Letter to Administrator of EPA Region 5 Re: Wastewater Permit that Violates Conditions of Clean Water Act

Letter

October 12, 2007

Ms. Mary Gade
Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5
77 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604

Dear Ms. Gade,

We are writing today to express our strong concern about the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's proposed wastewater permit for U.S. Steel Corporation's Gary Works facility in Gary, Indiana. We commend you for formally objecting to the proposed permit and urge you to work with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to ensure that any new permits issued do not further threaten the health and water quality of Lake Michigan.

Compliance with the Clean Water Act calls for a steady reduction in pollutants discharged into public waters. After nearly a decade, it appears that U.S. Steel is still not in compliance with either the Clean Water Act or the standards in the Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative (GLI). We encourage you to ensure that the final permit makes significant strides towards minimizing pollutants.

Following this latest news about IDEM's proposed U.S. Steel permit and the recent controversy over BP's NPDES permit for their Whiting refinery, we are concerned about additional permits under consideration in Indiana. We urge you to undertake a detailed review of any additional, state-approved permits to ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act. EPA's oversight role is critical as we work together to ensure the health of Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes.

Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
U.S. Senator

Rahm Emanuel
Member of Congress

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