EPA schedules hearing on AK Steel coke conveyor system
Thursday, 25 Jun 2009
Journal News reported that the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public hearing July 6th to discuss a draft air permit that would allow AK Steel Corporation to install a new coke conveyor to move the raw material from the SunCoke plant site to its operations.
The hearing will be held at 6:30 PM in the Middletown City Building Council Chambers, One Donham Plaza.
According to Ms Heather Lauer spokeswoman for the Ohio EPA, the conveyor system will allow AK to transport the coke from the end of the conveyor system of the nearby SunCoke coking facility to its new railcar and truck load-out stations. Several separate straight conveyors would make up AK’s proposed system, which would also make several turns between the AK Steel and SunCoke property lines and the end of the conveyor. From the conveyor, the coke would be moved about one-half mile to the steel mill itself.
Ms Lauer said that the system and its transfer points will be totally enclosed, although minor air emissions are possible. Chutes at the end of the conveyor used to transfer coke to trucks or trains are also a minor source of air pollution.
According to the Ohio EPA, particulate emissions from the conveyor are calculated to be less than a ton per year.
She said that the hearing is mostly in regard to the public interest centered around the SunCoke project and the transportation of the coke to AK’s operations.
