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Letter to CEO of US Steel Corporation Re: Wastewater Permit that Violates Conditions of Clean Water Act

Letter

Date: Oct. 12, 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Environment

October 12, 2007

Mr. John P. Surma
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
United States Steel Corporation
600 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Dear Mr. Surma,

After reading this morning's Chicago Tribune article regarding the proposed wastewater permit for your company's Gary, Indiana facility, we write to express our strong concern and request a meeting with you to discuss the potential effects of this permit on the health of Lake Michigan and all of the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes account for 95% of the United States' surface freshwater and provide drinking water for more than 30 million Americans. Between the startling increases in fish consumption advisories, record numbers of beach closures, and studies indicating that over 90% of shoreline in the Great Lakes region is polluted, Lake Michigan and the rest of the Great Lakes need greater environmental stewardship, not an increase in pollution. Economic development and protecting the Great Lakes can and should go hand in hand.

Lake Michigan is our Grand Canyon, our Yellowstone, and we hope that you will join us in working to protect the lake. It is our understanding that US Steel has been working to come into compliance with clean water requirements at the Gary, Indiana facility for over a decade. We strongly oppose any efforts that might lead to an increase in the pollutants the Gary Works discharges into the Grand Calumet River, which feeds into Lake Michigan.

Due to a public dialogue and the involvement of concerned local citizens, BP reconsidered their decision to increase their permitted discharge levels and is now working to expand their Whiting refinery without discharging more ammonia and other pollutants into Lake Michigan. We urge you to reconsider your company's decision to seek a permit that threatens water quality in Lake Michigan and invite you to meet with us to discuss this important issue. Please contact Jen Waller in Congressman Emanuel's office at 202-225-4061 or Michael Kolenc in Senator Durbin's office at 202-224-9447 to set up a meeting, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
U.S. Senator

Rahm Emanuel
Member of Congress


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