in Minneapolis. It should be shuttered

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency met with neighbors on Wednesday to discuss new findings that show the Smith Foundry, in Minneapolis' East Phillips neighborhood, isn't violating emission regulations.

The Minneapolis iron foundry that was accused of breaking pollution rules after a surprise inspection last year has made improvements, but still hasn't done everything it must to comply with the law, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Brian Dickens, an EPA employee with the agency's Chicago office, said at a public meeting Wednesday in the East Phillips neighborhood that ...

Neighbors continue to ask for the foundry to be closed. “Why is it always East Phillips?” one asked.

Officials will hold a meeting with community members Wednesday to give an update on the ongoing investigation of the foundry. Representatives from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the state and city health departments will speak to attendees.

Environmental advocates want the foundry shut down, as MPCA takes a deeper look at the operation.

Neighbors describe the odorscoming from Smith Foundry and Bituminous Roadways as chemical, sickly sweet, metallic and, at times, like burning tires. People who live near the south Minneapolis iron foundry and asphalt plant have spent years sounding alarms about what the sites are sending into the air — out of concern for their health, but also the simple nuisance of a pervasive stench. But the ...

During a surprise inspection in May, the EPA determined that Smith Foundry had violated the Clean Air Act. However, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has said it is not seeing any violations of state or federal air quality standards from the facility.

East Phillips residents expressed concerns about reported pollution from the Smith Foundry plant in south Minneapolis, which the company denies.

Residents of a south Minneapolis neighborhood are demanding environmental regulators close an iron foundry after the EPA found that it was emitting excessive amounts of pollution.