ST PAUL, Minn — A St. Paul foundry with a history of air permit violations is back under the microscope of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Northern Iron and Machine Foundry, which operates in the city's Payne-Phalen neighborhood, is likely emitting more lead and particulate matter than air quality standards allow, according to the MPCA.
"In February 2024, the MPCA received new air emission modeling, or computer estimates, from Northern Iron. The information shows the foundry is very likely emitting lead and particulate matter at levels above national ambient air quality standards," said the statement from the MPCA.
Northern Iron was acquired by Wisconsin-based The Lawton Standard Co. in 2022. The foundry operates five furnaces and produces grey castings, austempered ductile and ductile castings, according to its website.
"This issue, unfortunately, has been known for five years and was a concern when we inherited the problem as we purchased the foundry. Our team has been working to address concerns about emissions since we purchased this important business only a short time ago, and we are committed to acting swiftly to fix it," said a statement from the foundry.
The MPCA also fined Northern Iron $41,000 for air permit violations in 2023. The state agency is requiring the company to reduce its emissions to meet Minnesota's standards within 30 days.
The MPCA is expected to hold a community meeting in May to provide neighbors with more updates.
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