Environmental
There are three outfalls at the Midwest plant, their location can be viewed on this map:
U. S. Steel Midwest Plant Map
- Outfall 002 = Non-Contact Cooling and Storm Water- discharges to Portage-Burns Waterway
- Monitored for Flow, Oil &Grease (O&G), Total Residual Chlorine (TRC), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Ammonia, Zinc, pH
- Limits on TRC and pH
- Outfall 003 = Non- Contact Cooling and Storm Water - discharges to Portage-Burns Waterway
- Monitored for Flow, O&G, TRC, TSS, COD, Ammonia, Zinc, pH
- Limits on TRC and pH
- Outfall 004 = Treated Process Water from internal outfalls, Non-Contact Cooling and Storm Water – discharges to Portage-Burns Waterway
- Monitored for Flow, mercury and O&G
- Monitored and limitations on TRC, Silver, Cyanide, Cadmium, Copper, Nickel, Lead and pH
- Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Testing
- Additional testing is conducted upstream of Outfall 004. These internal monitoring points in the plant test water before ever reaching Outfalls.
- Monitored for Flow, Lead, Nickel, Cadmium, Copper, Silver,
- Monitored and limitations for TSS, O&G, Total Chromium, Zinc, Total Cyanide, Hex. Chromium, Naphthalene, Tetrachloro-Ethylene, Total Toxic Organics, Fluoride
At U. S. Steel, environmental stewardship is our top priority. The Midwest Plant is regulated by state and federal agencies, including the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. We also participate in the Indiana Steel Environmental Group.
Air Emission Regulation
The Midwest Plant has a Title V operating permit that identifies all air emission sources at the Plant. For each air emission source, the Title V permit lists emission limitations and standards, compliance determination requirements including testing, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. The Title V permit also includes federal regulatory requirements such as National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) and New Source Performance Standards (NSPSs).
Water Regulation
U. S. Steel’s Midwest Plant operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The permit contains limits on allowable discharges along with monitoring and reporting requirements. Under the provisions of the permit, the plant abides by the general guidelines of the Clean Water Act.
Methods of testing
Process Monitoring: Process water samples are taken by operators at various points throughout the waste water treatment processes to verify proper operation and adjust the operations accordingly.
NPDES Requirements: Samples are taken at compliance points and measured against limits established in our NPDES permit. When a limit is exceeded, notification is made to IDEM. Daily Monitoring Reports (DMRs) which include the results of all required testing are submitted each month to IDEM and the EPA.