Gary Works Aims to Reduce Emissions With Natural Gas
Gary Works steel mill as seen from downtown Gary. (photo courtesy: The Times of Northwest Indiana)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowOne of the top polluters in Indiana appears to be taking steps to reduce hazardous emissions. Our partners at The Times of Northwest Indiana report Gary Works intends to install new natural gas pipes and natural gas burners on several of its boilers.
Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel Corp. (NYSE: X) plans to use natural gas instead of fuel oil to provide supplemental power to Boilers No. 1 and No. 2.
The publication says based on estimates provided by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the switch should result in a reduction of approximately 2,200 tons per year of sulfur dioxide emissions.
The Times says the change will result in the emissions of more nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), but U.S. Steel is required to offset that increase with a decrease elsewhere.
IDEM says Gary Works will attain the required levels by taking other equipment off-line. The paper did not specify what equipment or operations would be affected.
“Any increase was met with an even larger decrease,” said Jenny Acker, permits branch chief for the Office of Air Quality at IDEM. “And typically, natural gas is a much cleaner source of fuel. You definitely have less toxins in it. You have less SO2. You have less particulate matter.”
The public has until March 16 to comment on U.S. Steel’s plan.
Last March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Gary Works was the top polluter in Indiana. Click here to view that story from Inside Indiana Business.