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Peter Cox

Judge orders Mpls. metal shredder shut down over pollution

A hazey Minneapolis skyline
A haze rested along the Minneapolis skyline from the view of Ridgeway Parkway Park, Monday, July 6, 2015, in Minneapolis.
Jeff Wheeler | Star Tribune via AP File 2015

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Updated 3:20 p.m. | Posted 1:17 p.m.

Portions of a north Minneapolis metal shredding company targeted by the state for air pollution violations will shut down on Friday.

A Ramsey County judge ordered Northern Metals to close its metals recovery plant and an attached rain and snow shed until the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issues a new air permit or the company proves it no longer contributes to air pollution in the area.

The facilities play a big part in the air pollution problem in the area, according to the MPCA's Jeff Smith.

"We think we need to get this facility correctly permitted, and until we do we think they ought to shut down portions of their facility, especially those portions that are unpermitted," Smith said.

In a separate case the MPCA has requested that the entire plant's permit be revoked by an administrative law judge.

"We are clearly not in agreement with this result," Steve Ettinger, the president of Northern Metals, said in an emailed statement.

"We were moving forward proactively with the MPCA and the court, with some significant and voluntary facility improvements, to help address the area's ambient air quality issues, together with other neighboring businesses," he wrote.

"We're continuing to move forward through MPCA's contested case hearing process and anticipate a positive outcome from these proceedings."