Judge says lawsuit against Northshore Mining can proceed

Northshore plant
The Northshore Mining processing plant is just below the town of Silver Bay.
MPR Photo/Stephanie Hemphill

A federal judge says two environmental groups can proceed with a lawsuit that seeks to enforce an air quality standard against Northshore Mining Company.

The Sierra Club and the Save Lake Superior Association say Northshore Mining violated the Environmental Protection Act because the level of asbestos fibers in the air around Silver Bay is higher than in the Twin Cities. The groups based their lawsuit on a city air standard that compares air in Silver Bay to air in St. Paul.

In a separate court case, Northshore Mining is seeking to have the city air standard removed from its state operating permits.

The state says there is no other way to measure asbestos risks for Silver Bay residents.

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Information from: Duluth News Tribune, http://www.duluthsuperior.com

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