EPA wants iron miners in Minnesota, Michigan to slash mercury emissions

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Federal authorities have proposed new regulations that would force Minnesota’s iron mining industry to slash its mercury emissions. The rule announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week follows two decades of litigation and other pressure by tribes and environmental groups who have long urged the agency to adopt mercury limits. The six iron ore processing plants in northeastern Minnesota would be required to cut their emissions by 57% by the end of 2026. They’re the largest source of mercury pollution in Minnesota, accounting for about half its emissions. The rule also applies to two mining operations in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.