Lorain, Canton steel mills at center of EPA lawsuit against Republic Steel

An idled steel mill in Lorain is the focus of a federal lawsuit alleging violations of the Clean Water Act. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has sued Republic Steel for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act at its mills in Lorain and Canton. The 1972 federal law established regulations for discharge of pollutants into U.S. waters. The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division late last month, alleged between May 2017 to May 2023, the Lorain and Canton mills discharged chlorine and mercury, high pH liquid, oil and grease beyond the monthly and daily maximums. Both plants had permits allowing them to discharge industrial wastewater but with daily and monthly limits for the amount of pollutants. Lorain Safety/Service Director Rey Carrion applauded the lawsuit and the EPA's attempt to hold Republic Steel accountable. The hulking property in Lorain has been a thorn in Carrion's side since he was 6th Ward councilman. "It's one of those major concerns not only for the people of Lorain but the people living in south Lorain — what is Republic's responsibility to being a good neighbor to being a good corporate citizen … that's what we've been advocating and arguing for so many years," he said Thursday. "I'm delighted to hear the U.S. EPA has taken some action against them." In June 2019 Republic Steel reported to the Ohio EPA an oil sheen was discharging onto the Black River, according to the lawsuit. An inspection found a pump was causing the oil to be discharged into a storm sewer and directly into the Black River. Crews from Lorain Fire, the Coast Guard and the Ohio EPA responded to the property several times in 2018 and 2019, according to The Chronicle-Telegram's previous reporting. In March 2018 and February 2019, Lorain firefighters, the Coast Guard and Ohio EPA responded to oil spills into the Black River. In late June 2019, the Lorain Fire Department was called out after a pump in an oil separation area was left on all night, according to previous reporting. After pumping all the water out, it began pumping oil and sludge into the river. At the time, Assistant Fire Chief Matt Homolya said incidents with Republic were "not uncommon." According to the lawsuit, in April 2022 the EPA reinspected the Lorain mill and found it had continued to discharge contaminants into the Black River at a rate of about 12,200 gallons per day, according to the lawsuit. The discharge was identified as a high pH and chlorinated liquid. It also reportedly found a lack of flow measurement devices at several outfalls. In June 2022 the EPA required Republic Steel to eliminate all unauthorized discharge into the Black River. The lawsuit alleges each time the Lorain site exceeded its permit limitations for discharges into the Black River, or failed to monitor flow at outfalls, that it violated the Clean Water Act, subjecting it to a civil penalty of up to $66,712 per day for each violation since Nov. 3, 2015. The EPA's filing alleged similar transgressions at the Canton mill, including improper discharge of water used to cool its electric arc furnace slag into a stormwater catch basin that flows into the east branch of Nimishillen Creek. Republic Steel idled its East 28th Street plant five years ago, but it had shut down certain operations and laid off workers in the years leading up to its almost complete closure. Rumors of furnace restarts have come and gone since 2016. It idled the Canton mill in August. In a proposed settlement, the EPA would require Republic Steel to address all permit and discharge violations at the Lorain and Canton plants and pay a $700,000 civil penalty in three equal payments. An email seeking comment sent to Republic Steel's parent company, Grupo Simec of Guadalajara, Mexico, was not returned Thursday evening. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.