Smith Foundry to partially shut down operations in settlement with federal regulators
Dozens of people gather outside the Smith Foundry in Minneapolis during a protest on Nov. 10. Ben Hovland | MPR News
Via MPR News by Estelle Timar-Wilcox
A Minneapolis iron foundry is partially shutting down, after a year-long investigation that alleged violations of pollution control laws.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday that it has reached a settlement with Smith Foundry, located in Minneapolis’s East Phillips neighborhood. The foundry, owned by Zynik Capital, has a one-year deadline to shut down its furnace and casting processes, which regulators say will drastically reduce emissions. It will also have to pay an $80,000 fine.
“This settlement is an important step toward protecting the health and well-being of residents in the East Phillips community,” said Katrina Kessler, commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. “We will continue to engage with and communicate frequently with residents.”